Cristie Kerr

Kerr was born in Miami, Florida, and started playing golf at the age of eight. She had a successful amateur career, winning the 1994 Junior Orange Bowl International Golf Championship{{cite web |title=Past Champions |publisher=Junior Orange Bowl |url=http://www.jrorangebowl.com/Events-index-id-40-g_id-11.html |access-date=April 30, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061102003530/http://www.jrorangebowl.com/Events-index-id-40-g_id-11.html |archive-date=November 2, 2006}} and the 1995 Women's Western Amateur. She was the 1995 American Junior Golf Association Junior Player of the Year.{{cite web |title= All-Time Rolex Junior Players of the Year |publisher=American Junior Golf Association |url=http://www.ajga.org/Rankings/playersoftheyear.asp |access-date=April 4, 2007}} In 1996 she played in the Curtis Cup{{cite web |title=Previous Curtis Cup Matches 1932–2002 |publisher=USGA |url=http://www.curtiscup.org/2004/history/previous_matches.html |access-date=March 23, 2007}}{{cite web |title=1996 Curtis Cup Match |publisher=USGA |url=http://www.curtiscup.org/2004/history/us_teams/1996.html |access-date =March 23, 2007}} and was the low amateur at the U.S. Women's Open. She graduated from Miami Sunset High School in West Kendall, Florida.{{cite news |title=Women's Intuition |newspaper=The Miami Herald |date=July 2, 2007 |page=1D}}

Kerr's first win in a professional tournament came in April 1995 in the Ironwood FUTURES Classic on the Futures Tour, which she played while still an amateur.{{cite news |newspaper=Salt Lake Tribune |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=SLTB&p_theme=sltb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=1010E54B3021B7CA&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM |title=Futures Tour Ironwood Futures Classic results |date=April 3, 1995 |access-date=July 21, 2011}}{{cite web |publisher=Futures Tour |url=http://lpgafuturestour.com/content_1.aspx?mid=1&pid=27482 |title=Futures Tour Winners List |access-date=July 21, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120119161856/http://lpgafuturestour.com/content_1.aspx?mid=1&pid=27482 |archive-date=January 19, 2012 |df=mdy-all}}

She turned professional in 1996 at age 18 after graduating from high school, playing on both the Futures Tour and Players West Tour. In October 1996, she tied for sixth at the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament to gain exempt status for 1997.{{cite web |url=http://www.lpga.com/content_1.aspx?mid=1&pid=583 |publisher=LPGA |title=LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament – results – 1990–1999}} Her LPGA career started fairly slowly; she broke into the top fifty on the money list in her third season in 1999, but did not win until her sixth season. In 2002, she won her first LPGA event at the Longs Drugs Challenge in California. By 2004, she was one of the leading players on the tour, with three tournament victories, and a fifth-place finish on the money list. She won two tournaments in 2005 and moved up to third on the money list. She tied for second at the 2000 U.S. Women's Open, matched by her performance in the 2006 Women's British Open. Her first win of 2006 came at the Franklin American Mortgage Championship where she posted a tournament-record score of 19 under par. In 2006, she was the only American to win more than one event on the LPGA Tour, winning three times. She won the 2007 U.S. Women's Open, her first major championship. She was also a member of the United States Solheim Cup team in 2002,{{cite news |title=A Glimpse at the U.S. Solheim Cup Team |work=The Golf Channel |date=September 16, 2002 |url=http://www.thegolfchannel.com/core.aspx?page=15104&dv=4618285&select=7253&select2=1&v.pos=901&h.pos=0 |access-date=April 28, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930015300/http://www.thegolfchannel.com/core.aspx?page=15104&dv=4618285&select=7253&select2=1&v.pos=901&h.pos=0 |archive-date=September 30, 2007 |url-status=dead }} 2003,{{cite news |title=Sheehan Announces Selections |work=The Golf Channel |date=August 25, 2003 |url=http://www.thegolfchannel.com/core.aspx?page=15104&select=10692 |access-date=April 28, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927205621/http://www.thegolfchannel.com/core.aspx?page=15104&select=10692 |archive-date=September 27, 2007 |url-status=dead }} and 2005.{{cite web |title=Lopez announces 2005 U.S. Solheim Cup Team |publisher=Ladies European Tour |date=August 28, 2005 |first=Bethan |last=Cutler |url=http://www.ladieseuropeantour.com/content/let_content_news.php?Id=3896 |access-date=April 28, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930184453/http://www.ladieseuropeantour.com/content/let_content_news.php?Id=3896 |archive-date=September 30, 2007 }}

The hallmarks of Kerr's game are putting; she finished in the top five on the LPGA Tour in putts/greens hit in 2005 and 2006 and iron play. She was fifth in greens-in-regulation in 2005. In 2005, Kerr finished in the top 10 in half of the tournaments she entered, and ranked second in the LPGA in scoring average, trailing only Annika Sörenstam.

In 2010, Kerr won two of the first 10 tournaments on the LPGA Tour, including the LPGA Championship, which she won by a record-breaking 12-stroke margin over the second-place finisher Song-Hee Kim. As a result of this finish, she went to the top of the Women's World Golf Rankings on June 28, 2010.{{cite news |agency=Associated Press |url=https://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jiuU7xpk9vGc-apX4ROH0rPDiCzwD9GJSBB83 |title=Kerr romps to 12-stroke win at LPGA Championship |date=June 27, 2010}}{{dead link|date=June 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} Kerr held the position for three weeks before Ai Miyazato again regained the top ranking by a margin of 0.0006 average points.{{cite web |work=KSDK.com |url=http://www.ksdk.com/sports/golf/story.aspx?storyid=207968&catid=202 |title=Miyazato replaces Kerr as women's No. 1 |date=July 19, 2010}}

In 2015, Kerr won the CME Group Tour Championship by one shot over fellow American Gerina Piller and South Korean Jang Ha-na.{{cite news |title=Kerr wins LPGA finale, Ko wins CME Globe, Park qualifies Hall of Fame |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/golf-devil-ball-golf/kerr-wins-lpga-finale--ko-wins-cme-globe--park-qualifies-hall-of-fame-231801420.html |work=Yahoo Sports |first=Ryan |last=Ballengee |date=November 22, 2015 |access-date=November 23, 2015}}{{cite news |title=Cristie Kerr wins LPGA title, Lydia Ko takes $1 million bonus |url=http://www.smh.com.au/sport/golf/cristie-kerr-wins-lpga-title-lydia-ko-takes-1-million-bonus-20151122-gl58k0.html |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |agency=Associated Press |date=November 23, 2015 |access-date=November 23, 2015}} That year she made 24 cuts out of 25 events, captured her 17th career victory at the Kia Classic and posted a 3–0–1 record at her eight Solheim Cup, helping the U.S. team to victory.

In 2016, she recorded four top-10 finishes, including a tie for seventh at the LPGA KEB Hana Bank Championship. She was also on the victorious U.S. team at the UL International Crown, where she posted a team-best 3–1–0 record. In 2017, Kerr recorded her 19th and 20th career wins, moving her into a tie with Laura Davies for 26th all-time on the LPGA career wins list. That year she also participated in her ninth Solheim Cup for the U.S., posting a 3–0–1 record, thereby surpassing Juli Inkster for the all-time lead in points recorded by a U.S. player in Solheim Cup history (21). In 2018, Kerr recorded two top-10 finishes, with a season-best finish tied for second at the Kia Classic{{cite web |publisher=LPGA |title=Christie Kerr – Bio |url=http://www.lpga.com/players/cristie-kerr/81106/bio}}

Kerr is actively involved in fundraising for breast cancer research.

The LPGA and the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation awarded Kerr the 2006 LPGA Komen Award{{cite web |title=Kerr receives 2006 LPGA Komen Award |publisher=LPGA |date=November 15, 2006 |url=http://www.lpga.com/content_1.aspx?mid=2&pid=8930 |access-date=December 23, 2008}} due to her dedication to find a cure for breast cancer through the foundation that she founded called Birdies for Breast Cancer. Kerr donates $50 per birdie. As of August 2009, she has raised over $750,000 through donations and an annual charity event.{{cite magazine |title=Things Are Looking Up: A Q&A with LPGA Tour star Cristie Kerr |magazine=Golf Digest |date=September 1, 2009 |url=http://www.golfdigest.com/magazine/2009/09/cristie_kerr_interview |access-date=September 7, 2009 |archive-date=September 6, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090906090844/http://www.golfdigest.com/magazine/2009/09/cristie_kerr_interview |url-status=dead }} Kerr created the foundation in honor of her mother, Linda, who has been her inspiration. The foundation was created in 2003, the year that her mother Linda was diagnosed with breast cancer. Kerr also founded Curvature Wines, which helps to raise money for breast cancer charities.{{cite magazine |last=Bergeron |first=Elena |title=If at First You Do Succeed... |magazine=ESPN The Magazine |date=August 9, 2010 |page=68}}

Kerr is {{height|ft=5|in=3}} in height. In 1999, she weighed {{convert|175|lb|0}}, a weight that caused her to have back spasms. Her parents, who are divorced, are both diabetics, and her mother had a heart attack when Kerr was in the ninth grade. After her weight peaked, Kerr began exercising regularly and went on a diet. By 2002, she had lost {{convert|50|lb|0}}, and weighs {{convert|125|lb|0}}.{{cite magazine |title=The Winning Edge |magazine=Golf World |first=Ron |last=Sirak |date=May 20, 2005 |url=http://www.lpga.com/content/KerrGW052605.pdf |access-date=April 28, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929115322/http://www.lpga.com/content/KerrGW052605.pdf |archive-date=September 29, 2007 |df=mdy-all }}

Kerr made an appearance on an episode of the third season of Donald Trump's television series The Apprentice in 2005. In 2006, Kerr married businessman Erik Stevens. Kerr and Stevens maintain a residence in Scottsdale, Arizona. One of her sponsors is Mutual of Omaha, which donates money to her breast cancer research foundation every time she places third or better.{{cite web |last=Cerio |first=Gregory |title=On and off course, Kerr enjoying the fine life |url=http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/23338293/ns/sports-golf/page/3/ |work=NBC Sports |access-date=June 29, 2010 |date=February 25, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121009074856/http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/23338293/ns/sports-golf/page/3/ |archive-date=October 9, 2012}}

Kerr partnered with Pride Mountain Vineyards in Napa, California, to launch her Curvature wine label with the 2006 vintage. She has also launched a new wine venture, Kerr Cellars, with winemaker Helen Keplinger, beginning with a 2013 vintage. The label now produces Pinot noir and red and white Bordeaux blends. In 2013, she passed the Court of Master Sommeliers level I test.{{Cite journal|last=Balter|first=Emma|date=March 2018|title=Cristie Kerr Tees Up Wine|journal=Wine Spectator|pages=19}}

On December 8, 2013, Kerr and Stevens welcomed their first child, a son named Mason, via a surrogate.{{cite web |url=http://www.cristiekerrgolf.com/oh-boy |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131224120133/http://www.cristiekerrgolf.com/oh-boy |url-status=usurped |archive-date=December 24, 2013 |title=Oh Boy!! |website=www.cristiekerrgolf.com |access-date=October 31, 2017}} Kerr welcomed a second boy, Griffin, on August 28, 2018.{{cite web |publisher=Foregals |title=LPGA's 2018 Baby Boom: Could there be more coming in 2019? |date=January 2019 |url=https://foregals.com/2018/12/28/lpga-baby-boom-more-coming-2019/}}

On December 4, 2020, Kerr and her caddie Matt Gelczis were injured in a collision between golf carts before sunrise prior to the start of the second round of the Volunteers of America Classic at the Old American Golf Club in The Colony, Texas. The two were sent to an emergency room at a local hospital, and released later that day. Kerr withdrew from the tournament.{{cite magazine |last=Todisco |first=Eric |title=LPGA Star Cristie Kerr and Caddie Recovering After Being Hospitalized for Golf Cart Accident |url=https://people.com/sports/lpga-cristie-kerr-caddie-hospitalized-golf-cart-accident/ |magazine=People |access-date=December 10, 2020 |date=December 7, 2020}} After completing the first round of the 2020 U.S. Women's Open, in which she shot a 71, she described what happened: Kerr and Gelczis struck another cart head-on, having been blinded by its headlights, which the cart Kerr was riding on didn't have; she and Gelczis were using a flashlight to try and find their way to the driving range, where the other cart had been coming from.{{cite magazine |last=Schmitt |first=Tim |title=Cristie Kerr recalls cart accident, says pain is 'at a 6' after shooting even 71 at U.S. Women's Open |url=https://golfweek.usatoday.com/2020/12/10/cristie-kerr-tears-up-us-womens-open/ |magazine=Golfweek |access-date=December 11, 2020 |date=December 10, 2020}} The two were thrown from the cart; Kerr landed on her chest, suffering three dislocated ribs, and bruising on her arms; in order to get through her first round at the U.S. Women's Open, she regularly took pain medication.{{cite news |last=Rogers |first=Amy |title=Still recovering from serious injuries, Cristie Kerr toughs out 71 at U.S. Women's Open |url=https://www.golfchannel.com/news/still-recovering-serious-injuries-cristie-kerr-toughs-out-71-us-womens-open |work=Golf Channel |access-date=December 11, 2020 |date=December 10, 2020}} According to Kerr, Gelczis's injuries were far less severe, receiving only a "bump on the head", and whiplash.{{cite web |last=Piastowski |first=Nick |title=Days after being tossed from a cart, Cristie Kerr contending at the U.S. Open |url=https://golf.com/news/cristie-kerr-dislocating-ribs-contending-open/ |website=Golf.com |access-date=December 11, 2020 |date=December 10, 2020}}

|}

LPGA Tour playoff record (3–3)

^ Won as an amateur, top professional (Comstock) earned $4,500.

• 2010 (1) Notah Begay III Foundation Challenge (with Hunter Mahan)
• 2011 (1) Notah Begay III Foundation Challenge (with Hunter Mahan)

• 2025 LPGA Legends Championship

Results not in chronological order.

^ The Women's British Open replaced the du Maurier Classic as an LPGA major in 2001

^^ The Evian Championship was added as a major in 2013.

{{legend|lime|Win}}

{{legend|yellow|Top 10}}

{{legend|#eeeeee|Did not play}}

LA = low amateur

CUT = missed the half-way cut

WD = withdrew

NT = no tournament

T = tied

• Most consecutive cuts made – 36 (2002 Kraft Nabisco – 2010 British Open)
• Longest streak of top-10s – 4 (2009 U.S. Open – 2010 LPGA)

^ Official as of 2024 season{{cite web |access-date=December 3, 2024 |title=Christie Kerr – Stats |publisher=LPGA |url=https://www.lpga.com/athletes/cristie-kerr/81106/stats}}{{cite web |url=https://www.lpga.com/athletes/cristie-kerr/81106/results |title=Christie Kerr – Results |publisher=LPGA |access-date=December 3, 2024}}{{cite web |url=https://www.lpga.com/stats-and-rankings/money-and-finishes#tab-list |title=Career Money |publisher=LPGA |access-date=December 3, 2024}}

* Includes matchplay and other tournaments without a cut.

Position in Women's World Golf Rankings at the end of each calendar year.

Amateur

• Curtis Cup (representing the United States): 1996

Professional

• Solheim Cup (representing the United States): 2002 (winners), 2003, 2005 (winners), 2007 (winners), 2009 (winners), 2011, 2013, 2015 (winners), 2017 (winners)
• Lexus Cup (representing International team): 2007, 2008 (winners)
• International Crown (representing the United States): 2014, 2016 (winners), 2018

¹ Kerr conceded the match at the start because of injury; Solheim Cup rules categorized this as a 10 and 8 loss.

• List of golfers with most LPGA major championship wins
• List of golfers with most LPGA Tour wins

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• {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070307051308/http://golf.about.com/od/golferswomen/p/christie_kerr.htm |title=Cristie Kerr at golf.about.com |date=March 7, 2007 }}

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{{s-ach}}

{{succession box |

| before = {{flagicon|MEX}} Lorena Ochoa

| after = {{flagicon|USA}} Stacy Lewis

| title = Best Female Golfer ESPY Award

| years = 2011, 2012

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{{S-end}}

{{LPGA Champions}}

{{U.S. Women's Open Champions}}

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{{Golf world number ones (women)}}

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Category:American female golfers

Category:LPGA Tour golfers

Category:Winners of LPGA major golf championships

Category:Solheim Cup competitors for the United States

Category:Golfers from Miami

Category:Golfers from Phoenix, Arizona

Category:1977 births

Category:Living people

Category:21st-century American women