Someone’s Going to Get a Major Lift

Today’s final grouping of the Kraft Nabisco Championship doesn’t have a winner of an LPGA major in it, but it certainly has some familiar names.

Lorena Ochoa, a rising star on the verge of a breakthrough, holds a three-shot lead at nine-under-par 207 after three rounds at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage.

Michelle Wie, the 16-year-old prodigy looking for her first tour victory, is alone in second at 210.

And Natalie Gulbis, also looking for her first win and nearly as well known for her glamour as her golf, is tied for third, two shots behind Wie at four under.

All of them have something to prove.

Ochoa shot a two-over 74 Saturday, Wie shot a 73 and Gulbis matched the best round of the day with a four-under 68. She is tied for third with South Koreans Seon Hwa Lee and Shi Hyun Ahn.

Ochoa, 24, is a three-time winner on the LPGA Tour but has shown vulnerability in final rounds when in contention and has yet to win a major title -- a feat many predicted would have happened by now. Wie, probably the most famous golfer in the world not to have won a professional tournament, must show she can close.

And Gulbis is still waiting for her first victory after 21 top-10 finishes in her four-year career, including three in the top five this year.

“I’m ready,” said Ochoa, leading after 54 holes at a major for the first time. She has twice been within five shots of the lead entering the final round.

“I’m just going to try to do my thing and be very focused on the first hole.”

Wie has been in this position before. She held the 54-hole lead at the U.S. Open last year but shot 82 and finished 23rd. She said she will use that experience today.

“I think I tried to force things at the U.S. Open,” she said. “That wasn’t my day and I tried to make things happen. [Today] I’m just going to play calmly, find my best and take what happens.”

Gulbis said she doesn’t consider herself a contender entering the final round; five shots is too much to make up on a course that is well defended against low scores.

Only seven players broke par Saturday, and only three of those were better than 70. Lee, who opened with two 69s, is the only player to have broken 70 twice.

“I’m pretty far back,” Gulbis said. “As far ahead as [Ochoa] is, she’s a phenomenal player and you don’t expect her to fall back.”

Still, there might be low rounds to be had. Ochoa shot a record 62 in the first round and Wie shot 66. Patricia Meunier-Lebouc and Stacy Prammanasudh have shot 67s.

“I don’t think it’s really difficult to go low,” Wie said. “If everything works out, I think I’ll be able to do it.

Ochoa was 10 under in the first round and has played the next two days in one over, yet still holds a three-shot lead. Her plan for today, she said, will be to play as if she has no lead.

“I wasn’t trying to keep my lead,” she said. “When I finished the front nine, I told my caddie, ‘Let’s go low on the back nine. Let’s try to finish strong so we have more lead.’ If this is my bad round, I think I’m in good shape.”