Leaders might be going for the (U.S.) flag today

At first, Kristy McPherson thought reporters were joking that she would tee off with both Cristie Kerr and Brittany Lincicome today in the final round of the Kraft Nabisco Championship.

As soon as McPherson realized the reality, she broke out a smile.

“That’s great,” said McPherson, who shot a 70 Saturday for a leading eight-under-par 208 through three rounds. “I would love it. I’m going to be out-driven all day, but that’s all right.”

Her 9:40 a.m. tee time with Kerr and Lincicome at Mission Hills Country Club makes for an all-American trio. Only one American-born player has won the Kraft title in the last nine years, when Morgan Pressel won in 2007. Americans have won only eight of this decade’s 36 LPGA majors.

“We have to remember, we have a very international tour, and a lot of great players from Asia,” said Kerr, who stands in second at seven-under 209. “As the years have progressed on the LPGA, it’s been tougher to win. Things go in cycles, and I think that the Americans are back.”

Lincicome is in third at six under after a 70. Jimin Kang and Lindsey Wright, at four under, are the closest to the top trio.

While McPherson, Lincicome and Kerr each shared national pride for being on top of the leaderboard, their presence also speaks to the mental maturity that helped them remain in contention.

It came in handy on a day only 13 players of the competing 70 broke par, some thought because of the blustery desert winds on Friday that made the rough longer and the greens firmer. Defending champion Lorena Ochoa said those factors helped her shoot a 72, leaving her 10 strokes behind McPherson.

Michelle Wie shot her second consecutive 81 and is in last place.

When nobody ran off with the lead, McPherson opened the back nine with three straight birdies. Although playing partner Christina Kim finished five shots back after a 75, McPherson thought their continual conversations on the course calmed her down.

“I actually had no nerves at all,” said McPherson, who’s contending for her first LPGA Tour title in her third year. “We just had a good time and I was surprisingly very calm out there. Knowing that I’m hitting the ball well, that makes golf a lot easier.”

Golf has also become easier for Lincicome and Kerr because of their mental maturity. Lincicome, whom McPherson nicknames “Bam-Bam” “because she hits the ball a mile,” recently turned to the Vision 54 program, which emphasizes the importance of the mental part of golf. For Lincicome, it entailed staying relaxed and thinking positive thoughts, such as her dog, country music or fishing, even through bad shots.

She led after the first round with a 66 and has remained near the top since.

“It’s been so long since I’ve been in contention, and to be in a major and on top of the leaderboard is a pretty cool feeling,” said Lincicome, who hasn’t been close to the winner’s circle since winning the Ginn Open in 2007. “I probably would never be in this seat right now if they had not told me a few things to kind of get through this week.”

Kerr’s final-round 80 in last year’s Kraft Nabisco Championship, which slid her down the leaderboard to 21st, made her seek out Dr. Joe Parent, a bestselling author of “Zen Golf: Mastering the Mental Game.” A Buddhist, Parent taught Kerr to control her anger and emotions during stressful times.

Without that help, who knows how Kerr would’ve reacted on the 14th hole when her tee shot bounced on the green toward the water? Luckily, the ball hit a rock and rebounded back near the hole.

Kerr’s resume -- winner of 11 tour events, including the 2007 U.S. Women’s Open -- and her newfound mental maturity convince her she’ll have the edge when the three Americans tee off today.

“I definitely think it’s an advantage, knowing what it’s not only like to win a tournament, but a major and how to handle the emotions and how you feel,” Kerr said. “I’m sure not even having won a tournament, they are not really going to know what they feel tomorrow.”

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mark.medina@latimes.com