Golf champ eager to return to Manila

MANILA, Philippines - Three-time world’s No. 1 women’s golfer Cristie Kerr blew in and out of town for an overnight stay last Tuesday but promised to return to enjoy the sights, hospitality and food in the country.

Kerr, 34, arrived early morning from Taipei to grace the first Lacoste Invitationals at the Sta. Elena Golf Club and even played a hole to the delight of the participants. The Lacoste brand ambassador was hosted by Anton Huang, executive vice president of premium retailer Stores Specialists, Inc.

Despite a hectic schedule that put her on the road the last seven weeks, Kerr met with the press for dinner at the People’s Palace Restaurant in Greenbelt 3 last Tuesday night but politely, asked for space to chill out as she was bone-tired from the tour. Still, Kerr fielded questions gamely, speaking passionately about her love of the game and her advocacies.

Kerr said she ballooned to about 185 pounds when she was in high school then made a determined effort to reduce weight after her mother Linda, a type 2 diabetic, suffered a heart attack.  She committed herself to a healthy lifestyle and slowly, brought down her weight to what it is now – 130 pounds. At 5-4, Kerr said she keeps a torrid pace on the greens with her speed and precision from years of being mentored by coach Jim McLean of Doral Golf Resort and Spa in Miami.

 “I was seven when I began playing golf,” said Kerr. “My parents introduced me to the game. I loved it from the start. I joined junior tournaments then turned pro after I graduated from high school in 1996 when I was 18.” Kerr hasn’t looked back since her pro debut and has now won 14 Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) tour titles, including two major championships, with over $13 Million in career earnings. She has pocketed at least $1 Million every year since 2004 and so far this season, has bankrolled over $1.4 Million.

Kerr said the highlights of her career were winning her first LPGA championship in 2002, her comeback from eight down in the final round to win the Canada Women’s Open by a stroke over Angela Stanford on scores of 67-70-74-65 in 2006, her US Open victory by two strokes over Angela Park and Lorena Ochoa in 2007 and her whopping 12-stroke triumph over Song Hee Kim on scores of 68-66-69-66 for the LPGA crown last year.  

Last September, Kerr participated in her sixth Solheim Cup for the US but withdrew from the singles match, conceding to England’s Karen Stupples, because of a badly swollen right wrist in Ireland. The US has won four of the six tournaments with Kerr in the team competition where the top 12 players from the US and Europe square off every other year. The Solheim Cup is the women’s version of the Ryder Cup. Kerr has since bounced back to play in three tournaments.

Kerr has been a Lacoste brand ambassador for nine years. “I love Lacoste,” she said. “It’s timeless. It never goes out of style. I love the classic lines of the shirts. At the start, Lacoste was known as a tennis brand but it’s grown to become a lifestyle brand, even with a golf line. I love the colors of the shirts. I’m proud to be a Lacoste brand ambassador. It’s incredible that Catherine Lacoste, daughter of the brand founder Rene Lacoste, won the US Open golf championship as an amateur in 1967, exactly 40 years to the day when I won the US Open.”

Kerr said her golf hero is Bobby Jones who claimed his first US Open title at the age of 21 in 1923 and bagged a Grand Slam of four major championships in 1930. She also named several women’s golfers, including Nancy Lopez, in her list of idols.

Kerr said she’s a big fan of the Miami Heat. She knows Dwayne Wade and his mother Jolinda personally as they’ve been involved in caring for the homeless and underprivileged children in various charity projects. Kerr is also aware that Miami coach Erik Spoelstra is a Fil-Am. 

Kerr said she wished she could stay longer in Manila. “I’m actually ready to go home,” she sighed. “I’ve been on tour too long. I’ve heard so much about the Philippines. I’ve been to many different Asian countries but never before to the Philippines. When I got in, all I had for breakfast was scrambled eggs and for lunch, a ham-and-cheese sandwich. I’ve heard about Filipino food and I wish I could taste it before leaving. I’ve also heard about the beautiful sights and wonderful shopping.”

Kerr, a wine connoisseur, said she would like to join a wine dinner in Manila when she returns with her husband Erik Stevens. She owns Curvature Wines, which helps to raise funds for research to find a cure for breast cancer. All Trump resorts carry the 2006 cabernet sauvignon under the Curvature Wines label. She also donates $50 to the breast cancer foundation for every birdie she sinks. Kerr created the Birdies for Breast Cancer Foundation in honor of her mother who was diagnosed with the illness in 2003. One of her sponsors donates money for breast cancer research whenever she finishes at least third in a tournament.