There’s little doubt Cristie Kerr will remember her 2015 Kia Classic victory forever.

After all, it was the first one as a mother to son, Mason, and came the week after the father of her caddie, Greg Johnston, passed away. Kerr first held her son, then the tournament trophy, on the 18^th green at Aviara Golf Club in Carlsbad, Calif., as tears flowed on the emotional day.

“I played for the both of us this week,” Kerr said after the victory. “I said I was going to do it, and I did it. It made it that much more special for us as our first win together and for my son being there.”

Kerr birdied four of five holes midway through the round and finished two strokes clear of Mirim Lee despite a bogey on the 72^nd hole. It was her 17^th career victory, and Kerr’s final-round 65 helped her break the tournament record by six strokes with her 20-under-par total.

“I feel obviously very confident. I am so happy that my caddie and I got a win early on the board together,” Kerr said. “You know, his father passing away last week, I mean it just shows you life is really short and you have to seize the moment when you can. I really just felt extra motivation to play for us and was also reflecting back to what I’m grateful for and have in my life.

“I just tried to play as many shots without interference as possible this week, and I did great.”

Kerr will be back at the $1.7 million event this week to defend her crown against an elite field that will include world No. 1 Lydia Ko, who finished three strokes behind Kerr in third place a year ago. Fellow past Kia Classic champions Anna Nordqvist (2014), Beatriz Recari (2013), Yani Tseng (2012) and Sandra Gal (2011) are also teeing it up this weekend in California, and Kerr will also have to contend with LPGA Tour stars Inbee Park, Stacy Lewis, Karrie Webb and Michelle Wie, just to name a few.

In addition, two-time 2016 tournament winner Ha Na Jang and Tour winners Hyo Joo Kim, Haru Nomura, Lexi Thompson and Sei Young Kim – who won on Sunday in Phoenix – will be chasing birdies inside the ropes this week. Fans can also look for favorites like Brittany Lincicome, Ai Miyazato, Paula Creamer and Suzann Pettersen, as well as Hall of Famers Laura Davies, Se Ri Pak and Juli Inkster at the par-72, 6,593-yard course this week.

The tournament’s champions have come from six different countries, and no one has successfully defended their titles since the event began in 2010, so Kerr will buck the trend if she’s able to go back-to-back this week. The average winning score has been 14-under-par, so birdies will be plentiful at the West Coast event.

Golf Channel will carry the action live Thursday and Friday from 8-10 p.m. ET, with coverage continuing from 6-9 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

Kerr returns to defend emotional victory at Kia Classic

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