Stacy Lewis recorded a 2-under-par 69 and tied Meena Lee of South Korea for the lead after three rounds of the North Texas LPGA Shootout at Las Colinas Country Club in Irving, Texas.
Despite holding a share of the lead, Lewis was not pleased to card only three birdies in her round, including two early on the back nine that got her even with Lee one day after she posted a 64.
“It was very frustrating,” said Lewis, a Texas native who has won eight times on the LPGA Tour. “I gave myself a lot of good looks at birdie. I couldn’t get a putt to go in. The encouraging thing is, I’m hitting the ball great … and even with all the missed shots, I’m tied for the lead and have a chance.
“You got to play this golf course. There’s a couple of tee shots that are pretty goofy, really, on this golf course, so as tricky as this golf course is, you have to be a little conservative. But then there’s some holes that if you got a wedge into a green, you can be pretty aggressive. So it’s really sticking to the same game plan.”
Lee, who has won twice on the LPGA Tour, but not since the 2006 LPGA Corning Classic, followed her second-round 64 with a 70 that included three birdies on the first seven holes, but none the rest of the way.
Suzann Pettersen, who slipped two spots to No. 4 in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings while missing more than a month because of a back injury, had only one bogey in a 68 and was one shot back in a tie for third with Dori Carter and Julieta Granada of Paraguay, who both came in at 68.
Cristie Kerr posted a 69 and was two strokes behind in a seven-way tie for sixth that included Natalie Gulbis of Citrus Heights near Sacramento, who had a 71, Christina Kim of San Jose, who came in at 70, and Jennifer Johnson of Carlsbad, who shot 65.
