Stacy Lewis shot 4-under-par 68 to maintain a one-stroke lead over Lydia Ko of New Zealand heading to the final round of the Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic at Lake Merced Golf Club in Daly City, just outside San Francisco.
Lewis and the 17-year-old Ko, who also shot 68, battled almost shot-for-shot for much of the round until the veteran holed a 12-foot putt on the 17th hole for her third consecutive birdie to grab the 54-hole lead.
“It was fun to see Lydia going low early and I felt that I had to answer,” said Lewis, an eight-time LPGA Tour winner who opened with 10 consecutive pars before recording four birdies on the back nine. “I made a nice birdie at No. 11 and then just kept it going.
“The game plan is the same for tomorrow, just hit good shots and give yourself a chance to make some putts.”
Ko, trying to win her third LPGA Tour title and first in the United States, took the lead with birdies on the fifth and sixth holes, and after her only bogey at No. 11, added three more birdies on the back nine.
Jenny Shin of South Korea shot 68 and was four strokes back in third, followed another stroke back by Hee Young Park, also of South Korea, who had another 68.
Shanshan Feng of China made eagles on the ninth and 14th holes en route to yet another 68 and was five strokes back in a tie for fifth with P.K. Kongkraphan of Thailand, who had a 70, and first-round leader Karine Icher of France, who struggled to a second straight 73.
Inbee Park of South Korea, No. 1 in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings, also had a 73 and was tied for ninth, Michelle Wie of nearby Stanford was tied for 13th after a 71 and second-ranked Suzann Pettersen of Norway tumbled to a tie for 40th by shooting 79.
