Birdies help Lewis claw her way back into lead
BEIJING — Stacy Lewis recovered from a slow start with four birdies on the back nine Saturday to grab a share of the lead with Sweden’s Caroline Hedwall heading into the final round of the LPGA Reignwood Classic.
The topranked Lewis (Arkansas Razorbacks) started the day with a two- stroke lead over fellow American Brittany Lang but fell back with three bogeys through the 11th hole. She then made three consecutive birdies from No. 13 before closing with a birdie on the 18th to regain a share of the lead with a 72.
“I made some bad swings early,” Lewis said. “Probably the swing I made on 13, on the par 3, I don’t know what it was, but things just kind of seemed to click after that. You know, just kind of found some confidence in my golf swing from there and then making the putts too, which was nice.”
Hedwall made five birdies on the back nine to shoot a 5-under 68. She will be going for her first career LPGA title today while Lewis will be trying to win her fourth this year.
“I put myself in the position a few times but just haven’t won yet,” Hedwall said. “When I go out there tomorrow I’m trying to just be patient and be relaxed about it though, because you can’t force anything when you’re playing golf.”
Hedwall and Lewis were at 13-under 206 at Pine Valley Golf Club.
Lewis said another title also would help put distance over her closest rivals in the race for LPGA player of the year.
“A win this week would help that a lot,” she said. “I don’t think I’m comfortable until the last tournament and nobody else can beat me. It’s one of those things I don’t think you get too comfortable with. The players behind me are great players and can win two tournaments in a row pretty easily.”
Second-ranked Inbee Park of South Korea stayed in contention with a 68. She is tied for fifth with Germany’s Caroline Masson (71) at 10-under 209.
“I had really nothing to lose really today,” Park said. “I was in the middle about 12th or 15th place. I had to make some kind of move today to have a chance tomorrow.”
Lang shot a 72 to sit in third with South Korea’s Mirim Lee (70) at 11 under.
EUROPEAN PGA Wilson leads by 3 ST. ANDREWS, Scotland — Oliver Wilson of England closed in on a maiden European Tour title when he moved three strokes clear of the field Saturday in the third round of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
Wilson, playing with an invite as he lost full playing rights on tour in 2011, shot a 7-under-par 65 on the Old Course at St. Andrews to tally 15-under 201.
Just behind him at 12 under were four players: World No. 1 Rory McIlroy (64), England’s Tommy Fleetwood (62), and the French pair of Raphael Jacquelin (69) and Alexander Levy (68).
Heavy overnight rain caused an hour’s delay to the start of play, and officials adopted the preferred lie rule, meaning Fleetwood’s and Louis Oosthuizen’s 10-under 62s weren’t counted as tying the Old Course record.
Before he lost his card, Wilson, a 2008 Ryder Cup player, was runner-up nine times on tour, including here in 2009. This is his 229th tour event.
“There is a long 18 holes still to go, so it will be a long day, but to win would mean a lot to me,” said Wilson, ranked No. 792. “I just love coming to play golf here on the three courses, and that walk up the 18th on the Old Course is pretty cool.”
He also wasn’t fazed when McIlroy surged on the front nine to tie him briefly.
McIlroy birdied five consecutive holes and made the turn on 30. But he hit into a bunker on the 16th, took two shots to get out and bogeyed the hole he eagled the day before. He finished with a 64, one off his best on the course.
“That was mission accomplished,” McIlroy said. “The last four holes wasn’t really what I wanted, but any time you shoot a score like that around St. Andrews, you have to be happy.
“Got myself into contention going into tomorrow, and Dad and I are going to get to play St. Andrews on his birthday tomorrow, which will be a huge treat for both of us.”
Fellow Ryder Cup teammate Stephen Gallacher (69) at 9 under was five shots under the cut. But their other teammates — Victor Dubuisson (75) at 1 under, and Martin Kaymer (71) at 1 over — missed out.