Thompson shares lead with Park

IRVING, Texas — Lexi Thompson finished a round of 3-under 68 with a birdie after a fortunate ricochet Saturday to share the thirdround lead with Inbee Park in the LPGA Tour’s North Texas Shootout.

The approach by the long-hitting Thompson at the par-5 18th was a screamer well left of the hole. But the ball struck the front facing of a temporary grandstand and ricocheted onto the green, skimming just over the top of a bunker. That set up a long two-putt birdie to get to 9-under 204.

Park, the 2013 North Texas winner, had a more conventional closing birdie, hitting her approach inside a foot for a round of 69.

Brooke Henderson, the 17-year-old Canadian who had the second-round lead, shot an even-par 71 to drop into a tie for third at 8 under with 40-year-old Karrie Webb (64) and Angela Stanford (67).

The 20-year-old Thompson was about 220 yards out at the 518-yard 18th when she crushed a 3-wood.

Without the assist from the section of seats, she might have been set up for only her second bogey of the day — or even worse. She burst out laughing in the fairway after watching what happened with her ball.