Lewis stays at helm; Ardina 10 shots off
American Stacy Lewis continued her sizzling play and will take a three-shot lead into the final round of the LPGA Cambia Portland Classic in Portland, Oregon.
Lewis rode a flurry of early birdies to take control of the tournament en route to shooting a seven-under-par 65 in Saturday’s third round.
She is at 17-under 199, three clear of Thailand’s Moriya Jutanugarn.
Meanwhile, Dottie Ardina slowed down with a 70 after a 68 and dropped to joint 20th at 209, now 10 shots off the pace while fellow Filipina Regina de Guzman matched par 72 and fell to a share of 52nd at 213.
Ardina, who started the round five strokes behind the joint leaders after a 68, hit three birdies in a fourhole stretch from No. 5, negating his early bogey on No. 3. She dropped another stroke on the ninth but came through with back-to-back birdies to start her backside charge but bogeyed the last hole for a 35-35.
Seeking her first victory since 2014, Lewis is planning on donating her winnings from the event to the relief efforts for Hurricane Harvey.
She moved to Houston as a youngster and her husband is the women’s golf coach at the University of Houston. “I’ve been motivated for one, but I’ve just been extremely calm,” said Lewis. “Anybody who has seen me play knows that’s not normally me. There has just been a calmness about me this week. I haven’t worried about anything and just played really solid.” Lewis surged into a threeway tie atop the leaderboard with a bogey-free 64 on Friday and continued her blistering play in the third round with birdies on five of the first eight holes. A runner-up in Portland a year ago, Lewis put her in prime position to end the victory drought. “I know it’s been a while since I won. Everybody talks about it,” said Lewis. Jutanugarn matched the fast start by Lewis, also registering birdies on five of the first eight holes in her round of 66. The LPGA Tour Rookie of the Year in 2013 and sister of world number three Ariya Jutanugarn, she is seeking her first career victory. “I was feeling great,” said Jutanugarn. “I have been hitting solid and (gave) myself a lot of really good chances.”