Inkster seeks top 10 and personal growth
Juli Inkster assuredly won’t pull off “the feat of the year.” She’ll settle for a top-10 finish at Lake Merced.
Inkster’s 4-under-par 68 on Thursday left her in a tie for second after the opening round of the Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic. The 54-year-old San Jose State grad said then that if she somehow won the tournament, it’d be “the feat of the year.”
After going 74-75 the past two days, Inkster is at 1-over through three rounds, 10 shots behind leader Brooke Hen- derson.
Inkster now figures a successful tournament for her would be to land in the top 10. And to do that …
“I need to hit my irons better,” Inkster said after Saturday’s round. “I was in the fairway all day, and I just couldn’t get (to) the greens with my irons.”
The Los Altos resident had five bogeys and two birdies Saturday. Inkster will be the U.S. captain for the Solheim Cup and will do broadcasting for Fox this year. She believes playing in the Swinging Skirts benefits her in those other two roles.
“You grow with everything you do,” Inkster said. “Just being out here and talking to the girls for the Solheim, that helps me. Watching how different people play. …
“I think it helps all around with everything.” Briefly: Stacy Lewis stayed in contention with her second straight 71. She’s at 5-under, tied for fifth with Shanshan Feng. Lewis, Feng and Lydia Ko will play in the second-tolast group Sunday. … Sakura Yokomine, who began the day tied for third at 6-under, four shots off the lead, endured the dreaded negative-yardage shot. Her uphill chip on the par-3 third didn’t get far enough up the hill and tumbled back about 8 yards behind where she hit it. She wound up with a double-bogey en route to a 77. She’s eight strokes off the pace. … Michelle Wie shot a 72 and is 5-over for the tournament. … In the gallery were members of the Cal women’s team: Carly Childs, Lucia Gutierrez, Natalie Mu and Marthe Wold.