Ewart Shadoff rides strong finish to lead by two in Mediheal

VENTURA >> Jodi Ewart Shadoff went on a run of four straight birdies late in her round Thursday for an 8-under-par 64, taking a two-shot lead in the LPGA Mediheal Championship at the Saticoy Club.

Ewart Shadoff has played 245 times on the LPGA Tour without winning, and she got off to a strong start in hopes of ending more than a decade in search of an elusive title.

“I just felt really relaxed today,” she said. “Everything was just kind of flowing. I was just rolling it really well with the putter. Just helps when everything is just gelling together.”

Alison Lee and Ruixin Liu of China were at 66, while the group at 67 included former Westlake High and Pepperdine standout Danielle Kang and Atthaya Thitikul, the 19-year-old Thai who is on the fast track toward reaching No. 1 in the world.

Thitikul won two weeks ago in Arkansas and could have gone to No. 1 by winning last week in Texas, but she stalled and finished fourth.

Thitikul showed no signs of slowing on the century-old course in Ventura County designed by William Bell.

“I do like the challenging things in golf,” Thitikul said. “When challenge come to you it’s like it’s another test. It’s another experience that (you’re) going to get. And then if you play in challenging course then you know how your game is.”

Ewart Shadoff, a 34-yearold from England who played college golf at New Mexico, began her round on the par-3 10th with a birdie. She was going along steadily until a 3-wood to 10 feet for eagle on the par-5 14th hole.

“That eagle really kickstarted my round,” Ewart Shadoff said. “Then just kind of got hot from there.”

Her lone bogey came on the first hole with a poorly struck 7-iron, and then she poured it on with birdies down the stretch, two of them on par 5s.

Ewart Shadoff is in good shape to reach the seasonending CME Group Tour Championship in November at No. 44 in the points race. The top 60 make it to the final event, and this is a big week for Liu, who is at No. 97.

Kang’s gallery included her brother, Alex Kang, who plays on the Korn Ferry Tour.