Salas made a fast start and strong finish to take a commanding four-shot lead after the third round of the Meijer LPGA Classic in Grand Rapids, Michigan on Saturday.
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Lexi Thompson drives on the 16th hole during the third round of the Meijer LPGA Classic golf tournament at Blythefield Country Club, Saturday, July 25, 2015 in Belmont, Mich.
BELMONT, Mich. (AP) – Lexi Thompson won the Meijer LPGA Classic by a stroke Sunday, shooting a 6-under 65 and rallying from four shots back.
Salas’ playing partner was compatriot Lexi Thompson, who posted a three-under 68 and shares second place with another American, Kris Tamulis (67), at 12 under.
A birdie at No. 8 briefly tied her for the lead with Thompson and Salas. “I hit it in the rough on a few holes on the back nine where I needed to hit it in the fairway to be able to make birdies”.
However, three birdies in four holes after the turn saw the American gain momentum. Three birdies in a row from the 14th to the 16th ensured she would finish well and stay ahead of the pack after a superb bogey-free round.
Top-ranked Inbee Park, a three-time victor this year, had five birdies in a six-hole stretch and finished with a 66 to move into a tie for 10th at 5 under.
The 20-year-old Thompson, who will climb from 13th to sixth when the new world rankings are issued on Monday, earned a winner’s cheque of $300,000 (£193,411) for her first LPGA victory of the season.
I played all my junior golf here and my parents still live here in the summer, so it would be very special, Tamulis said.
“I missed a good amount of short putts”, she said.
They were joined there by Alison Lee (70), Gerina Piller (69) and Katie Burnett (66).
“That has helped me tremendously just to relax and have fun instead of just grinding 24-7 on the golf course”, she said.
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“I knew it was going to take a great day and I gave it a run”, said Piller, whose husband, Web.com Tour player Martin Piller, was in the gallery. 3 and 4. She capped the front nine with another birdie on the par-four ninth.
