In pursuit of her first LPGA victory, she posted a 14-under 202 total with one round left, with Australian teenager Minjee Lee (68) and American Ryann O’Toole (68) equal second on 11-under.
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South Korea’s Ryu So-Yeon had seven birdies and no bogeys in a seven-under 65 on Friday to seize a two-shot lead in the LPGA Classic at Prattville, Alabama.
The victor of the Lotte Championship in Hawaii last month, Lee is seeking a third LPGA title and sits seventh on this season’s money list with $US452,584 in earnings after a strong start.
Lee had four straight birdies on her first nine and birdied three of her last five.
Normally held late in the summer, the tournament was moved up to Mother’s Day weekend because of the Olympics.
“After I make birdie on 10, I feel better, because I miss few putts on the front nine”, the long-hitting 20-year-old leader from Bangkok said.
Lee’s veteran countrywoman Karrie Webb had a 72 as she continues to search for better form ahead of the Rio Olympics, where she is set to team with Lee for Australia.
On moving day at the Yokohama Tire LPGA Classic it was Ariya Jutanugarn who made the biggest move of all, carding a nine-under par, 63 to tie the Tournament’s 18-hole scoring record at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, Capitol Hill, Senator Course.
The world No. 4 has finished in the top-6 the past four times she’s teed it up in Alabama and is looking to pick up her first win on Tour since 2014 after six runner-up finishes in 2015.
“I love this golf course”, she said. “The greens are softer than what I played previous year”.
“So whether it’s the moment that turns the tide, I don’t know, but I definitely gained some confidence after last week”. “I feel like I had more, maybe crosswinds and not as many downwind holes, so it makes it a little more trickier, but, all in all, I think I played pretty solid. I got on a roll for a little bit there, so that was exciting”. She and Morgan Pressel, who shot a 70, were 9 under. “There were some lucky shots out there, too, and then I think putting was kind of hard, especially with the wind and the slopes. Made about a 20-footer last week to make the cut and started to pull some shots off even this week, so it’s getting closer, and now it’s just putting it all together”, said Lewis.
Fourth-ranked Stacy Lewis, the 2012 victor, topped the group at 5 under after a 68. The 18-year-old Canadian has eight top-10 finishes this year. But it was on the back nine where Jutanugarn caught fire, coming home in 28 after making birdie on eight of nine holes, her only par coming at the 15 hole. She birdied the final two holes.
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Michelle Wie shot a one-under 71 while defending champion Kris Tamulis finished at four-over 76.
