SWINGING SKIRTS LP0GA CLASSIC IN CALIFORNIA

LEWIS LEADS BY ONE FROM KO

FROM THE LPGA TOUR WEBSITE

Ricoh British Women's Open champion Stacy Lewis (-10) and Lydia Ko (-9) 

are each in search of their first win of 2014 and the two players have

 traded punches while being paired together each day at the Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic in California.

Lewis one-upped herself today, firing a 68 after 69s on Thursday and Friday. 

That 68 propelled her to a one shot lead over Ko heading into what should be an exciting final round tomorrow at Lake Merced Golf Club.

The two leaders almost seemed to feed off of each other throughout the day, trading birdies and eventually compliments in the media center after their round. It was an exciting day with the promise of even more exciting golf tomorrow.

Overall, the 74.296 scoring average today was the lowest scoring average of the week, with the good conditions obviously playing a huge factor.

TRADING BIRDIES

The back nine is when Ko and Lewis started to get it going and trade birdies back and forth.

“It’s just fun to feed off each other like that.” Lewis said. “She hits it in there close on 16, I know I need to do something. I make a putt, and she chips in on 15 after I’ve hit it close. More than anything, it was just a lot of fun. We’re both playing great golf. It’s fun to watch her play. We’ll do it another day tomorrow.”

With a Lewis-Ko pairing, there is sure to be extra attention even for the LPGA tour which has had great winners and a lot of momentum this year. Although it’s been difficult for either of these players to find themselves in the winner circle, they appreciate how good it’s been for the tour.

“It’s been great for the tour this year.” Lewis said.  “The leaderboards we’ve had at the majors the last couple weeks, I mean, it’s been unbelievable for our tour. So we’re trying to keep the momentum going, I guess.  I don’t know, that back nine, those last five or six holes had to be fun to watch.  It was a lot of fun to play.”

KNOWING The Course

Both Ko and Lewis were in sync with their caddies throughout the day. The two players have different stories with their caddies, but both approaches have been working for them.

“My caddie, we’re going on our sixth year.” Lewis said. “He knows my game; he knows me. The front nine he just kept telling me to be patient, be patient, be patient, because there would be only opportunities later. My caddie and I, he’s like a brother to me.  We know each other so well.  Definitely helped me out there today.”

               

Although Ko hasn’t been with her local caddie long, she has had a lot of experience in the past using local caddies. Her two wins in Canada were both with local caddies.

“It’s my sixth day with him. “ Ko said.  “I had Domingo on my bag two years ago when I was on this course.  Six days this year, this week. Yeah, no, he obviously knows the course really well growing up from here and playing a lot of golf.  Yeah, I think that’s been a huge help.”

               

“There are some tricky putts out there.  There are some double breakers.  So it’s good to have a local guy, I guess, knowing what it’s going to do.” Ko said.

Hit it Long!

Jenny Shin had one single goal heading in to the 2014 season and that was to stop leaving her putts short. It was a problem that had plagued Shin since she turned pro in 2011.

“My whole life I hit putts short,” Shin said. “So hitting it past the hole was my main goal this year.  I said, ‘I don’t care what I shoot, I’m just going to hit it past the hole.’ When you hit it in on right line, it starts going in.  That was the key to my game.”

Shin is currently ranked 26th in putting on the LPGA Tour this season with an average of 29.68 putts per round. Last year, she ranked 77th in putting. Shin needed just 25 putts in the third round on Saturday en route to shooting 68. It was the second time in three rounds so far this week that she posted a 68.

Holding Steady

Coming off a huge win in Hawaii last week, Michelle Wie (-1) came into this tournament a little more tired from the demands of being a champion once again. Asked if the demands presented any challenges coming into the week, Wie said she was a bit tired but that comes with the territory.

“So many emotions and bit of celebrating and travel coming back here.” Wie said.  “Just a little bit tired. I think I got some good rest.”

The rest comes in handy when playing a course as tough as Lake Merced Golf Club.

“It’s a great golf course, a really tough golf course.” Wie said. “Plays a lot different than last week. I think that was the biggest challenge. Just kind of treating this like a major golf course.”

The length of the course is what Wie feels plays into the strength of her game. But it’s her irons that she’s hoping show up more tomorrow.

“You need to have good iron play.” Wie said. “Small greens out here. I missed a couple greens the last couple days, but hopefully tomorrow I can hit a couple more.”

Catriona Matthew is in joint 17th position after ro9unds of 73, 69 an d74 for level par 216. She birdied the 11th and 17th in her third-round 74 but bogeyed the fourth, eight, 13th and 16th.

Quote of the Day

“It’s just nice to play with somebody when they’re playing well. 

 It makes you play better.  I think it’s made both of us kind of elevate

 our game.”

–Stacy Lewis describing why she likes to play with Lydia Ko three days in a row. 

THIRD ROUND LEADERBOARD

Par 216 (3x72) Players from USA unless stated

206 Stacy Lewis 69 69 68

207 Lydia Ko (NZ) 68 71 68

210 Jenny Shin (S Korea) 68 74 68

211 Hee Young Park (S Korea) 70 73 68

212 Shanshan Feng (China) 74 70 68, P K Kongkraphan (

Thailand) 74 68 70, Karine Icher (France) 66 73 73.

SELECTED SCORES

215 Michele Wie 72 72 71, Carlota Ciganda (Spain)

70 72 73 (T13)

216 Catriona Matthew (Scotland) 73 69 74 (T17)

218 Azahara Munoz (Spain) 76  69 73, Jodi Ewart

Shadoff (England) 73 72 73, Anna Nordqvist 

(Sweden) 72 72 74 (T22)

219 Karrie Webb (Australia) 74 73 72 (T30)

221 Paula Creamer 76 72 73, Suzann Pettersen

(Norway) 70 72 79 (T40)

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