Lewis takes lead in her first pro event
Stacy Lewis is making her professional debut one to remember.
Nineteen days after she turned pro, Lewis showed the poise of a veteran Saturday at Interlachen in Edina, Minn., with no bogeys and a 6-under-par 67 that gave her a 1-shot lead over Paula Creamer going into the final round of the U.S. Women's Open.
Lewis, a former NCAA champion at Arkansas, might have been the only one not surprised to see her name atop the leaderboard.
"I've accomplished my goal for the week," Lewis said. "It was just to put myself in contention. And whatever happens tomorrow, it happens. I hope I win. I want to win - probably more than anybody here. But I have to hit a lot of good golf shots before I win this golf tournament."
And she will have to hold off a half-dozen players within 4 shots of the lead, starting with Creamer.
Creamer is two years younger but already in her fourth season on the LPGA Tour with 6 victories, enough for some to already anoint the 21-year-old product of a golf academy as the best player without a major.
She had a chance to share the 54-hole lead with Lewis until missing a 6-foot birdie putt on the 18th for a 69.
Lewis was at 9-under 210, setting up an all-American final group at the U.S. Women's Open for the first time in five years.
Buick Open: Daniel Chopra took advantage of an opportunity to build a cushion at the Buick Open in Grand Blanc Mich.
Chopra birdied the final hole Saturday after Dudley Hart bogeyed it, giving the Swede a 2-shot lead with one round left at Warwick Hills.
Chopra made a 15-foot putt to close the third round at 4 under and reach 16 under 200. Hart (70), Bubba Watson (68) and Woody Austin (69) were tied for second.
Second-round leader Bo Van Pelt (73) was another shot back along with Kenny Perry (67), the highest-ranked player in a lackluster field that includes just three of the top 30 players in the world.
Commerce Bank Championship: Loren Roberts' to-do list for the final round of the Commerce Bank Championship doesn't sound like one of a top golfer with a 2-stroke lead.
"My first goal is to hit the fairway on No. 1. Then I'll try to shoot under par on the front nine and see what happens from there," Roberts said Saturday after his 3-under 68 gave him the lead after two rounds of the Champions Tour event in East Meadow, N.Y.
His 9-under 133 total has him 2 in front of David Eger (66) and Scott Simpson (67).