Kendall Dye shoots 7-under 65 to take Symetra Classic lead

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) - Kendall Dye birdied the last three holes Saturday for a tournament-record 7-under 65 and a one-stroke lead in the Symetra Classic.

Dye had nine birdies and two bogeys, one-putted the final five greens and finished with 24 putts. She had a 10-under 134 total at Raintree Country Club.

"It was all about my putter," Dye said. "Normally, I find fairways and greens, but today it was hard work and I had to get up-and-down. Once I got a putter in my hand, I was making it or getting real close. It was nice to see them go in."

The 29-year-old former University of Oklahoma player changed her putting grip this week for the first time in more than 20 years.

"I was tired of insanity, doing the same thing over and over and not seeing the ball go in, so I switched it up because it couldn't have got any worse," said Dye, who googled videos of Jordan Spieth. "I knew this course set up to my eye, it is a course similar to the one I grew up playing in Oklahoma City and you have to move the ball both ways and I love that."

She won on the Symetra Tour in 2014 and spent last season on the LPGA Tour. She opened the Symetra Tour season with a 10th-place tie, missed two cuts and tied for 23rd and 25th in the last two events.

"I couldn't hit the broad side of a barn," Dye said. "A good finish on Sunday would just show me that I've been working on the right things and that I've been working hard. My big goal is to get my full card again. I know that I can compete out there (LPGA) and win out there. I just need to keep my head down and get after it."

Canada's Augusta James was second after a 67. She eagled the par-4 11th and birdied three of her last four, making a 30-footer on her final hole.

Erica Popson was third at 6 under after a 69. Allie Knight (69), Veronica Felibert (69), Emma de Groot (71) and Mindy Kim (71) were 5 under. First-round leader Isi Gabsa had a 75 to drop into a tie for 20th at 2 under.