Lewis Cruises Home in ShopRite LPGA Classic


Starting the final round with a six-stroke lead over the field, Stacy Lewis played steady Sunday with an even-par 71 and won the ShopRite LPGA Classic by four shots. The $1.5 million event started Friday at Stockton Seaview Hotel and Golf Club in Galloway, N.J.

Lewis extended her lead on the front nine thanks to four birdies through the first eight holes. But the 27-year-old former All-American at Arkansas bogeyed the par-5 ninth, and then doubled the par-3 12th and bogeyed the next. She then birdied the par-4 14th to breathe a sigh of relief, and went to the clubhouse bogey-par-par-par for a 71.

The win, the fourth of her career (her first victory in the 2007 LPGA NW Arkansas Championship came as an amateur), was worth $225,000.

Lewis finished at 12-under 201, four strokes better than Australian Katherine Hull (68) and five lower than Japan's Mika Miyazato (68) and Spain's Azahara Munoz (69).

Seventeen-year-old Lexi Thompson closed with a fine 4-under 67 to end up in a tie for fifth at 207 with South Korea's Hee-Won Han (69) and Sweden's Anna Nordqvist (71).

After a double-bogey on the second hole, Thompson got warmed up with three birdies in her next four holes. Following a bogey on the par-3 seventh, she eagled the par-5 ninth to make the turn in 2-under 35. Three more birdies and a bogey on the 16th gave her a 32 on the home half.

"Actually I started off pretty bad," said the long-hitting teenager from Coral Springs, Fla. "I doubled the second hole. Bad shot. Then I finished strong. I made some birdies, and I dropped a few putts, so that definitely helps . . . I feel really good, especially ending on that round, so I'm just going to take that round and go positive into next week."

No. 1-ranked Yani Tseng posted rounds of 71, 67 and 72 to tie for 12th at 3-under 210 with five others.

For all the scores, visit http://www.lpgascoring.com/public/Leaderboard.aspx.