Thompson & Park Tied atop North Texas Shootout


Lexi Thompson carded a 3-under 68 and Inbee Park a 69 as the two took over the top spot in the North Texas Shootout. The $1.3 million LPGA Tour event is taking place at Las Colinas Country Club in Irving, Texas.

The two players share first at 9-under 204, while sharing third another stroke back are Australia's Karrie Webb, who fired the low round of the tournament, a 7-under 64, American Angela Stanford (67) and 36-hole leader Brook Henderson.

"Overall it was a very steady round," said Thompson, a 20-year-old Floridian with four LPGA titles. "I mean, my back nine was a little shaky, missed a few putts here and there, but overall I struck it well off the tee and hit a few good iron shots, so just waiting for those putts to drop."

Park said she also could have gotten more out of her round with better work on the short grass. "Today was - I'd say an average day. I definitely left a couple putts out there. I had one three putt and 33 putts total today, so quite a lot of putts compared to the last two days. But that also means my ball striking, I hit more greens today. So yeah, ball striking was I think pretty solid.

"I mis drove it a couple times and that brought me a little bit of trouble, so I made a couple bogeys," added the 13-time winner. "There was really birdie chances there that was just so close but just didn't go in. Yeah, I feel like I'm rolling the ball much better this week, and even if I had 33 putts today, I feel good about my putting, so yeah, still leading the tournament."

Henderson, a 17-year old Canadian who opened with a 69 and 65, posted a 71 Saturday. "I hit it pretty well," said the Ontario native, who doesn't have full Tour status and had to Monday-qualify this week despite finish in third place at last week's Swinging Skirts Classic in San Francisco.

"I made a couple of mistakes, and just a few putts on the back nine I wish I would have made. But I'm still in a good position, and I didn't play that well today, and I'm still right in there. I think I grinded it well, and I'm looking forward to tomorrow."

Webb had a remarkable scorecard that listed nine birdies and two bogeys. "Just two bogeys," said the 40-year-old Queenslander. "14 has gotten me every day, so I have trouble off the tee there. But other than that, just the second bogey on the second was just a full wedge and buried in the front bunker. Other than that, I played a really clean round and hit a lot of really good iron shots today and made some good putts."

Tied for sixth at 206 are Cristie Kerr (69) and South Korea's Hee Young Park, while sharing eighth at 208 are defending champion Stacy Lewis, Natalie Gulbis, Hyo Joo Kim, Maria McBride, Sandra Gal, Ha Na Jang, Mi Hyang Lee and Juli Inkster.

The 54-year-old Inkster began Saturday tied for second with Park. But the World Golf Hall of Fame member could only muster two birdies and four bogeys for a 73 to drop four strokes off the pace.

No. 1-ranked Lydia Ko, the winner last week at Lake Merced Golf Club, enters Sunday tied for 41st at even-par 213 following a 70.

For all the scores, visit http://www.lpga.com/tournaments/volunteers-of-america-north-texas-shootout/leaderboard.