EDINA, Minn. — Stacy Lewis is making her professional debut one to remember.
Nineteen days after she turned pro, Lewis showed the poise of a veteran Saturday with no bogeys and a 6-under-par 67 that gave her a one-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. 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 four shots of the lead, starting with Creamer.
Creamer is two years younger but already in her fourth season on the LPGA Tour with six 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. Helen Alfredsson (71) stayed close to the lead throughout the day and finished two shots out of the lead at 7-under 212, along with Inbee Park (71).
Footnotes.
Daniel Chopra birdied the 18th hole after Dudley Hart bogeyed it, giving the Swede a two-shot lead after three rounds at the Buick Open in Grand Blanc, Mich.
Chopra made a 15-footer to cap a 4-under round and reach 16-under for 54 holes. Hart (70), Bubba Watson (68) and Woody Austin (69) were tied for second.
• Loren Roberts shot a 3-under 68 to extend his lead to two strokes at the Commerce Bank Championship in East Meadow, N.Y.
• Spain’s Pablo Larrazabal shot a 4-under 67 to take a three-shot lead at the French Open in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines.
