Stacy Lewis on Sunday got the victory she needed to topple South Korean Inbee Park from the top of the women’s world golf rankings after winning the LPGA ShopRite Classic at the Stockton Seaview Hotel and Golf Club.
The US’ Lewis claimed her second LPGA title of the season and the 10th of her career in Galloway, New Jersey, firing a four-under-par final round of 67 in the 54-hole tournament for a 16-under-par total of 197.
Lewis finished six strokes in front of Christina Kim, who carded a one-over 72 for a 203 total.
Lewis is projected to end Park’s 59-week reign atop the women’s world golf rankings, with the South Korean’s failing to win so far this year.
The 29-year-old will be happy to have broken through to regain the No. 1 ranking she held for four weeks last year, especially with the US Women’s Open coming up later this month at Pinehurst.
“I would like to take care of that here this [last] week,” Lewis said earlier, and she did so in emphatic style, starting Sunday’s play with a one-shot lead, then hitting birdies at the third and fourth to be up by two through nine holes.
Lewis stretched her lead with another brace of birdies at the 10th and 11th, before a bogey at 12 and a birdie at 13.
“It was just kind of wild swings of emotion, from me, from Christina. You know, we’d hit good shots and we would hit terrible shots,” Lewis said.
After a bogey at 17, she sealed the triumph with a birdie at the last to become the fourth player to win the event twice.
Taiwan’s Yani Tseng carded a 68 to finish on two-under 211.
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