Lewis wins by six after 7-under 64

Stacey Lewis lifts her nephew Cole Wysocki, 3, after winning the North Texas LPGA Shootout golf tournament at Las Colinas Country Club in Irving, Texas, Sunday, May 4, 2014. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Stacey Lewis lifts her nephew Cole Wysocki, 3, after winning the North Texas LPGA Shootout golf tournament at Las Colinas Country Club in Irving, Texas, Sunday, May 4, 2014. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Monday, May 5, 2014

Making her mark

Former Arkansas Razorback golfer Stacy Lewis won her ninth LPGA tournament Sunday, winning by six strokes in the North Texas LPGA Shootout in Irving, Texas. Sunday’s victory was her first since last year’s Women’s British Open.

2011 Kraft Nabisco Championship 2012 Mobile Bay LPGA Classic ShopRite LPGA Classic Navistar LPGA Classic Mizuno Classic 2013 HSBC Women’s Champions RR Donnelley LPGA Founders Cup Women’s British Open 2014 North Texas LPGA Shootout * Major tournament

IRVING, Texas - There was no near-miss for Stacy Lewis this time.

Lewis (Arkansas Razorbacks) shot a 7-under 64 on Sunday in the North Texas LPGA Shootout, finishing at 16-under 268 and six strokes ahead of Meena Lee.

It was the LPGA Tour’s largest margin of victory since Jiyai Shin won the 2012 Women’s British Open by nine strokes and ends a stretch of 16 tournaments during which Lewis has finished second sixtimes, dating back to her last victory, at the Women’s British Open in August.

“I’ve been wanting to do this for a long time,” Lewis said. “I kind of have these mini goals in the back of my mind. One of them was kind of taking a tournament and running away with it. … So to be so close the last few weeks and then to come out and shoot 64, I mean I don’t even know what to say.”

It was the ninth career LPGA Tour victory for Lewis and will boost the Texan from third to second in the world rankings.

Lewis made a putt from about 25 feet off the fringe at the 540-yard 7th for an eagle. She followed with consecutive birdies to make the turn at 14 under and up by three strokes.

“The eagle just really kind of got things going in the right direction, and then just I never let up,” said Lewis, who punctuated her round with birdies on Nos. 17 and 18. “I never let the hammer down.”

Lee, the South Korean who won the last of her two LPGA Tour titles in 2006, shot 70 after going into the final round at Las Colinas Country Club tied with Lewis for the lead. Lee bogeyed the opening hole and needed a birdie at No. 18 to finish alone in second place.

Michelle Wie, who closed within two before faltering late, had a 67 to finish third at 9 under.

Na Yeon Choi (69) and Kim Kauffman (70) tied for fourth at 8 under. Kraft Nabisco winner Lexi Thompson (69), Cristie Kerr (71) and Suzann Pettersen (72) were among six players at 7 under.

Lewis, from The Woodlands near Houston, has finished outside the top six only once in nine tournaments this year. She was third at the Kraft Nabisco and had another runner-up finish just last week in San Francisco. She had three runner-up finishes in her last eight tournaments in 2013 after her victory at St. Andrews.

Lewis got a share of the lead in Texas after a frustrating 69 in the third round Saturday when she hit all 18 greens in regulation but missed several makeable birdie putts.

Sports, Pages 15 on 05/05/2014