Lexi Thompson and Inbee Park surged into the lead with birdies at the last at the Volunteers of America North Texas Shootout Presented by JTBC. Thompson (68) and Park (69) will play in the final group Sunday with Karrie Webb (64), Angela Stanford (67) and Brooke Henderson (71) all just one shot back and chasing. Overall, there’s 19 players within five shots and seven within two of the lead. In other words, it’s anyone’s ballgame tomorrow.
“The leaderboard is very stacked right now, so I’m expecting low scores,” Thompson said, “but really I’m just going to focus on my game and doing my routine on every shot, focus one shot at a time and not focus on anybody else.”
Thompson’s looking for her fifth career win and first since she won the ANA Inspiration, her first major, a little over a year ago. Park’s pushing for her second win of the year, second at this event, and 14th of her career.
“There’s a lot of contenders out there that’s within like two shots." Park Said, "Whoever plays well tomorrow is going to win, so I definitely need to play aggressively and score well tomorrow to win. I think it’ll take three or more to win tomorrow. I need to definitely improve myself from today.”
Webb vaulted herself into contention by tying Stacy Lewis’ tournament record Saturday with a splendid 7-under-64 that included nine birdies on the day. But she’ll need another Sunday to walk away with her 42nd career LPGA title.
“I’ve worked really hard the last 12 months, made a few changes in my swing, and really the last couple of weeks, it’s really sticking,” Webb said. “That’s good to feel and good to be able to hit shots that I want to hit out on the golf course.”
17-year-old Canadian Brooke Henderson entered the third round with the lead but couldn’t keep her foot on the pedal with an even-par 72. At only one shot back, though, she didn’t leave at all disappointed in her position heading into Sunday.
“I hit it pretty well. I made a couple of mistakes and just a few putts on the back nine I wish I would have made,” Henderson said. “But I’m still in good position, and I didn’t play that well today, and I’m still right there. I think I grinded it well, and I’m looking forward to tomorrow.”
With the golf course firming up after torrential rain early in the week and the wind expected to blow on Sunday, the final round should surely live up to the tournament’s name and fans are in store for a good ole fashioned Texas Sunday shootout.
“Any time there’s that many people around the top, anything can happen,” Stanford said. “Should be fun to watch. I hear the wind may blow a little harder tomorrow, so I think that’s good. It adds another element to the day.”
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