2015 North Texas Shootout Round 3 Notes and Interviews

Brooke Henderson won’t lie – she wanted the lead on Sunday the way she had it last week. But at 8-under-par for the tournament, one shot back, Henderson’s in prime position to vault herself into the LPGA record books with a win as only the third player under the age of 18 to ever get a win on the LPGA Tour.

“I like where I am right now,” Henderson said. “I would have liked the lead. Can’t go wrong with that. But I think I really like the position one back and 18 holes.”

18 holes from becoming the first Monday qualifier since 2000 to win on the LPGA Tour. 18 holes away from becoming the first Canadian to emerge victorious since Lorie Kane in 2001. And 18 holes away from stealing a title from two of the greatest players in the world – Lexi Thompson and Inbee Park.

“It’s definitely going to be a fun day. Great players, amazing players, and definitely role models for me and everyone out here,” Henderson said. “I’ve just got to play my game and see what happens.”

With 63 LPGA wins collectively among the five players within one shot of the lead, Henderson knows it’s going to take her Sunday best to emerge with her first.

“The leaderboard is bunched. There’s so many people within one, two, even three shots,” Henderson said. “It’s all packed. I’m glad I’m right in there, and just got to play really well tomorrow.”

Texas Christian University alum and Tour veteran, Angela Stanford, will head into the final round 8-under-par, just one-shot behind the leaders. Stanford fired another 67 Saturday to make the push into T3.

Stanford has had a successful week out here at the Las Colinas Country Club playing in front of her home crowd. But as nice as it is to see familiar faces, it has created a bit of a kink in her routine.

“I’ve just been trying to go home, but just talking to people and saying hi to everyone, that’s not my normal week.” Stanford said. “My normal week is I might have my parents there, I might have some friends there.”

This week’s schedule, between working and seeing friends and family, has kept her quite busy and it is definitely an adjustment for Stanford.

“It’s been a fun week,” Stanford said. “But I told my friends, I’m kind of running on fumes.  I’m kind of tired.”

Stanford has one more round to hold on and make a push for the title here at Volunteers of America North Texas Shootout Presented by JTBC and she’s not going to let her fatigue get in the way of the chance to win in front of her parents for the first time.

“But when you get out here and you kind of feel the energy from everybody,” Stanford said. “I feel like I’ve been running on adrenaline all week.  It’s been good… I wouldn’t trade it for any of it.”

Ha Na Jang celebrated her 23rd birthday Saturday by slinging a little tour sauce on an 89-yard wedge at the seventh. The LPGA rookie’s third at the par-5 seventh hopped twice, the second
landing about five feet past the hole, then sucked back like Jang was
controlling it like a yoyo and it disappeared beneath earth for an eagle.

“It’s my good present at No. 7, an eagle. Good present, right?” Jang said.

A good present indeed, and a gift that elicited a two hands over the hand double jump celebration of pure joy.

“Oh, this is tap-in birdie, definitely tap-in birdie,” Jang said she was thinking when the shot was in the air. “But woo hoo, nice eagle! Everybody said 

Happy Birthday Ha Na! It’s a very good present. It feels very nice.”

Rolex Ranking No. 11 Lexi Thompson will tee off with co-leader Inbee Park in the final group Sunday. Thompson has been towards the top of the leaderboard throughout the Volunteers of America North Texas Shootout and is looking more comfortable with the recent changes in her game.

Besides working on her mental game that Thompson mentioned recently, she has also made some adjustments with her putting.

“Just a little bit at setup and then my path and my stroke,” Thompson said. “So it was definitely a big change for me, but it was a change that needed to be made, and I’m just getting used to it right now.”

Thompson has had 88 putts through her three rounds here in Irving and looks to gain more confidence and comfort with her putting as she does with the rest of her game.

“I’m definitely going to putt some, just do a few drills just to get that confidence going into tomorrow, but I’m not going to hit any balls,” Thompson said. “I’m feeling really comfortable off the tee and with my iron shots.  It’s just all a matter of confidence out there.”

Following the completion of play Saturday, there was a secondary cut for the Volunteers of America North Texas Shootout. The cut was set to the top 50 and ties, which fell at even par. Fifty-one players will compete Sunday, trying to go low making it a true “shootout”.

7 - Number of  players within two shots of the lead

19 - Number of players within five shots of the lead

41 - Karrie Webb has 41 Tour wins and is looking for her 42nd Sunday.

51 - 51 players made the second cut at even par.

63 - Number of Tour wins by the top five on the leaderboard.

2000 - The last time a Monday qualifier won on the LPGA Tour

2001 - The last time a Canadian won on the LPGA Tour

Quote of the Day

“Well, playing rounds like that is fun. I would have told you on Thursday that I wasn’t a big fan of golf at the time. Now two days later everything feels good.”

          - Karrie Webb

Quick Links

• North Texas Shootout Round 3 Highlights (Video)
• Inbee Park 3rd Round Interview (Video)
• Lexi Thompson 3rd Round Interview (Video)
• Angela Stanford 3rd Round Interview (Video)
• Karrie Webb 3rd Round Interview (Video)
• Ha Na Jang Eagles for Shot of the Day (Video)