Lewis continues consistent play in rise to No. 1

Stacy Lewis manages her game on the course quite well. Now, she has learned to manage her game off the course, a necessity of being the No. 1 player in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings.

“The last time it was taken away from me in an off week when we weren’t even playing, so I’m definitely just going to not take it for granted and really enjoy it this time,” Lewis said. “Now I know all the extra things that come along with it, but I’m ready for it this time.”

Here are some tidbits concerning the No. 1-ranked player in the world and the position she holds:

Lewis’ ascent to No. 1 marks her second time in the position. She held the spot for four weeks, from March 18 to April 15, 2013, before Inbee Park moved to No. 1 for 59 weeks (the third- most weeks, behind Lorena Ochoa and Annika Sorenstam).

Here are the players who have held the position:
Player Total Weeks at No. 1
Lorena Ochoa	158 weeks
Ai Miyazato	12 weeks
Annika Sörenstam	61 weeks
Cristie Kerr	5 weeks
Jiyai Shin	25 weeks
Yani Tseng	110 weeks
Stacy Lewis	5 weeks*
Inbee Park	59 weeks
*-Current.

The victory last week at the ShopRite LPGA Classic came on a course, the Stockton Seaview Hotel and Golf Course, that was designed by Donald Ross. The U.S. Women’s Open in two weeks, at Pinehurst (N.C.) No. 2, was also designed by Ross.

“I went to Pinehurst on Monday and Tuesday, which is the same designer, Donald Ross did that golf course, too,” Lewis said on Sunday. “I liked being at Pinehurst, and it was good practice for this one. So who knows what’ll happen.”

The Lewis win was the eighth in 13 2014 events by an American this season, joining Jessica Korda (Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic, Airbus LPGA Classic), Paula Creamer (HSBC Women’s Champions), Lexi Thompson (Kraft Nabisco Championship), Michelle Wie (LPGA LOTTE Championship) and Lizette Salas (Kingsmill Championship). Lewis has won twice.
A South Korean golfer hasn’t won on the LPGA since Amy Yang last October at the LPGA KEB-HanaBank Championship in South Korea, a stretch of 17 tournaments. During that period, the Americans overtook South Korea for the top seed in this summer’s International Crown.
Lewis is first in the Race to the CME Globe, Rolex Player of the Year, Earnings ($1,102,756), Putts Per Green in Regulation (1.739), Scoring (69.149), Birdies (209) and Rounds in the 60s (25).
Lewis has scored under par in eight consecutive rounds and at par or better in 19 of her last 20 rounds.

Go low at Grey Silo

Last year’s Manulife Financial LPGA Classic was a record setter on the LPGA. The Grey Silo Golf Course in Waterloo, Ontario was full of under-par scores as Hee Young Park and Angela Stanford each finished at 26-under par, one stroke off the LPGA record in relation to par (27-under by Annika Sorenstam in 2001), and tied the mark for raw score (258, tying Karen Stupples from 2004).
Here is how their scores rated in the record books:

72 holes
In relation to par
	- 27, 261 (65-59-69-68) Annika Sorenstam, Moon Valley Country Club, Phoenix, Ariz., 2001 Standard Register PING, par 72
	- 26, 262 (63-67-64-68) Karrie Webb, Royal Pines Resort, Ashmore, Goldcoast, Queensland, Australia, 1999 Australian Ladies Masters, par 72
	- 26, 258 (65-67-61-65) Hee Young Park, Grey Silo Golf Course, Waterloo, ON, 2013 Manulife Financial LPGA Classic, par 71
	- 26, 258 (63-67-64-64) Angela Stanford, Grey Silo Golf Course, Waterloo, ON, 2013 Manulife Financial LPGA Classic, par 71
Raw score
258,	- 26 (65-67-61-65) Hee Young Park, Grey Silo Golf Course, Waterloo, ON, 2013 Manulife Financial LPGA Classic, par 71
258,	- 26 (63-67-64-64) Angela Stanford, Grey Silo Golf Course, Waterloo, ON, 2013 Manulife Financial LPGA Classic, par 71
258,	- 22 (63-66-66-63) Karen Stupples, Dell Urich Golf Course, Tucson, Ariz., 2004 Welch’s/Fry’s Championship, par 70

Etc.
There will be no Thompson siblings’ U.S. Open story. Lexi Thompson is already in the U.S. Women’s Open. Her older brothers attempted to qualify for the men’s event next week at Pinehurst No. 2 but didn’t make it. Curtis, an LSU golfer, shot 42 on his opening nine holes and nearly made it, shooting 76-68—144 in Vero Beach, Fla., to miss by two strokes. Nicholas shot 76 in Columbus, Ohio, and withdrew. … Big Break winner Jackie Stoelting, who plays on the Epson Tour, received a sponsor exemption into this week’s event. … This week’s Manulife Financial LPGA Classic marks the 51st LPGA tournament to be played in Canada. The first LPGA event in Canada was the 1966 Supertest Ladies Open in London, Ontario where Kathy Whitworth beat Mickey Wright by three strokes. … Christina Kim’s second-place finish at the ShopRite LPGA Classic was her best since 2007.

Stats and Stuff: Lewis continues consistent play in rise to No. 1

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