CAMARILLO, Calif. – Jody Ewart Shadoff has played 245 times on the LPGA Tour and has never had a better chance to win. She carded a bogey-free 3-under 69 on Saturday to maintain her four-shot lead at the LPGA Medley Championship.
Ewart Schadoff made two birdies on the front nine at The Satikoy Club, added another on the par-5 14th, then carded the clear all the way.
She was four shots ahead of South African Paula Reto, who captured her first LPGA title in Canada last month, at 14-under 202.
“Maybe for the first time in my career,” Ewart Schadoff said after three rounds in the lead since her 64 on Thursday. “Either way, it’s a great learning experience this week. Tomorrow will be a great learning experience either way. Just stick to my routine and I’m hoping for good results.”
Andrea Lee, who won her first LPGA Tour event at the Portland Classic three weeks ago, shot a 66 and tied for third place with Celine Boutier of France, who had a 66, and former Women’s British Open winner Hinako Shibuno (68).
There were low scores and Ewart Shadoff did enough to keep herself at the top for more than a decade.
Reto has played against the 34-year-old Englishman and knows what to expect.
“She plays really calm, real hard, she’s not making any jokes, so I have to try to do the same thing and just give myself opportunities, but try not to think about it, have fun and enjoy it.” Reto said.
For most players, the fight is showing a good attitude on the slower greens than usual. Lee finally made adjustments in her round of 66. She said the key was to get a little more aggressive with the putts.
“The greens are not what we usually play,” Lee said. “Just getting used to that and making sure the ball goes into the hole to have a chance to make proper putts.”
Danielle Kang, who attended Pepperdine High School on Foot, had a winning 68 and was a team-best six strokes behind former US Women’s Open champion Yuka Sasso (68) and Xiu Lin (70). – Aapp finished this year in her first attempt to win.
Kang did not hide her frustration with the green speed, which was very disappointing and she and Hye-Jin Choi (72) started playing money games.
“I think the greens are too slow and I think they need to cut them,” Kang said. “I think the members are very angry. They’ve been coming to me for the last four days, angry that the greens are being played so slowly. Neither of us could get to the hole. We ended up playing money games and breaking putts. That’s how we started making birdies on the back three holes.
