Stacy Lewis rallied to make the ANA Inspiration cut Friday when she shot 5-under 31 on the front nine at the Dinah Shore Course, her closing nine of the day. That allowed her to make the cut on the number of 1-over 145.
Lewis then opened her third round on the front nine and rolled out a 6-under 30, just the fourth nine-hole score of 30 in the history of the tournament.
That means Lewis had played her last 18 holes in 61. She added birdies on the 12th and 13th holes to reach 8-under for the day and had Lorena Ochoa’s course record of 62 in her sights.
But Lewis, who won the ANA Inspiration in 2011, triple-bogeyed the par 3 14th and finished with a 67.
“I don’t know. I hit a lot of fairways I think is the key, but just hit a lot of really good iron shots, and I really didn’t miss a golf shot until 14,” Lewis said. “So just hit it really solid and got the putter going late yesterday, so kind of found something there. But pretty crazy. I mean, you add those two nines I shoot 61, so pretty sweet.”
She is tied for 17th at 4-under heading into Sunday.
Ana Thursday 13
Ruffels using ‘home’ course edge
Gabriela Ruffels battled for low amateur at the 2020 ANA Inspiration, finishing second to Rose Zhang. Zhang played in the Augusta National Women’s Amateur this week, missing a playoff for the title by one shot, but Ruffels is back in the ANA Inspiration as a professional because of her 15th-place finish last September.
She credits some home connections for a good week. She is tied for 11th at 5-under entering Sunday.
“It’s really cool firstly staying at home, especially for a major,” said Ruffels, whose parents live at Toscana Country Club in Indian Wells. “I feel like you don’t get that that much, sleeping in your own bed and going home and seeing my dog. It just makes it that much more relaxing and comfortable.”
The desert connections mean Ruffels is not thrown off by desert conditions.
“I practice at Toscana Country Club and playing out here and playing in these conditions I don’t think it can hurt you,” she said. “So, yeah, definitely feeling more comfortable.”