Irving, TX (SportsNetwork.com) - Stacy Lewis fired a 7-under 64 on Sunday and cruised to a 6-stroke victory at the North Texas LPGA Shootout.
Lewis, who won for the ninth time on the LPGA Tour, finished at 16-under-par 268. She broke Inbee Park's tournament scoring record by three strokes. Park set that mark last year, the first year of this event.
"It played so hard out there today, and I had it planned out in my head how I was going to hit and play every single shot. And so I never let up until I hit that shot, that last putt. And it's relief," stated Lewis, who has eight top-10s in her first nine starts this season. "I've been so close the last few months, and just to do it and to do it here of all places."
Meena Lee, who had at least a piece of the lead after the second and third rounds, closed with her third 70 of the week to take second at minus-10.
Michelle Wie shot 4-under 67 in the final round to end alone in third at minus-9. Na Yeon Choi (69) and Kim Kaufman (70) shared fourth at 8-under 276.
Cristie Kerr (71), Christina Kim (71), Suzann Pettersen (72), Dori Carter (72), Dewi Claire Schreefel (68) and Lexi Thompson (69) tied for sixth at minus-7 at Las Colinas Country Club.
Lewis, who tied for seventh at this event last year, opened with a birdie on the third, and that moved her one ahead of Pettersen and Lee.
After three pars in a row, Lewis rolled in an eagle putt from the fringe on the par-5 seventh and that pushed her lead to three. She followed with birdies on eight and nine, both from inside 13 feet.
Lewis, who used to live in The Woodlands, Texas, made the turn with a 4- stroke lead over Wie. Lewis stumbled to a bogey on the 11th, but came right back with a birdie on the 12th to remain clear of Wie.
The nine-time LPGA Tour winner led by four down the stretch, but closed the tournament in style. She drained a 7-foot birdie putt on the 17th and made it two in a row as she drained a 20-footer at the last to seal the win.
"I've always seemed to play the best when I play that underdog role. And I didn't necessarily feel like an underdog, but I felt like I had something to prove today just because of the way I played yesterday," Lewis admitted. "I knew if I went out there and hit every shot and every putt where I needed to, I knew I would come out ahead. I had that much confidence in my game that I would be here."
Lee mixed five birdies and four bogeys in her round of 71.
Wie was even-par through eight holes, but flew into contention with four birdies and an eagle between the ninth and 15th. She was three back at that point, but dropped back with bogeys on the final two holes.
"I was a leaderboard watcher. You know, there isn't a leaderboard for a couple of holes, and I was tied and I saw she was 14 (under), and I made a couple more, but missed a birdie opportunity on 16," Wie said. "I thought I had it on 17, I just nuked it over the green. So I just hit a wall on the last hole. It's a little disappointing for me, but at the same time 4-under par on the last day, I'll take it."
NOTES: Lewis earned $195,000 for the win and she takes over the top spot on the tour's money list ... This was Lewis' 19th top-10 finish her last 22 starts ... Wie posted her sixth top-10 and ninth top-16 finish of the year ... After a week off, the tour returns to action in Virginia with the Kingsmill Championship, where Kerr beat Pettersen in a playoff last year.
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