Lauren Stephenson birdies No. 18 for two-shot lead in Epson Tour Atlantic Beach Classic
Lauren Stephenson overcame a streak of four bogeys in a seven-hole span to birdie the last and take a two-shot lead into Saturday’s final round in the Epson Tour Atlantic Beach Classic, at the Atlantic Beach Country Club.
Stephenson, who played college golf at the University of Alabama and is a five-year veteran of the LPGA Tour, was 11-under through eight holes on a blustery day, shot 4-under 32 on the front nine and had a five-shot lead when she turned.
Saturday’s third-round tee times, groups for Atlantic Beach Classic
She made her first bogey of the tournament at No. 11, and then added bogeys at Nos. 13, 16 and 17.
But she birdied the par-5 18th for a 71 and is 8-under-par 134, two shots over Kim Kaufman (69), a three-time Epson Tour winner from Clark, S.D., who played at Texas Tech.
"If you would've told me at the start that I shot even, I would take that every day given the conditions,” Stephenson told epsontour.com. “So, it was definitely a flip-flop of nines, but I played the front really well, which helped kind of go into the tougher holes on the back. I knew on that back nine I was going to make some bogeys, so I didn't get too down on myself and just kind of tried to finish off on a good note with a birdie on 18. Heading home with an even par is never a bad day."
Two past SEC players Cydney Clanton (Auburn) and Hannah Levi-Armour (Mississippi State) are tied for third at 5-under. They both shot 71 in the second round.
Brian Chacon, a former Oregon player, was 1-under for the day and 5-under for the tournament with two holes remaining. She was among the last threesome that failed to finish when play was suspended at 7:31 p.m. because of darkness.
Jessica Porvasnik (74), a Jacksonville resident who played at Ohio State, is tied for sixth at 4-under. Jacksonville native Amelia Lewis (73) is tied for 19th at 1-under.
San Jose Country Club teaching professional Stephanie Connelly-Eiswerth (4-over), former Jacksonville University golfer Jessica Welch (5-over) and former University of North Florida player Sara McKevitt (10-over) missed the three 3-over cut.
After balmy weather conditions on Thursday resulted in 53 sub-par rounds and 40 in the 60s, Friday’s early rain and wind the rest of the day led to a reduction in those numbers to 10 players with under par and six in the 60s.
Stephenson and Sarah White shared the 18-hole lead after firing 63s at Atlantic Beach. White shot 77 and fell into a tie for 12th at 2-under.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Lauren Stephenson overcomes bogey string and leads Atlantic Beach Classic by two