Portland Classic 1st Round Featured Groups

Third-seeded Stacy Lewis is playing the first and second rounds with Paula Creamer and Ha Na Jang.  Lewis should be able to take control of this group and get out ahead, but things haven’t been going her way for the world’s third-ranked player.

I’m expecting this group to match each other shot-for-shot from tee to green.  Then, if Lewis’s flat stick is working, she should make short work of her job on the putting surface and pull ahead of Creamer and Jang.

Jang, on the other hand, could surprise me and challenge Lewis for control of the lead inside their group.  The rookie has shown a remarkable ability to lift her game above the level of her playing stats — I watched that happen at the Coates Golf Championship, where Jang opened her rookie year on the Tour with a runner-up finish, and I’ve also seen her do it at the Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic and again at the Marathon Classic.  Still, I’ve also watched her miss some cuts this year.

Creamer is just not having a strong season.  She’ll give each round she plays everything she has in her bag, but I think this isn’t Paula Creamer’s year to dominate.  We all have golf seasons like that.

Lewis will take charge of this group and stay in control.  Stacy Lewis wants this win as badly as Morgan Pressel and it wouldn’t surprise me at all to see the two of them battling it out for the victory Sunday afternoon.

Next: Lizette Salas: Accuracy vs Length