Stacy Lewis carded a second-straight six-under-par 65 on Saturday to seize a six-shot lead going into the final round of the LPGA Classic event in New Jersey.
The American leads Sweden’s Anna Nordqvist while Australia’s Katherine Hull is seven shots behind Lewis at five-under in a tie for third.
Lewis, who shared the overnight lead with Japan’s Mika Miyazato, had eight birdies to offset a double-bogey six at the sixth hole.
Her 36-hole total of 12-under-par 130 matched the tournament record set by Amy Benz in 1996 and equalled by Denise Killeen in 2004.
Lewis had a comfortable cushion in the 54-hole event over Nordqvist, who posted a four-under 67 for 136.
Paula Creamer and So Yeon Ryu, the past two winners of the US women’s Open, are tied with Hull and Spain’s Azahara Munoz at five-under.
Ryu carded a 67 on the Bay Course at the Seaview resort, while Creamer posted a 70, Hull fired a 66 and Munoz a 68.
World No.1 Yani Tseng was in a quartet of players on four-under for the tournament.
The Taiwanese star, winner of the three tournaments already this season, carded a 67 and was tied with South Korea’s Hee-Won Han (67), Colombia’s Mariajo Uribe (71) and Miyazato, who slipped back with a two-over 73.