Stacy Lewis set to defend LPGA title at Shore; will Ko take part?

GALLOWAY, N.J. - When Stacy Lewis left the Stockton Seaview Hotel and Golf Club after the 2014 ShopRite LPGA Classic, she carried away her second championship trophy in three years, a nice six-figure check, and the title of No. 1 player in the world.

She returned Tuesday to Seaview having dropped to No. 3 in the world rankings, but it's not because she has been playing poorly. Indeed, in nine events this year on the LPGA Tour, she has finished in the top 10 seven times and owns three runner-up finishes, including a three-hole playoff loss in the season's first major, the ANA Inspiration.

Lewis enjoys being in contention each week, but she likes winning more. She admits she'd be frustrated if she went an entire year without finishing first.

"So far it's been really good," she said at the media day for the annual tournament, which runs from May 29 to 31. "Winning is hard. Week in and week out, it's been a different player [winning] every week. I've finished second a few times.

"I think if you still finish in the top 10 and you're up there in contention, yeah, it's still a good year. But it doesn't become great until you win a couple of times."

Lewis won three times last year and captured the LPGA "triple crown": earnings title, Vare Trophy for low stroke average, and player of the year.

The challenge for Lewis and the rest of the LPGA is the excellent play thus far of No. 1 Lydia Ko and No. 2 Inbee Park. Ko, who turned 18 years old last month, and Park each have posted two victories.

Lewis, 30, appreciates the way Ko plays.

"She gets under pressure and she seems to get better," Lewis said. "She's so good, so solid. The sky's the limit. She's got to make sure that she keeps managing things well, makes sure she can be a kid still."

The way Ko is managing her schedule for this month could be bad news for ShopRite LPGA Classic organizers. Tournament executive director Tim Erensen said Ko had yet to commit to the event but holds out hope that she will.

"I think it's still possible," Erensen said. "We've been in touch with her agent since we saw the first commitment sheet. She has decided that when she takes time off, she wants to take two weeks off at a time. So they're off this week, play Kingsmill [Williamsburg, Va.] next week, and then they're off again before our tournament.

"There's no logical place for her to take two straight weeks off. If she's looking to take a two-week break in the spring, that falls on our dates. But we're still hopeful that she'll come."