Women's Open leader Lewis lives Interlachen dream

By Mark Lamport-Stokes

EDINA, Minnesota (Reuters) - Stacy Lewis is enjoying a dream week at the U.S. Women's Open after facing the nightmare prospect on her high school graduation that her golfing career might be over.

Lewis had to wear a brace for more than seven years after being diagnosed with scoliosis at the age of 11 before having surgery to insert a rod and five screws into her back.

"When I found out that I had to have surgery, I thought I was done playing golf forever," the 23-year-old told reporters after taking a surprise one-shot lead in Saturday's third round at Interlachen Country Club.

"The doctor, he actually found out that I played golf and we did the surgery a little different way so I had more flexibility.

"I just wanted to play golf. I just wanted to qualify for my team. I didn't think I'd win my tournaments. I didn't think about any of that. I just wanted to get back out there and play again."

Lewis, who turned professional only 19 days ago to compete in a sectional qualifier for this week's U.S. Women's Open, never expected to wear her back brace for as long as she did.

"It was supposed to be only a couple of years and then it ended up being seven-and-a-half years," she said, referring to what her doctors told her when she was first diagnosed with curvature of the spine.

BACK BRACE

"I stopped wearing my brace when I was a senior in high school and then found out at the end of my senior year that I was going to have surgery, because the brace didn't work.

"So then I waited until May, after I graduated, and I had the surgery. And then from there, I had to wear a brace for another three months while I was recovering from the surgery.

"I couldn't bend or twist for six months or lift more than five pounds. I kind of lost some of my muscle and couldn't swing a golf club."

Lewis, an outstanding amateur and a former NCAA champion at Arkansas, said she was given permission to start chipping and putting after four months.

"The short game got better after that and, after six months, I was free to swing away, do whatever I wanted to do," she said. "From there it's been great. I have days where it's sore and days where it hurts, but nothing major."

The only major she is concerned about is this week's U.S. Women's Open where she is making her first professional start and targeting an upset victory of staggering proportions.

Just three weeks after leading the U.S. amateurs to Curtis Cup victory over Britain & Ireland at St. Andrews with a perfect 5-0 record, she believes she can eclipse the best players in the game at Interlachen.