SAMMAMISH – Lexi Thompson has said she will be retiring from the LPGA Tour soon and could go out in style.
The former junior phenom put herself in position to win the second major of her career, shooting a 4-under 68 to take a one-stroke lead over Nelly Korda and Patty Tavatanakit after the first round of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship on Thursday. . at Sahalee Country Club.
A group of 11 players finished the round at 2 under par, two shots back, including world No. 4 Celine Boutier and No. 7 Charley Hull.
It is the first time Thompson, whose major victory came at the 2014 Chevron Championship, has held the sole lead after the first round of a major.
“I just tried to stay in the moment and really visualize my shots, pick small targets and just commit to them,” Thompson said.
Thompson first made national headlines in 2007, when at age 12 she qualified for the US Women’s Open, at the time the youngest in history. Four years later, she became the youngest winner of an LPGA Tour event.
Thompson, now 29, announced on May 29 at the US Women’s Open that she would retire from the LPGA Tour at the end of the season.
Thompson missed the cut at the US Women’s Open, her fourth consecutive cut, but the LPGA Tour’s only winner showed she was still capable of winning while losing in a three-way playoff last week at the Meijer LPGA Classic.
The momentum from that strong finish continued from the start on Thursday. Thompson birdied his first three holes as he played in the afternoon, tying Korda, who was in the morning wave, atop the leaderboard.
Thompson said he got a little lucky after hitting his tee shots in the rough on the second and third holes.
“I ended up making some pretty decent shots from the rough and gave myself some birdie opportunities,” Thompson said.
Thompson took the lead on her own with a birdie on the ninth hole to get to 4 under par. She recovered from a bogey on the 10th hole with birdies on the 12th and 14th holes to reach 5 under par.
A bogey on the 15th hole dropped Thompson to 4 under par, the same score Brooke Henderson had while taking the lead in the first round when this event was played at Sahalee in 2016.
Henderson won in a tiebreaker.
The golf course also had a great first round on Thursday.
One by one, the world’s best female golfers did their best to tame Sahalee and the tall trees that line its fairways, and it certainly wasn’t easy.
It was the kind of tough but fair challenge that Kerry Haigh, director of championships for the PGA of America and the man preparing the field for this event, craves.
It wasn’t easy for anyone, not even Thompson.
“I wouldn’t say it’s ever easy, especially on this golf course,” he said.
Korda, like Thompson, rose to the challenge.
Korda once again looked like the player who had won six of seven tournaments before missing the cut in her last two events. She held an early two-stroke lead at 4 under when she reached the par-4 fourth hole, her 13th hole of the day.
A few minutes later, Korda tied for the lead after making a double bogey.
It was that kind of day in Sahalee.
Korda bounced back by making a 15 1/2-foot birdie putt on the par-3 ninth, her 18th hole, putting her into the lead after the morning surge.
“Not only is it difficult and demanding off the tee, but it’s also very difficult with the second shots,” Korda said.
Korda said she got a boost from having her sister Jessica, a fellow LPGA player, and Jessica’s 4-month-old son, Greyson, available to watch her play.
“Oh my God. It was so amazing,” said Nelly Korda. “I didn’t
I knew if I would make it to the first tee, but just having
him out there… his laughs make me very happy.”
Tavatanakit, playing in the afternoon wave, had no bogeys in his round. He is a two-time winner on the LPGA Tour, including a big win at the 2021 ANA Inspiration.
“I played very freely today,” Tavatanakit said. “I felt like my shots were committed and confident, so I think that just helped.”
Will the course be easier? Do not count on it. With the warm weather continuing, the course should become firmer and the greens less receptive.
“It’s definitely getting a little firmer, so I wouldn’t be surprised if it gets even tougher over the weekend,” said Boutier, one of 11 players at 2 under.
LEADER BOARD
Keynote USA
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