Mobile Bay LPGA Classic. Lexi Thompson & Eun-Hee Ji Share 1st Round Lead.

Lexi Thompson and Eun-Hee Ji share the lead after the conclusion of the first round in the Mobile Bay LPGA Classic, played on the RJT Golf Trail Magnolia Grove, Crossings Course, in Alabama.

Lexi Thompson / LPGA

Lexi Thompson and Eun-Hee Ji both shot first rounds of -7 under par, 65, to share the lead at the Mobile Bay LPGA Classic. They lead by just one shot from Jessica Korda, who had a -6 under par, 66 and is in third place alone.

Lexi said she was working on her momentum;

” I love the par fives here, I get to hit pretty much driver on every hole out here so it’s definitely an advantage for me. I definitely had some momentum, I made a few birdies at the end of my first nine. I was hitting it pretty close and I drained a few putts. So I was just taking one shot at a time, not trying to get ahead of myself because it’s golf, anything can happen, and I was lucky enough to make a few more birdies on the second nine.”

Lexi finished her round on the ninth hole, with a birdie. She was happy to regain the shot she dropped on the 1st;

“ Yeah, that was a good shot to end on, I just had a three‑quarter pitching wedge and just committed to it. I actually came out of a shot on the first, and the last hole and just scratched that.”

Eun-Hee, the 2009 U.S. Womens Open Champion, said she had a good day putting;

” I felt really good with my putting today, if I had 5- or 10-foot putts, I felt like I could make it. So I was really focused on it and I was really positive with my putter. I just like a really fast green, this is really fast and in really good shape on the course. I just like it.”

Defending Champion Stacy Lewis was upset that nothing seemed to go her way today;

” I didn’t really have anything go right today. I had one ball hit the sprinkler and go in the trees and one hit the cart path and go in the trees.”

I know that feeling well, amazing how it all goes wrong, all day.

 

U.S. Women’s Open Championship, 3rd round, Na Yeon Choi Masterclass

Na Yeon Choi/ Benny Sieu, US Presswire

South Korean Na Yeon Choi had one of the best rounds in U.S. Women’s Open history, taking control of the tournament with a masterclass round of 7-under par,  65 in the third round of The U.S. Womens Open at Blackwolf Run in Kohler Wisconsin on Saturdays third round. With a six shot lead over her countrywoman Amy Yang Na Yeon really takes an unassailable lead into Sunday’s final round. All but six of this years field are currently over par for the tournament, the best placed American is Lexi Thompson at -1 under par and a full seven shots adrift of the leader.

With  Saturday’s winds gusting to 30 mph, it’s unpredictability sent scores soaring, and precarious pin placements lowered expectations for low scores .  Choi appeared unruffled by the gusting winds, opening with birdies on her first two holes and then went on to make five more in a six-hole span starting on the seventh hole and finishing with eight birdies, against a lone bogey. Na Yeon was obviously very happy with her round;

“I had a really good feeling about my swing, I think I hit a lot of good shots. I think all 14 of my clubs worked very well. I can’t believe I got eight birdies today, but I am very happy. I thought today would be very difficult because a lot of wind was blowing. But you know, I started with two birdies, so I had good vibes from there. I had confidence until the last hole, and I think, you know, I had good patience. So that’s why I had a good round today. I will not change anything, I will just play my game. I know what I have to do, and I know what I can control. I cannot control winning. I can’t control my score, so I just will do my best and just hit one shot at a time. I hope to get good warm-up in the morning and just go out there and, like today, have fun with my caddie.”

Na Yeon’s playing partner, Nicole Castrale was left in awe as Na Yeon cruised along;

“Hats off to her. It was one of the best rounds I’ve ever seen, I’ve seen some good ones out here. It was more kind of funny. I made back-to-back birdies on 11 to 12, and I still didn’t have the tee. It is what it is. I think I finally got the tee on 16. At least I got it once. She putted great. I think she had 11 putts in the first nine holes. So obviously you have to putt well out here with the greens being like that. I didn’t think it was out there, but I was proven wrong. It was clearly there. But she played pretty much perfect all day.”

Kiwi Lydia Ko, at 15 years of age is the world’s number amateur player, suffered a disappointing third round, along with just about everyone else. Lydia shot a third round 79 to be at +7 over par for the tournament, tied for 41st place.

Lexi Thompson wins Dubai Ladies Masters

Lexi Thompson of USA won the Dubai Ladies Masters by four strokes over Lee-Anne Pace from South Africa. With this win Lexi becomes the youngest ever on the Ladies European Tour.

Michelle Wei dropped out of contention with two bogies and a double bogie on her card.

Lexi Thompson Wins the Dubai Ladies Masters
David Cannon/Getty Images

Lexi Thompson @ Dubai Ladies Masters

Lexi Thompson leads the Dubai Ladies Masters going into the final round. She birdied the final hole to be one shot ahead  of Sweden’s Sophie Gustafson and two clear of Sweden’s Pernilla Lindberg and  South Africa’s Lee-Anne Pace, who shot a bogey-free 67, the day’s best round.

Lexi was pretty pleased with her round stating,

“I hit it pretty well even though I missed some close-range putts. There are a lot of girls in contention, so it’s going to be a great day.

“I am sure I will be a bit nervous standing on the first tee tomorrow, but who isn’t going to be. The mindset is to go out and have fun,” said the new sensation of women’s golf.  “I am just going to try and make birdies throughout the whole day and play consistent.”

Lee-Anne said at the start of play she was concentrating on a bogey free round,

“I really played well and had no bogey which was the goal at the beginning of the day,” said Pace. “I am not thinking about the final round. I will just go out and try to achieve my goal for the week tomorrow and, hopefully, that is going to be enough,”

Sophie would like to win the tournament to even out an up and year on the circuit,

“It would be nice to finish with a win,” she said. “Before I went out, I was thinking a ten would be a good number to get to.  And that’s what I was working towards. Alexis is going to be hard to beat, but if I can keep playing well, then I think I have a good chance.”

Alexis Thompson ahead by one shot going into the final round of the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters at Emirates Golf Club on Friday

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