Wie, Li thrive in Women’s Open
Golfers with Bay Area ties excelled in the first round of the U.S. Women’s Open at Shoal Creek in Birmingham, Ala., on Thursday.
Former Stanford student Michelle Wie, the tournament’s 2014 champion, shot a 3-under-par 69 and was in a tie for fourth place with Danielle Kang and Linn Grant.
Ariya Jutanugarn, Jeongeun Lee and Sarah Jane Smith were tied for first at 67.
Redwood City’s Lucy Li, a 15-year-old amateur, and Stanford’s Albane Valenzuela each shot 72.
Li, who first captured national attention in 2014 when at age 11 she became the youngest to qualify for a U.S. Open, recorded five birdies.
“I have a lot more experience now,” Li told Golf World, comparing this year’s event to the one four years ago. “I hit the ball farther, so the course doesn’t feel as long.
“... When I was younger, I didn’t have a lot of expectations. I didn’t feel a lot of pressure. Now I feel a lot more experienced. … I know what I’m doing more, so I expect more.”
Valenzuela, a 20-yearold Switzerland native and the sixth-ranked amateur in the world, averaged 272 yards on her tee shots but was hurt by a double bogey on No. 7.
Wie said she was having fun with her playing partners, third-ranked Lexi Thompson (71) and Jessica Korda (77).
“We had a blast out there,” Wie said.
Wie withdrew from last year’s U.S. Open with a neck injury and failed to make the cut in 2016.
Top-ranked Inbee Park shot 70. No. 3 Lexi Thompson was 1-under. Defending champion Sung Hyun Park shot 76.
PGA Tour: Hideki Matsuyama capped a fantastic finish at the Memorial by holing out from 130 yards for an eagle on No. 17 that sent him to a 7-under 65 and a share of the lead with Joaquin Niemann and Abraham Ancer in Dublin, Ohio.
Matsuyama, who won the event in 2014, was in the middle of the pack until four straight birdies starting on the 13th hole.
Tiger Woods had a strong finish with three straight birdies to get to even-par 72. Justin Thomas, in his debut as the world’s No. 1 player, took a double bogey on the par-5 seventh near the end of his round and had to settle for a 72. Mickelson to Napa: Phil Mickelson will play in the Safeway Open in Napa this fall. Mickelson, a five-time major winner, tied for third in the event in October and tied for eighth in 2016. This year’s tournament is scheduled for Oct. 4-7.
European Tour: Englishmen Robert Rock and Laurie Canter and South Africa’s Richard Sterne shot 8-under 63 to share the first-round lead at the Italian Open in Brescia.