UCLA alum Lee figures out PVGC, contends at LPGA event

UCLA alum Alison Lee showed up and out just outside of her hometown at the Fir Hills Seri Pak Championship, kicking off her week at Palos Verdes Golf Club with a 5-under 66 on Thursday.

She made six birdies and one bogey to sit two back of the early lead held by Maude-Aimee Leblanc.

Malia Nam is second at 6-under. Yuka Saso and Madeline Sagstrom are tied with Lee at 5-under

Lee started her day on No. 10, and the 29-year-old got off to a slow start, making three pars and a bogey in her first four holes of the round. She righted the ship quickly, however, rattling off three consecutive birdies on holes 14, 15 and 16 before parring 17 and 18 to turn in 2-under.

Lee grabbed another birdie on the par-4 1st hole to move to 3-under, making pars on her next three holes and then snagging a pair of birdies on the par-4 fifth and par-5 seventh holes to ultimately post a 5-under 66, her lowest round of the 2024 season.

“In the past, I couldn't quite figure out this golf course, so it felt good to go out there and shoot a low number on the first round,” Lee said. “I had a lot of nerves coming into this week for sure. Even though we're kind of well into the season, I've only played one tournament so far this season coming off a hand injury, but it feels good to come back and shoot a low number out there. Giving myself a little bit of confidence, and thankfully all the hard work I put in is paying off.”

This is Lee's second start of the season, and she'll be looking to improve upon her T51 finish in her 2024 debut at the HSBC Women's World Championship a few weeks ago. After being sidelined with a hand injury from a dog bite she suffered during the offseason, her preparations for her 10th year on the LPGA

Tour were a bit derailed, ultimately leading to the sluggish start in Singapore.

Before that, she was arguably one of the hottest players in women's golf at the end of 2023, picking up her second career Ladies European Tour victory at the Aramco Team Series — Riyadh and recording three runner-up results on the LPGA Tour in her last three starts of the season.

PGA Tour

Kevin Streelman has a new ball marker to help with alignment that required USGA approval before he teed off in the Valspar Championship in Palm Harbor, Fla. He had 10 consecutive one-putt greens on his way to a 7-under 64 and a one-shot lead.

Streelman took advantage of gorgeous weather while it lasts with birdies on all four of the par 5s on the Copperhead course at Innisbrook. He took only 24 putts for the round.

“I knew today was going to be solid and then it's going to be hold-on-to-yourshorts here for the next few days,” Streelman said. “So trying to just keep a good attitude and have some fun.”

Kevin Roy, who lost his PGA Tour card last year and is playing on a sponsor exemption, had eight birdies in his round of 65.

Streelman tried out a new ball marker during the proam. The circular piece on the top has a solid line and it has a long spike to put in the ground. He looks at the line and can turn the piece to give him a good visual before lining up his golf ball.

“It's kind of cool little new ball marker I'm using that is legal that can kind of give you some visual cues that I think is pretty helpful,” Streelman said. “I was using that today, which I think kind of helped, as well.”

DP World Tour

Gavin Green, Kiradech Aphibarnrat and Jordan Smith shared the first-round lead at the Singapore Classic after shooting 8-under 64s.