Thompson shoots way onto ANA leaderboard
RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. – No player has provided more drama to the top of the leaderboard of the ANA Inspiration in recent years than Lexi Thompson. And Thompson was back on the leaderboard Thursday early in the first round of the LPGA’s first major of the year.
Thompson, who lost the tournament two years ago because of four penalty shots, birdied her final two holes Thursday on the Dinah Shore Tournament Course to finish with a 3under-par 69 and share the lead with Jin Young Ko and Hyo Joo Kim as the afternoon wave of players hit the course.
The 2014 winner of the ANA Inspiration after a final-round duel with Michelle Wie, Thompson was happy with her first round even if there were mistakes.
“It was a little bit of an up-anddown day,” Thompson said. “I hit some great shots, but then I hit some poor ones off the tee. I think I should have hit a lot more fairways. I made some great putts, which is always a big confidence booster for me.”
Thompson’s round included five birdies and just two bogeys on the par-5 second hole and the par-4 16th. But she finished with a 10-foot birdie on the 17th hole and then a tap-in birdie on the 18th when she hit her third shot on the par-5 to within a foot of the cut.
“I shot 3 under, and that was with missing some fairways out there and having to make some par putts, especially on that back nine,” Thompson said. “I’m very happy with just the way I stayed strong the whole day and came out of it with 3 under, especially ending with two birdies.”
With the rough thicker than in recent years and with the fairways narrowed, scoring for the day has not been as low as in recent years on the Shore Course. Kim fired four birdies and had an eagle on the second hole but also made three bogeys. Ko, who won the Bank of Hope Founders Cup two weeks ago, had four birdies and one bogey.
Defending champion Pernilla Lindberg shot a 73.
Korda takes in views
Nelly Korda decided to take last week off from the LPGA and focus on her game in the Coachella Valley with the ANA Inspiration looming.
But focusing on golf wasn’t as easy as it sounds for Korda with where she was spending time — at The Vintage Club in Indian Wells.
“It’s hard to. You enjoy the views,” said Korda, the No. 8 player in the Rolex World Rankings and the highest-ranked American in the world. “Makes you so grateful being able to do what I’m doing, because, I mean, these views and golf clubs that let you out and play. Just so grateful at the end of the day to just be practicing out there and to enjoy the views, saying to yourself, ‘Oh, my God, this is actually my job, you know.’ ”
Already a two-time winner on the LPGA, Korda is on a hot streak. In five starts this season, Korda hasn’t finished outside of the top 10, with a win in the Australian Open and a tie for second in Phoenix.
It has not only propelled her in the world rankings, but perhaps made the younger of the Korda sisters a favorite this week. She teed off late Thursday afternoon. Jessica Korda shot a 70 in the first round.