UNITED STATES WOMEN'S OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP
STACY LEWIS SETS PINEHURST PACE
WITH A 67 TO LEAD BY ONE FROM WIE
FROM THE LPGA WEBSITE
World No. 1 Stacy Lewis came into this week rolling on a wave of confidence and poise and ready to take on the challenge of Pinehurst No. 2 at the U.S. Women’s Open.
The 2013 Ricoh Women's British title winner over the Old Course, St Andrews handled the Donald Ross track flawlessly on Thursday and finished with a bogey-free 67 to take a one-shot lead over fellow American Michelle Wie (68).
Play was suspended at 7:12 p.m. due to dangerous weather conditions in the area and was officially called at 7:55 p.m. Thirty players have yet to finish the first round and will resume play at 6:45 a.m. on Friday.
Lewis only missed one green and one fairway in the first round and surprised everyone by calling her day ‘easy.’
“I’m very happy,” said Lewis. “It was such an easy day. I played really, really solid, other than I had to make a few par putts, I ran some putts by, got them above the hole. But other than that I didn’t put myself in too bad of spots and made a few birdies, which was nice.”
Lewis started on the back nine and picked up her first two birdies on the par 4’s 14th and 16th holes. Lewis, like many of her female counterparts, watched the men’s event last week and drew inspiration from this year’s champ, Martin Kaymer.
“I liked watching the men’s last week because I think I played a lot -- I like to hit a cut a lot like Kaymer does,” said Lewis.
“So on a lot of those holes, it was cool to see the plan I had laid out in my head, he was kind of doing the same thing. So it was nice coming into the week, knowing that my plan was going to work on this golf course.”
Lewis carded her third and final birdie on No. 8 and posted the low round of the day early, before temperatures start soaring with a heat index past 100 degrees.
“I thought that somebody like the guys, somebody can run away with this,” said Lewis. “If you’re hitting the ball well enough, you can definitely run away with it. At the same time you have to know par is a good number and keep grinding away.”
Michelle Wie trails Lewis by one shot after a round that included five birdies and three bogeys. The Hawaii native had only 26 putts in her round of 68.
“You know, I’ll take it, any round under par, I’ll take it,” said Wie. “It was a grind out there today. It will probably be a grind the next three days, but I’ll take it.”
Three players are in a tie for third at 1-under par including two Australians, Katherine Kirk and amateur Minjee Lee, and 2011 U.S. Women’s Open champ So Yeon Ryu of South Korea.
Defending champion and No. 2 Inbee Park struggled on Thursday with a 6-over 76 and sits in a pack alongside No. 3 Lydia Ko, 2008 champ Cristie Kerr and World Golf and LPGA Halls of Famer Se Ri Pak.
Eleven-year-old phenom Lucy Li finished with an 8-over 78 and is in a tie for 111th with a group that includes two-time major champ Suzann Pettersen and winner of this year’s Kingsmill Championship Lizette Salas.
CAREFREE KID
The largest crowd on the golf course Thursday morning was likely the one following 11-year-old Lucy Li. There was a lot of anticipation to see how Li, the youngest qualifier in U.S. Women’s Open history, would fare in her first round. And Li didn’t disappoint, shooting an 8-over 78 to put her in a tie for 111th.
“I’m happy I broke 80, because I got two doubles and a triple and that can really ruin a score,” Li said after her round. “But I’m glad I got it back after that.”
Li has quickly endeared herself to the media and golf fans around the globe this week, thanks in large part to her laugh and the small reminders that she is indeed 11. One of those moments came when Li brought a Starburst Strawberry Sorbet bar with her to the stage as she conducted her post-round interview.
The Redwood Shores, Calif. native didn’t seem too concerned about the mistakes that came in her round on Thursday. She instead seemed focused on enjoying the entire experience. When asked how she would be spending the rest of the day, Li was clear in her answer.
“Eat some more ice cream,” she said with a laugh.
LEADERBOARD
Par 70
+More than 30 players had still to complete their first round when play was suspended for the day on Thursday.
67 Stacy Lewis (USA)
68 Michelle Wie (USA)
69 Minjee Lee (Australia) (am), So Yeon Rhu (South Korea), Kathleen Kirk (Australia)
70 Paula Creamer (USA), Karrie Webb (Australia)
SELECTED SCORES
75 Catriona Matthew (Scotland) (T59)
76 Jodi Ewart Shadoff (England) (T77)
78 Suzann Pettersen (Norway) (T111)
79 Holly Clyburn (England), Rebecca Hudson (England) (T127)
82 Laura Davies (England) (T148)
83 Lucy Williams (England) (150th)
86 Kelsey MacDonald (Scotland) (155th)
TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES
CLICK HERE
WITH A 67 TO LEAD BY ONE FROM WIE
FROM THE LPGA WEBSITE
World No. 1 Stacy Lewis came into this week rolling on a wave of confidence and poise and ready to take on the challenge of Pinehurst No. 2 at the U.S. Women’s Open.
The 2013 Ricoh Women's British title winner over the Old Course, St Andrews handled the Donald Ross track flawlessly on Thursday and finished with a bogey-free 67 to take a one-shot lead over fellow American Michelle Wie (68).
Play was suspended at 7:12 p.m. due to dangerous weather conditions in the area and was officially called at 7:55 p.m. Thirty players have yet to finish the first round and will resume play at 6:45 a.m. on Friday.
Lewis only missed one green and one fairway in the first round and surprised everyone by calling her day ‘easy.’
“I’m very happy,” said Lewis. “It was such an easy day. I played really, really solid, other than I had to make a few par putts, I ran some putts by, got them above the hole. But other than that I didn’t put myself in too bad of spots and made a few birdies, which was nice.”
Lewis started on the back nine and picked up her first two birdies on the par 4’s 14th and 16th holes. Lewis, like many of her female counterparts, watched the men’s event last week and drew inspiration from this year’s champ, Martin Kaymer.
“I liked watching the men’s last week because I think I played a lot -- I like to hit a cut a lot like Kaymer does,” said Lewis.
“So on a lot of those holes, it was cool to see the plan I had laid out in my head, he was kind of doing the same thing. So it was nice coming into the week, knowing that my plan was going to work on this golf course.”
Lewis carded her third and final birdie on No. 8 and posted the low round of the day early, before temperatures start soaring with a heat index past 100 degrees.
“I thought that somebody like the guys, somebody can run away with this,” said Lewis. “If you’re hitting the ball well enough, you can definitely run away with it. At the same time you have to know par is a good number and keep grinding away.”
Michelle Wie trails Lewis by one shot after a round that included five birdies and three bogeys. The Hawaii native had only 26 putts in her round of 68.
“You know, I’ll take it, any round under par, I’ll take it,” said Wie. “It was a grind out there today. It will probably be a grind the next three days, but I’ll take it.”
Three players are in a tie for third at 1-under par including two Australians, Katherine Kirk and amateur Minjee Lee, and 2011 U.S. Women’s Open champ So Yeon Ryu of South Korea.
Defending champion and No. 2 Inbee Park struggled on Thursday with a 6-over 76 and sits in a pack alongside No. 3 Lydia Ko, 2008 champ Cristie Kerr and World Golf and LPGA Halls of Famer Se Ri Pak.
Eleven-year-old phenom Lucy Li finished with an 8-over 78 and is in a tie for 111th with a group that includes two-time major champ Suzann Pettersen and winner of this year’s Kingsmill Championship Lizette Salas.
CAREFREE KID
The largest crowd on the golf course Thursday morning was likely the one following 11-year-old Lucy Li. There was a lot of anticipation to see how Li, the youngest qualifier in U.S. Women’s Open history, would fare in her first round. And Li didn’t disappoint, shooting an 8-over 78 to put her in a tie for 111th.
“I’m happy I broke 80, because I got two doubles and a triple and that can really ruin a score,” Li said after her round. “But I’m glad I got it back after that.”
Li has quickly endeared herself to the media and golf fans around the globe this week, thanks in large part to her laugh and the small reminders that she is indeed 11. One of those moments came when Li brought a Starburst Strawberry Sorbet bar with her to the stage as she conducted her post-round interview.
The Redwood Shores, Calif. native didn’t seem too concerned about the mistakes that came in her round on Thursday. She instead seemed focused on enjoying the entire experience. When asked how she would be spending the rest of the day, Li was clear in her answer.
“Eat some more ice cream,” she said with a laugh.
LEADERBOARD
Par 70
+More than 30 players had still to complete their first round when play was suspended for the day on Thursday.
67 Stacy Lewis (USA)
68 Michelle Wie (USA)
69 Minjee Lee (Australia) (am), So Yeon Rhu (South Korea), Kathleen Kirk (Australia)
70 Paula Creamer (USA), Karrie Webb (Australia)
SELECTED SCORES
75 Catriona Matthew (Scotland) (T59)
76 Jodi Ewart Shadoff (England) (T77)
78 Suzann Pettersen (Norway) (T111)
79 Holly Clyburn (England), Rebecca Hudson (England) (T127)
82 Laura Davies (England) (T148)
83 Lucy Williams (England) (150th)
86 Kelsey MacDonald (Scotland) (155th)
TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES
CLICK HERE
Labels: LPGA TOUR
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | 9:59:00 am
<< Home