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Washington Post
20 hours ago
- Sport
- Washington Post
A year after playoff loss, Lexi Thompson back in contention at Meijer LPGA Classic
BELMONT, Mich. — Lexi Thompson was back in contention going into the weekend in her beloved Meijer LPGA Classic, a year after a playoff loss at Blythefield County Club. Making her sixth start of the season in a part-time tour schedule, Thompson birdied three of the last four holes in breezy afternoon conditions for a 3-under 69 and a 7-under total. The 2015 winner at Blythefield was a stroke behind leaders Karis Davidson, Carlota Ciganda, Hye-Jin Choi and Celine Boutier. 'The golf course is one thing. It's always in great shape for us, which we always look forward to,' Thompson said after the bogey-free round on the tree-lined layout. 'But the amount of support that the tournament gets and also how Meijer gives back to the community as well. It's not just a tournament. It's much bigger than that.' The 30-year-old from Florida won the last of her 11 LPGA Tour titles in 2019. 'Some days are harder than others and we get frustrated, but at the end of the day it is just golf,' said Thompson, also set to play next week in the major KPMG Women's PGA Championship in Texas. Davidson, playing in the second-to-last group off the first tee, birdied the par-4 16th and par-5 18th for a 70. 'We just really hung in there today,' Davidson said. 'Was a bit of a grind, and nice to get the couple birdies at the end.' Ciganda and Choi each shot 67, and Boutier had a 68, all playing the morning session. 'Coming here the week before a major obviously gives you confidence for playing next week,' Ciganda said. 'The course is one that I like. I enjoy coming here, and it's always fun playing in Grand Rapids.' Thompson was joined at 7 under by Nanna Koerstz Madsen (68), Amanda Doherty (69), Bronte Law (69), Minjee Lee (70) and Sofia Garcia (71). Grace Kim, also part of the playoff last year that Lilia Vu won, was 6 under after a 73. She bogeyed two of her last three holes to fall out of a tie for the lead. Mi Hyang Lee, the first-round leader after a 64, had a 75 to drop to 5 under. With the major days away at PGA Frisco, only three of the top 10 in the world are at Blythefield. Haeran Ryu, at No. 5 the highest-ranked player in the field, followed an opening 69 with a 74 to make the cut on the number at 1 under. Vu missed the cut with rounds of 77 and 75. ___ AP golf:
NBC Sports
2 days ago
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Mi Hyang Lee fires 64 to take first-round lead at Meijer LPGA Classic
Watch the best shots from the first round of the 2025 Meijer LPGA Classic from Blythefield Country Club in Belmont, Michigan. BELMONT, Mich. — Mi Hyang Lee of South Korea played a six-hole stretch in 6 under and shot an 8-under 64 on Thursday to take the first-round lead in the Meijer LPGA Classic. Grace Kim of Australia was a shot back, a year after losing to Lilia Vu in a playoff that also included 2015 champion Lexi Thompson. Fellow Australian Karis Davidson, Akie Iwai of Japan and Sofia Garcia of Paraguay were two strokes behind at 66 in the final event before the major KPMG Women's PGA Championship next week in Texas. Only three of the top 10 in the world are at Blythefield County Club, with Haeran Ryu the highest-ranked player at No. 5. She shot a 69 in the afternoon. Playing in the morning on the tree-lined course, Lee birdied Nos. 5-8, parred the ninth and eagled the 10th after surprising herself by reaching the green in two on the par-5 hole. 'I didn't expect I can hit the green there for my second shot,' Lee said. 'But it was a great line and good hit with the 3-wood and I made the green. It was almost 24 feet, like right-to left-eagle putt. I didn't expect to make it.' The 32-year-old player capped the bogey-free round with birdies on Nos. 14 and 17. She won the last of her two LPGA Tour titles in 2017. 'I missed only two fairways,' Lee said. 'I think that's a lot of help to hit the greens a lot, too.' Kim chipped in for eagle on 10 and for birdie on 11 in her morning round. 'That was a good start to the back nine,' Kim said. 'Just kind of saved pars early and then loosened up as we went on. That was quite nice.' She won the 2023 Lotte Championship for her lone tour title. The 22-year-old Iwai made five birdies in a seven-hole stretch from the eighth to the 14th, then rebounded from a bogey on 17 with a birdie on 18. Her twin sister, Chisato won in Mexico in May for her first LPGA Tour title. Chisato Iwai opened with a 73. Minjee Lee was at 67 with Caley McGinty, Ruixin Liu, Andrea Lee, Gabriela Ruffels and Jiwon Jeon. Andrea Lee was the only U.S. player in the top 11. Thompson shot a 68. Vu had a 77.
