SOUTHERN PINES — Finishing her opening round with a bang, Lexi Thompson, again, finds herself in contention at the U.S. Women’s Open.
Thompson birdied the par-4 8th at Pine Needles to cap off a 3-under 68 Thursday at Pine Needles, which has her three shots off Ingrid Lindblad’s lead.
“It was overall just a very steady day,” said Thompson, who began her round on the ninth hole. “A U.S. Women’s Open Championship, sometimes you just have to aim away from pins, take your pars, and get off the hole, and it’s all about patience.”
On almost every hole, the 27-year-old had 15-30 footers for birdie with impeccable speed control, leaving herself tap-in par putts. She concluded her steady day with 13 out of 14 fairways and 15 out of 18 greens hit, with two of those missed greens being on the fringe.
After a bogey-free, 1 under front nine, Thompson created some magic on the par-5 first.
Full-field scores from the U.S. Women’s Open
“Had 230 to the pin. Hit a 2-iron and it landed perfectly right into the first cut and kind of killed the speed off it. Ended up about 20 feet short and made the putt. It was going a little firm, but I made it.”
Thursday, Thompson only had one bogey — a 3-putt on the par-3 fifth — and capped it off with a five-foot birdie make on the par-4 eighth.
Many may remember the difficult finish Thompson had at last year’s U.S. Women’s Open at Olympic Club, shooting a 41 on the back nine to miss a playoff with Nasa Hataoka and Yuka Saso by one shot.
“As far as last year, it’s over with. It’s this year, and I took it, I learned from it, and I moved on,” Thompson said.
And rather than seeking revenge for last year’s collapse, Thompson, this year, is motivated by the current position of her game.
“I’ve just been trying to focus on my own game and my emotions. That’s all I can control,” she said, “but I know my game has been in a good spot.”
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