When Lexi Thompson told LPGA.com she loves Blythefield, she wasn’t kidding.
The defending champion posted a bogey-free, six-under par, 65 in the opening round of the Meijer LPGA Classic For Simply Give at Blythefield Country Club to take the early lead with veteran Laura Davies and Carlota Ciganda.
Thompson began her day on the back nine and started off slowly with nine consecutive pars on the front, but caught fire at the turn, making eagle at the first hole by holing her approach at the par five from 71 yards with a lob wedge. The world No.4 posted a six-under par, 30 on her inward nine en route to a 65, which matched her final round score to win in Michigan last year.
“I was hitting it well on my first nine, I two‑putted every hole on the first nine so I just had to be patient with it. Then ended up holing out for eagle on my 10th hole, on No. 1 today, so that always helps with the putts,” Thompson told the media. “You know, I would just say there's a lot more confidence, a lot of great memories there from last year. I just replayed a lot of the shots I hit basically the last round, I remembered a lot. There was actually a lot of Sunday pins from last year today.”
Despite struggling off the tee on day one, hitting just six of 13 fairways, Thompson managed to hit all 18 greens and made it around in 31 putts.
“Well, yeah, it's definitely playing a little bit softer so the greens are more receptive than last year. It was a lot firmer last year,” said Thompson. “The course was playing tough at one point because it got pretty windy out there as well.”
Thompson has posted six top-10s so far in 2016 in addition to picking up her seventh career win at the Honda LPGA Thailand in February. She shares the early round one lead with Ciganda, who also went bogey-free on Thursday in her first trip to the Meijer LPGA Classic. The Spaniard is coming off her first missed cuts of the season after struggling in her last two starts at the Kingsmill Championship and KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.
“Yeah, it's my first time here in Michigan. I played 18 holes on Tuesday and I thought it was a really nice course, and the way it's playing, a little wet, it reminds me a little bit of my home course back in Spain. I played very solid today, six birdies, no bogeys. My putting was good, too. I'm very happy with my round today,” Ciganda told the media. “I think it's playing from what I heard a little longer than other years, so it's a little wet and the greens are pretty soft which I really liked to just hit it to the pin and be a little aggressive. So I think the course is good for long hitters and, yeah, I really like the course.”
Davies is a fan of the course as well. After the Hall of Famer finished T-42 in the Tournament’s inaugural playing in 2014, Davies missed playing the next year due to a prior commitment, but was determined not to miss the 2016 playing at Blythefield Country Club.
“I played the first year and couldn't play last year, I had a tournament over in Europe. But yeah, wasn't going to miss it this year because I know it suits my game,” Davies said. “I hit driver on every hole [but] that one up the hill, No. 7 I think it is, because you can't hit driver there. It's open enough but you've still got to hit fairways because these trees are pretty big and if you get behind them ‑‑ I tried to chip out once, luckily got up‑and‑down for a par. But other than that, yeah, it's a good course for me.”
Davies has made three of nine cuts so far in 2016. The four-time major champion owns 20 victories on the LPGA Tour, her last win coming at the 2001 Wegmans Rochester Invitational.
Thompson, Davies and Ciganda hold a narrow one-stroke lead early on day one ahead of a group at five under par including Jodi Ewart Shadoff, Amelia Lewis, Jaclyn, Jansen.
Click here for scores from round one of the Meijer LPGA Classic For Simply Give.
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