Juli Inkster, inspired by a pre-tournament dinner with former US president George W. Bush, surged into a three-way tie for the lead after the opening round of the North Texas Shootout on Thursday.
The 54-year-old compiled six birdies to join fellow Americans Cristie Kerr and Sydnee Michaels at five-under 66 at the Las Colinas Country Club in Irving.
Hsu Wei-ling was a shot further back after a 67, while fellow Taiwanese Yani Tseng was on two-under after carding a 69 and Kaohsiung-born Candie Kung of the US posted an even-par 71.
Photo: AP
It was a dismal day for world No. 1 Lydia Ko, though, a the 18-year-old stumbled to a four-over 75 and was in danger of missing an LPGA cut for the first time.
Ko, who last Sunday posted her seventh LPGA victory, was cruising along at two-under until she dropped six shots in a three-hole stretch, with a triple-bogey — where she lost a ball in a tree — followed by a double-bogey and then a bogey.
The Kiwi plans to donate any prize money accrued this week to the Nepal earthquake relief fund, but will need a strong second round simply to make the cut.
Photo: AP
Taiwan’s Min Lee was also in danger of missing the cut after her own four-over 75.
Inkster, who won the first of her 31 LPGA titles almost 14 years before Ko was born, ran into a bit of form with a tie for 15th last week and stepped it up a gear on Thursday.
Inkster is to captain the US Solheim Cup team that is due to play Europe in September and she did some bonding by taking several of her likely team members to dinner with the former US president earlier this week.
“It was probably one of the top three things I ever did, just listening to him, the stories and how passionate he is about the United States, the respect he has for the people over there fighting for freedom and stuff like that,” Inkster told reporters. “I just had a great time and everybody got on that bus when we were going home, I could see it in their eyes that they also felt that it was a really special occasion, something that you maybe only get to do once in your lifetime.”Additional reporting by staff writer
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