Alison Walshe put herself in prime position at the Marathon Classic for her first LPGA Tour victory, but as the name of the tournament implies, the race has just begun.
Walshe shot a six-under 65, her best score in her four years on the LPGA Tour, to take a one-stroke lead on Thursday in the opening round of the tournament, formerly known as the Jamie Farr Toledo Classic.
Also daunting is the “Who’s Who” of stars on her heels. Paula Creamer, who won the tournament five years ago, and top-ranked Inbee Park, winner of the year’s first three major championships, were within two shots.
Photo: AFP
Walshe, among the top 20 on the LPGA Tour in putting stats, three-putted at the first hole for bogey — then took only 19 putts on the next 17 holes.
“I was like: ‘Here we go again,’” Walshe said. “Then I one-putted the next hole and got my confidence going.”
She also chipped in for birdie on the 14th hole, her fifth of the day, to jump-start her round.
Walshe came into the Marathon quietly. She has not had a top 10 placing this year and ranks 55th on the money list with earnings of slightly more than US$120,000.
Candie Kung was the best of Taiwan’s players after an even-par 71. Amy Hung was two shots further back after a 73, while former world No. 1 Yani Tseng was in danger of missing the cut after a four-over 75.
Everybody in the 144-player field had to deal with the high temperatures, high humidity, little wind and a glaring sun.
Teenager Lexi Thompson, who was tied with Canada’s Jessica Shepley and Creamer on 66, said after her round that she drank a bottle of water per hole to stay hydrated.
Creamer, who opened with a career-low 60 in her 2008 victory at the course, was satisfied to be a shot off the pace.
“I had a lot of shots out there that I could have gone lower with, but at the same time it was a good start,” Creamer said. “I haven’t been able to start off the way I wanted the last couple of events, so this was nice to post a good number.”
Thompson, who was the youngest winner ever of an LPGA event when she took the 2011 Navistar at the age of 16, was asked if American players had been eclipsed by the South Koreans, who have dominated in recent years.
“There are a lot of good American golfers out here. There is so much competition,” she said. “It doesn’t matter where you’re from; it matters how well you bring it out on the golf course.”
No one questions how well Park has played. She will go for an unprecedented fourth consecutive women’s major in the same year when she heads for the Women’s British Open later this month.
She has already won six times on the LPGA Tour this year while ascending to world No. 1. Naturally, galleries expect her to win every time out.
“I do feel more pressure coming into this tournament, but I try to enjoy it,” Park said after a 67 that left her tied with Haeji Kang, Jacqui Concolino, Gerina Piller and Karine Icher. “I enjoy the fans coming out to watch.”
Defending champion Ryu So-yeon had a 68 along with a large group that included Morgan Pressel and Natalie Gulbis. Pak Se-ri, a five-time winner of the tournament, opened with a 69 — the same as the world’s top-ranked amateur, Lydia Ko.
Additional reporting by staff writer
The Greek basketball league finals between Panathinaikos and Olympiakos were suspended by the government on Monday following on-court scuffles involving rival security teams. The best-of-five series is at 1-1. The third game, scheduled for today, has been postponed. The owners of both clubs were summoned to meet with the country’s sports minister. They “will be asked to provide explicit guarantees that this situation will be brought to an end. If not, this year’s championship will be definitively canceled,” government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis said. “There can be no tolerance for such pathological phenomena of violence and delinquency.” In online posts, the owners of Panathinaikos and
‘DREAM’: The 5-0 victory was PSG’s first Champions League title, and the biggest final win by any team in the 70-year history of the top-flight European competition Paris Saint-Germain won the Champions League for the first time as Luis Enrique’s brilliant young side outclassed Inter on Saturday in the most one-sided final ever with teenager Desire Doue scoring twice in an astonishing 5-0 victory. Doue supplied the pass for Achraf Hakimi to give PSG an early lead and the 19-year-old went from provider to finisher as his deflected shot doubled the advantage in the 20th minute. Doue scored again just after the hour mark, ending any doubt about the outcome before Khvicha Kvaratskhelia ran away to get the fourth and substitute Senny Mayulu, another teenager, made it five. Inter were
Ryan Yarbrough picked up a dazzling World Series ring from his time with the Los Angeles Dodgers last season. Then he went out and beat them. The New York Yankees starter on Sunday pitched one-run ball over six innings, struck out a season-high five and blanked the Dodgers’ top four hitters in a 7-3 win. “I feel like I’m in a really good place right now and really trying to continue that,” Yarbrough said. “I’m having a lot of fun.” The 33-year-old left-hander made 44 relief appearances between the Dodgers and Blue Jays last season. The Dodgers designated him for assignment on July
The Crusaders yesterday produced a clinical performance in difficult conditions to beat the Queensland Reds 32-12 and claim home advantage in next week’s Super Rugby semi-finals. Lock Scott Barrett and prop Tamaiti Williams scored first-half tries to reward an outstanding performance from the Crusaders’ forwards in wet, slippery conditions and bitterly cold temperatures. Scrumhalf Noah Hotham defied the conditions in the second half to score a superb solo try and, after kicking a conversion and penalty to make the score 22-0 at the hour mark, flyhalf Rivez Reihana scored a try which took the game beyond the Reds. “Typical Christchurch weather, cold, wet
RSS