Lexi Thompson shoots 65 day after sky diving with Navy SEALS (May 19, 2017)
WILLIAMSBURG, Va. (AP) Lexi Thompson shot a 6-under 65 to take the first-round lead in the Kingsmill Championship on Thursday, a day after skydiving with Navy SEALS onto the course.
Thompson had six birdies in a seven-hole stretch and a one-stroke lead over U.S. Solheim Cup teammates Gerina Piller and Brittany Lincicome and young American Angel Yin.
Top-ranked Lydia Ko was among those two strokes back at 67.
Thompson played her opening nine in even par with a birdie on No. 11 and a bogey on No. 17, then birdied No. 1 and Nos. 3-7 on Kingsmill Resort's River Course.
''The second nine was pretty crazy,'' Thompson said. ''I hit some great shots and rolled a few good putts, so definitely helps out my confidence.''
The 22-year-old Thompson played alongside Piller and defending champion Ariya Jutanugarn.
''It always helps to see the other players in your group play well,'' Thompson said about Piller. ''She played great today, too. She struck it very well and rolled a lot of great putts. It's something that we feed off each other with.''
Jutanugarn shot a 72.
On Wednesday, Thompson began a charitable partnership with the SEAL Legacy Foundation called the Lexi Legacy Challenge, completing her first parachute jump by landing on the first tee for her pro-am round. She made her sky diving debut in tandem with a Navy SEAL.
''It was an unbelievable experience,'' Thompson said. ''Supporting the SEAL Legacy Foundation is my No. 1, and just the military in general. But the only way I would jump out of a perfectly good plane is with a SEAL on my back. There was nothing like it. Words can't describe the feeling. It was just like a feeling of freedom jumping out.''
Ko joined Sarah Jane Smith and Giulia Molinaro with 67s.
''I don't think I was hitting the ball fantastic, so there is a little bit of improvement to do there,'' Ko said. ''The girls are playing great, so I know that I need to try and keep up, and to be in contention, I need to make a lot of birdies out there.''
Piller had six birdies and a bogey.
''It's always good to get off to that kind of start and get comfortable,'' Piller said. ''The greens are rolling phenomenal. The course is in the best shape I've ever seen it. Just happy to be under par and looking forward to tomorrow.''
Lincicome had five birdies in a bogey-free round. She won the season-opening event in the Bahamas.
''I think it's best I've ever seen it,'' Lincicome said about the course. ''The greens are so fast. If you get above the hole you got to be really careful.''
