Lexi Thompson shoots 69 in first round since rules violation
IRVING, Texas (AP) Lexi Thompson shot a 2-under 69 on Thursday in her first LPGA Tour round since a rules violation cost her a likely victory in the first major tournament of the year, leaving her four strokes behind leader M.J. Hur in the North Texas LPGA Shootout.
Hur had a bogey-free 65 on a blustery, sunny day at Las Colinas Country Club. Ariya Jutanugarn and Michelle Wie were a stroke back along with Katherine Kirk, Jennifer Song, Sung Hyun Park, Sandra Changkija and Marina Alex.
Three weeks ago in the ANA Inspiration in California, Thompson was given a four-shot penalty with six holes to play - two shots for replacing her golf ball in the right spot on the 17th green, and two more shots for signing an incorrect scorecard because it happened on Saturday and it wasn't detected by a TV viewer until Sunday. She wound up losing in a playoff to So Yeon Ryu.
Thompson started on the back nine early Thursday afternoon and made the turn at 2 under after birdieing the par-4 16th and par-5 18th. She bogeyed the par-4 first and birdied the par-5 seventh after leaving a 30-foot eagle putt a half-inch short.
Hur, a South Korean who lives about 40 miles from Las Colinas in McKinney, hit the first 14 greens in regulation and 16 overall. The streak ended when her tee shot on the 390-yard, par-4 15th sailed right in the wind and landed in the water. She saved par with a 30-foot putt.
Top-ranked Lydia Ko, who turned 20 on Monday, shot a 70 in her first round with the latest of 10 caddies since turning pro in 2014, Peter Godfrey. Defending champion Jenny Shin bogeyed two of her three last holes for a 71.
