Moodie fires career-low for 18-hole lead
The third edition of the Navistar LPGA Classic Presented by Monaco RV has 18 holes in the books. For most of the day, 14-year-old amateur Alexis Thompson (34-31) led the field after her career-low 7-under-par 65. However, with Thompson in the clubhouse, Scotland’s 36-year-old Janice Moodie started her day and, also, made it a career-low round with her 8-under-par 64 (34-30).Thompson’s only bogey occurred shortly before she made the turn on hole 18, when she missed a seven-foot putt, but she found five birdies on holes two through eight, making par on holes three and six. Moodie capitalized on a strong driver and memories of a longer, wetter course earlier in the week to go bogey-free during Thursday’s first round, including six birdies in her closing seven holes and a streak of four consecutive birdies on her four closing holes. Moodie, a member of the 2009 European Solheim Cup Team, is a two-time LPGA Tour winner. Thompson’s best finish as an amateur on the LPGA this year was a tie for 21st at the Kraft Nabisco Championship.
A total of 143 players teed up on Thursday in the hunt for the $195,000 winner’s check – part of the $1.3 million purse.
Low amateur rounds in LPGA events, 1990-2009
64 – Erica Blasberg, second round, 2003 Welch’s/Fry’s Championship (T49)Paula Creamer, second round, 2004 ShopRite LPGA Classic (T2)
65 – Stacy Lewis, 2007 NW Arkansas LPGA Championship (rain-shortened to 18 holes)
Louise Stahle, second round, 2005 Weetabix Women’s British Open (T8)
Alexis Thompson, first round, 2009 Navistar LPGA Classic Presented by Monaco RV
Pressel cards hole-in-one
Two-time LPGA Tour winner Morgan Pressel carded her third LPGA career hole-in-one in four seasons on Tour. During the opening round of the 2009 Navistar LPGA Classic Presented by Monaco RV, Pressel (34-35) aced her second hole of the day from 154 yards with a 6-iron. It was the 21st hole-in-one during the LPGA Tour’s 2009 campaign, fourth in tournament history and the third time in as many years that someone has made a hole-in-one on the second hole of The Senator Course at Capitol Hill on the RTJ Golf Trail. In 2007, Virada Nirapathpongporn used a 5-iron from 176 yards and, in 2008, it was breast cancer survivor Wendy Doolan with a 9-iron from 153 yards.Pressel finished the day tied for 26th at 3-under-par 69.
Trio tied for third
Defending champion and Rolex Rankings’ number one Lorena Ochoa is among a three-some tied for third at 6-under-par 66 at the Navistar LPGA Classic Presented by Monaco RV in Prattville, Ala. Ochoa, fresh off a runner-up finish a week ago and playing on a course where she’s never finished lower than third, was bogey-free during the opening round where she had matching nine-hole 33s.Bogey-free until her final hole was rookie Michelle Wie (32-34), who carded her fifth eagle of the year on The Senator Course’s fifth hole – her back nine – after four birdies on the front nine. Wie found another birdie on the eighth hole, but missed a 15-foot putt on the closing hole to drop to 6-under-par.
Another strong performance was carded later in the afternoon by France’s Karine Icher (33-33), whose only bogey came on the par-4, third hole – also her back nine. She was steady to open her round, then found birdies on holes 14, 15 and 18 to make the turn. Holes two through four were birdie-bogey-birdie until closing birdies on holes six and eight. Besides her tournament-opening 64 at the LPGA Corning Classic this year – where she tied for ninth – today’s 66 was a season-low.
