LPGA: Lexi Thompson leads the CME Group Tour Championship after opening 65 | Golf News

Lexi Thompson World No 11 scored five of the first seven holes in a seven-under-65 high that earned her first round at the CME Group Tournament Championship at the end of the LPGA season.

Lexi Thompson broke back from missing the cut at last week’s U.S. Women’s Open as she raced into the early lead at the CME Group Tournament in Florida.

Thompson clearly enjoyed her brother being in the bag as she fired seven under-65s to earn a one-shot lead over Denmark’s Nanna Koerstz Madsen, with defensive champion Sei Young Kim opening with hard 67.

Georgia Hall, who made an early debut at the main final of the year last week, placed 69 men to sit one ahead of Jodi Ewart Shadoff and Steph Meadow in Northern Ireland, while not Vice-winner Charley Hull can keep a clear start and fight to 72.

Thompson struggled to put Houston in and had extra time to work on the greens before making his way to Napoli for last season, making the quick start to she was looking.

Her fear of not taking advantage of the first par-five hole was quickly forgotten as she fished five of the next six, although Thomson took a step back with a bogey at the ninth.

The American shoreline fired back at the 12th, and a birdie finish, birdie enough to claim the lead just when the 72 players in the field had finished their rounds.

“I applied well today and hit it well too,” Thompson said. “I’ve just been working hard and trying to find something that will last, but I don’t think I can work harder on my game in general.

“I’m just trying to make things better and be more consistent. Last week was an unfortunate week, but hopefully I can finish strong here. I just working on my game, just trying to get into every scene calm and really seeing my picture, promising him and just playing aggressive golf. “

Thompson, the 2018 Tiburon Golf Club champion, revealed that her calm feeling was backed by her brother, Curtis, as her caddy for the week.

“It’s good to be in the bag,” she said. “I always like to spend every opportunity we get together. But to be out there, it’s always fun. mocking and keeping me loose.

“Of course playing is very helpful too, that always keeps a smile on my face. I just wanted to go in this week and just play slow golf. Yes I’ve been putting a lot of pressure on just trying to get my game where I think it should be, but instead I went out and tried to have fun with my brother on the bag. “

Madsen went three-in-a-row from the 15th and scored 66 unbeaten to enter second place ahead of Kim, Megan Khang and Solheim Cup star Caroline Masson, who came in for a unique double eagle at the 13th in its 67th.

Hall was once after eight holes before a ninth-placed birdie made her cry for a forward nine, and more birdies at 13, 16 and 17 led her into a tie for 12th.

Controversial supporter Natalie Gulbis ahead of Women’s Open champion and local resident Sophia Popov did little to silence the critics when she fired 77, leaving her in last place at five. in addition to par.