NEW-FOUND FAME

There Nannette Hill was taken aback as she exited the scorer’s tent and made her way over to the media. Cameras clicked on, reporters scurried to find their spot around her, and she froze when the first one asked her a question and had to regroup.

“This is crazy, I have cameras in my face. I’m not used to this,” Hill said.

In 10 events in 2015, Hill’s made the cut just one time finishing in a tie for 66th. But after hitting a pitch shot for her fourth shot to six feet and draining the putt – a make that resulted in a flurry of fiery fist pumps – Hill signed for a share of the clubhouse lead after the morning wave Thursday – a 4-under-par 67 that’s her career best. And she was the first to admit it was a different feeling coming up the 18th fairway and seeing her name atop the board.

“It’s really cool. It’s unbelievable actually,” Hill said. “Yeah, had to kind of block it out coming up the last three holes and stay focused, so that was what I was trying to do.”

Although Hill’s only made one cut this year, she felt like her results didn’t match her play. She was closer than it appeared and this is validation in a sense that she’s on the right track.

“It’s fantastic. Been kind of waiting for this the whole year,” Hill said. “I know I’ve been playing really well the whole year and haven’t quite been rewarded. I kind of put it all together today.”

Now the question turns to whether she can keep it together.

“Again, I’m just going out there and hitting one shot at a time and sticking with my process for each shot,” Hill said. “Yeah, keep rolling the putter good and that’s it.”

MOVING ON UP

Every Monday when the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings are released, Alison Lee may not be the first to view them, but she won’t deny that she makes sure to take a look.

So many players – at least publicly – say that they ignore the rankings but not Lee. She knows with less than a year to compile Solheim Cup points that making her way on the team through the top eight spots in the Solheim Cup points likely isn’t feasible so she’s determined to make her way on the team through the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings.

The top two ranked players outside of the top eight in Solheim Cup points are guaranteed spots on the team, and she doesn’t want to take the risk of not being one of Juli Inkster’s two captain’s picks.

“Of course!” Lee said when asked if she looks after tournaments.

Even if she didn’t, everyone else would. Everyone knows how bad she wants to be on the United States side when Inkster sets the crew she’ll take to Germany.

“As soon as the U.S. Open ended I had a couple people text me and update me about where I was in the Rolex Rankings after they checked it,” Lee said. “So it’s definitely something I’m keeping my eye on. I’m really happy with how I’m progressing. Before the year started I wasn’t even in the top 200, and now I’m really happy to be in the top 50. Hopefully I can keep moving up.”

Currently, at No. 49 in the world, she’s ranked 18 spots lower than Paula Creamer, who would inhabit the final spot of the two allocated based off of Rolex Rankings. But Lee ranks seventh among American players in the Race to the CME Globe points for the 2015 season, which is a better indicator of her play this year and her potential to move up than the Rolex Rankings or Solheim Cup points which are measured over two years.

In other words, expect her push to continue with only five more events to make a move before the cutoff, which will take place after the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open.

“It definitely puts a deadline, and I know exactly how much time I have now from until the captain’s picks are chosen,” Lee said. “So, yeah, definitely a little more pressure. That’s the fun part. That’s what’s fun about this game.”

Lee continued to make her push Thursday with a 3-under-par 68 to open the Marathon Classic Presented by Owens Corning and O-I, and she did so with Inkster’s normal caddie on the bag, who has been with her the last two weeks. Inkster’s not in the field this week so Lee jumped on the opportunity to have a veteran on the bag even if she doesn’t think it’ll influence her chances.

“I mean, it’s pretty clear and he knows I really want to make the team,” Lee said. “I’m pretty sure everyone out here knows I really want to make the team. I don’t think he’ll have anything to do with the outcome of who she’ll pick as the captain’s pick. I’m just really happy that he’s on the bag. It’s really cool to have someone like him, a veteran and all that.”

LEE-ANNE SETS THE PACE

Lee-Anne Pace, a South African native, posted a 4-under par 67 Thursday, tying her lowest round of the year. Pace has a history of success at Highland Meadows. Last year, she finished tied for fourth with a four day total of 11-under.

“Yeah, I said to my caddie that I love this week because I played well here,” said Pace. “I have really good memories from last year, so happy to be back here. It’s nice when the people come out and support. The American fans are definitely really good at that.”

Though Pace has not had a stellar season so far, she recognizes that she usually starts off slow.

“Normally around this time my game starts improving quite a bit, so looking forward to the rest of the year,” said Pace. “If you look at my results over the last couple years, I definitely start warming up from the U.S. Open onward.”

Last year after her tied for fourth finish at the Marathon Classic she went on to play both LPGA and Ladies European Tour (LET) events where she won the Cell C South African Women’s Open and then the Blue Bay LPGA event. Based on her previous season performances it is fair to say that a win could be in the cards again soon.

NUMBERS TO KNOW

1 - This is Ha Na Jang’s first time holding the lead after the first round. She previously took the lead after the second round at the Coates Golf Championship to open the season before finishing in a tie for second.

4 - Laura Diaz’s first round 62 a year ago was four shots better than the leading first-round score this year.

63 - Sarah Kemp shot a career-low 8-under-par 63 here in 2009.

67 - Nannette Hill’s first-round 67 is a career low

News and Notes: Round One Marathon Classic

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