Lindberg Leads, Lexi Sits Three-Back

RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. – Thursday, Lexi Thompson took another step at the ANA Inspiration towards putting 2017 behind her. Thompson carded a 4-under par, 68 to sit just three-back of leader Pernilla Lindberg. Thompson played a nearly flawless round, her only mistake coming at the par 5, 9^th hole, her final of the day, where after hitting a wayward tee shot she found the greenside bunker and failed to get up and down. It was an otherwise ideal start for Thompson in her return to Mission Hills.

“I take a lot of positives out of today,” Thompson said. “I hit some really solid iron shots. And I'm just working on my game, trying to get the nice solid contact back, trying to get comfortable out there.”

The low round of the day came from the day’s final group. Lindberg carded a bogey-free, 7-under par, 65 to take a one-stroke lead on day one of the season’s first major. There is nowhere else in the world the Swede would rather play well than Rancho Mirage. It’s the site of her favorite tournament and course, and where she now leads a major championship for the first time in her career.

“I just set a number for myself in my head every day,” Lindberg said. “Today, I kind of kept adjusting that all day when I kept making birdies, and I even kind of upped my own number. That's what I'm going to do every day.”

Recari, like Thompson and Lindberg, played in the afternoon wave. Thursday, the Spaniard posted her low round of 2018 with a 6-under par, 66. Recari was one of only two players in the top 10, Lindberg being the other, to go bogey-free on day one. For Recari, it comes as no surprise. She’s always had a special feeling at Mission Hills.

“I felt like if I was going to win a major, it was going to be on this course,” Recari said. “It really suits my game, and definitely really feels like our Masters. There is so much tradition, and the course is always in pristine condition. There is a lot that you have to have very sharp in your game for this week.”

For the second consecutive major championship, Uehara has put herself in the mix early. At the 2017 Evian Championship, she opened with rounds 68-66 to play in the final group on Sunday. But she stumbled to a final round 75, due in large part to a bogey, double bogey combo on the 13th and 14th holes that dropped her into a tie for 10th. It was situation in which she struggled to manage the adrenaline and nerves she was feeling. It was an experience she was able to learn from and helped her in her start at the season’s first major.

“[I’m] actually, a little nervous, but, yeah, I have confidence too,” Uehara said after her round. “I think that's a good combination. I want to keep doing well tomorrow.”

Iceland’s Kristinsdottir Gets Hot

Six bogeys, two birdies, an eagle and a hole-in-one. That was Olafia Kristinsdottir’s rollercoaster day at the ANA Inspiration that resulted in an Even par, 72. The ace was the obvious high point as the Icelander made her first ever hole-in-one at the par 3, 17th hole, where she jarred a 5-iron from 181 yards.

“I was aiming a little bit left of the hole because it should feed toward the hole, and I had to hit a really good shot,” Kristinsdottir said. “I was admiring the shot, and I didn't imagine seeing it disappear. I really didn't expect it to go in, so I was a bit shocked."

The ace was the second boost for Kristinsdottir on her back nine. She also made eagle at the par 5, 11th hole, which helped offset the three bogeys she had on her opening nine.

“That was a great drive, and a really good distance for my hybrid, and I just hit a nice little fade,” she said, describing her set up for eagle. “I put it six meters away from the pin, like 18 feet and just rolled it in on these pure greens.”

With her ace, Kristinsdottir received two roundtrip tickets from ANA to use anywhere in the world.

I Am Number One?

The top-four ranked players in the world are separated by less than one point in the Rolex Rankings, making for a pressure packed weekend at the season’s first major where a new world No. 1 could be crowned.

This week, No. 2 Lexi Thompson, No. 3 So Yeon Ryu and No. 4 Sung Hyun Park each have an opportunity to overtake current world No. 1, Shanshan Feng. But in order to make the move to the top, they’re all going to need a little help from players at No. 5 thru 10 in the Rolex Rankings. Here are the possible scenarios that would allow Thompson, Ryu or Park to become world No. 1.

Lexi Thompson: Finish 13th or better

So Yeon Ryu finish in a tie for second with three other players or worse

Sung Hyun Park finish third or worse

So Yeon Ryu: Win or finish second

Lexi Thompson finish in a tie for fourth with two other players or worse

Sung Hyun Park does not win if Ryu finishes second

Sung Hyun Park: Win or finish second

Lexi Thompson finish in a tie for seventh with three other players or worse

So Yeon Ryu finish third or worse

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