After the 2018 Marathon LPGA Classic, 12-time LPGA winner Stacy Lewis said goodbye to the LPGA Tour for the rest of the season as she took time off to start her family. Lewis, who was born in Toledo, returned this week with daughter Chesnee in tow and did so in style by posting her best opening-round score at her hometown event on Thursday.
Lewis’ 6-under par 65 at Highland Meadows Golf Club ties her lowest round of the season, and she said she was thrilled to see her hard work pay off as she hit all 18 greens in regulation.
“I've been working on the ball striking a lot, so just really nice to see some results,” said Lewis. “Got a few putts to fall there on our last few holes. So just to get off to a good start in this tournament I feel like is always pretty tough. Finally got one this year.”
In 12 prior appearances at the Marathon Classic, Lewis has two top-10 finishes with a best finish of solo fifth in 2016.
“It's a golf course I'm not necessarily 100% comfortable on,” said Lewis. "I just had some really good golf shots today. Had some easy tap-in birdies. I haven't done that in the long time in general.”
MUNOZ CHIPS IN FOR EAGLE TO FINISH FIRST ROUND
In her seventh start at the Marathon Classic, Azahara Munoz shot a first-round 65 at Highland Meadows Golf Club on Thursday and is one stroke off the lead through 18 holes. In the three cuts she’s made in her previous six starts at this event, Munoz has not finished out the top 10 – she finished T10 in 2010, T8 in 2015 and T9 in 2016.
“When you shoot 65 you don't miss much,” said Munoz, who tied her lowest Highland Meadows Golf Club score on Thursday. “I hit my driver much better today. I was struggling the last couple of weeks, so today was much better. Gave myself lots of chances from the fairway. When you're in the fairway everything is much easier.”
With a new Ping driver in the bag, 31-year-old Munoz made three birdies on the back nine on Nos. 10, 13 and 17 before her closing eagle on No. 18, en route to her 6-under round. This was her fourth eagle of the 2019 season and she ranks in the top 10 for most birdies made on Tour this year- she now has a total of 221 birdies after her four made today.
“Obviously, I gave myself a pretty good chance for birdie, so that's what I was hoping, just make up and down. You never complain when you chip in, especially on the last hole,” said Munoz. “Dinner is going to be much tastier.”
LAST CHANCE TO QUALIFY FOR THE AIG WOMEN’S BRITISH OPEN
The Marathon Classic presented by Dana is the final opportunity for LPGA players to earn a full exemption into the 2019 AIG Women’s British Open. After 72 holes, the top five LPGA Members that are not already exempt into the field will earn a spot into the season’s fifth major; provided they indicated to officials prior to the start of play that they would like to enter into the AIG Women’s British Open qualifier. In the event of a tie for the fifth position, the player ranked highest on the LPGA Official Money List as of the first round of the Marathon Classic will be the qualifier for the 2019 AIG Women’s British Open.
Through the first round in Sylvania the following players would punch their tickets to the major championship: Youngin Chun, Cheyenne Knight, Linnea Strom, Aditi Ashok and Alana Uriell.
Players will be competing on the Marquess’ Course at Woburn Golf Club in Buckinghamshire, England this year, competing for a share of the $4.5 million purse, a $1.25 million purse increase announced by the R&A earlier this week.
PLAYER NOTES
Rolex Rankings No. 675 Youngin Chun (64)
- Chun’s first-round 64 is her lowest round of the 2019 Tour season; her previous best is 67 which she shot in the second round of the Thornberry Creek LPGA Classic
- She hit seven of 14 fairways and 14 of 18 greens
- Chun is a rookie on the LPGA Tour; she finished T13 at the inaugural LPGA Q-series to earn Priority List Category 14 status for the 2019 season
- This is Chun’s 12th event of the 2019 LPGA Tour season; she has made three cuts with a best finish of T65 at the Thornberry Creek LPGA Classic and the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give
- She competed in all 21 events on the Epson Tour in 2018 and made 14 cuts
- Chun is competing in her first Marathon Classic
Rolex Rankings No. 123 Alena Sharp (64)
- Sharp’s first-round 64 ties her lowest round of the 2019 Tour season; she previously shot 64 in the third round of the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give
- She hit 10 of 14 fairways and 14 of 18 greens
- Sharp is in her 15th year on the LPGA Tour; she tied for 16th to earn exempt status for the 2006 LPGA season at the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament in 2005
- This is Sharp’s 13th event of the 2019 LPGA Tour season; her best finish is T6 at the ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open and she has one additional top-10 finish where she finished T9 at the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give
- Sharp is competing in her 13th Marathon Classic; her best finish is T10 in 2010
- Sharp represented Canada at the 2016 Rio Olympics, finishing 30th
QUICK HITS
- The top six players on the leaderboard represent six different countries: Canada, Rep. of Korea, Spain, U.S., Germany and Sweden
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Defending champion Jasmine Suwannapura opened her title defense with a 1-under par 71
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Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings projections show that no player can overtake No. 1 Sung Hyun Park and No. 2 Jin Young Ko this week
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Amateur Monday qualifier Lizzie Win, who is from Sylvania, fired an opening-round 71
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58 players made birdie on the par-5 17th hole, this week’s Aon Risk Reward Challenge hole, no players were able to record an eagle on the hole in the first round
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The par-5 18th finishing hole played the easiest at Highland Meadows Golf Club on Thursday, with four players making eagles (Azahara Munoz, Jaye Marie Green, Jaclyn Lee, Anne van Dam), and only six players recording bogeys
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Five players were bogey-free on Thursday: Youngin Chun, Azahara Munoz, Jeongeun Lee6, Jenny Haglund and Brooke Henderson
- Amelia Lewis withdrew from the Marathon Classic after Round 1
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