LEWIS, GREEN LEAD AFTER 18 HOLES AT HUGEL-AIR PREMIA LA OPEN
Taking advantage of Thursday morning’s perfect scoring conditions and smooth greens, Stacy Lewis and Hannah Green lead the HUGEL-AIR PREMIA LA Open after bogey-free 6-under 65s.
“I hit it good and putted well,” said Lewis, a native Texan who is looking for her 13th win and first since the 2017 Cambia Portland Classic. “That's kind of the combination that's been missing, is just putting both of them together. Finally did it on the same day.”
Green pointed to a hard-earned 6-footer for par on the opening hole as the key moment in her round. “I feel like if I missed that maybe I wouldn't have had the same mindset going into the rest of the round, even though it's only the first hole,” said Green, a second-year Tour player from Australia in search of her first victory. “My ball striking was great, but also my putter was really hot.”
Green’s fellow Australian Minjee Lee is third at -5, followed by Canadian Anne-Catherine Tanguay at -4.
LITTLE SLEEP DOESN’T BOTHER LEWIS
When 6-month-old Chesnee Chadwell doesn’t sleep, Mommy doesn’t either. Stacy Lewis is experiencing her first travels as just mother and daughter this week and of course, Chesnee picked two days ago for her worst sleeping night in weeks. Tack on last night’s visit to the UCLA Medical Center and after her round, Lewis was understandably looking forward to an afternoon nap.
“Let’s just say 8 a.m. this morning came really fast. I haven't had time to really feel tired,” said Lewis. “Be nice to have this afternoon.”
Lewis’ bogey-free 65 certainly belied any lack of sleep. The 34-year-old from Houston returned her best round of 2019, taking full advantage of the morning’s smooth Poa Annua greens.
“I hadn't had a round like that yet this year. Just a lot of fairways, a lot of greens. Didn't necessarily start that way, but just found a good rhythm. Made couple longer putts,” said Lewis, who missed the cut here in 2018. “Just hadn't had a round this year yet where I put the ball-striking and putting together.”
GREEN LOVING THE L.A. LIFE
Last year, Hannah Green walked away from the HUGEL-AIR PREMIA LA Open after the second round, missing the cut at +5. Fast forward to today and the second-year LPGA Tour player had a much better experience, recording her career-low round of 65, hitting 15 of 18 greens and 12 of 14 fairways.
“It's just nice to come back to somewhere familiar and kind of know, even though it's not always easy to do, just to know where to not mishit it stuff like that,” said Green, who is aiming for her first Tour victory. “I think that's what makes the difference in making a birdie or making a par.”
The Perth, Australia, native also credits the Los Angeles off-course excitement with this week’s on-course comfort. “With a place like L.A., I really like it. There are so many things you can do and I will probably never even do all of them,” said Green. “I've got a really good host family and my best friend on tour is staying there as well. I've just got really good vibes when I leave the golf course.”
PLAYER NOTES
Rolex Rankings No. 65 Stacy Lewis (65)
- Lewis' first-round 65 is the best round of her 2019 LPGA Tour season; her previous best was 66, which she shot in the first and third rounds of the season-opening Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions
- She hit 13 of 14 fairways and 16 of 18 greens, with 28 putts
- Lewis is in her 11th season on the LPGA Tour; she has 12 victories, most recently the 2017 Cambia Portland Classic presented by JTBC
- This is Lewis' sixth event of the 2019 LPGA Tour season; her best finish is a tied for sixth at the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions
- She is competing in her second HUGEL-AIR PREMIA LA Open; she missed the cut in 2018
- Lewis is one of 11 active mothers on the LPGA Tour, having given birth to her daughter Chesnee in October 2018; the last mother to win on Tour was Cristie Kerr, who won the 2017 Sime Darby Malaysia
Rolex Rankings No. 122 Hannah Green (65)
- Green's first-round 65 is the best round of her LPGA career; her previous best was 66, which she shot three times, most recently in the first round of last week's LOTTE Championship
- She hit 12 of 14 fairways and 15 of 18 greens, with 27 putts
- Green is in her second season on the LPGA Tour; her best finish is third at the 2018 ISPS Handa Women's Australian Open
- This is Green's seventh event of the 2019 LPGA Tour season; her best finish is T10 at the ISPS Handa Women's Australian Open
- She is competing in her second HUGEL-AIR PREMIA LA Open; she missed the cut in 2018
Rolex Rankings No. 4 Minjee Lee (66)
- She hit 12 of 14 fairways and 14 of 18 greens, with 27 putts
- Lee is in her fifth season on the LPGA Tour; she has four career victories, most recently at the 2018 LPGA Volvik Championship
- This is Lee’s eighth event of the 2019 LPGA Tour season; her best finish is second at the Honda LPGA Thailand and HSBC Women’s World Championship
- She is competing in her second HUGEL-AIR PREMIA LA Open; she tied for seventh in 2018
OF NOTE
The top four players (Stacy Lewis, Hannah Green, Minjee Lee and Anne-Catherine Tanguay) all returned bogey-free rounds on Thursday.
Defending champion Moriya Jutanugarn opened her title defense with an even-par 71 and sits tied for 37th after the first round.
Rolex Rankings No. 1 Jin Young Ko shot a 1-under 70 and is tied for 19th.
Jodi Ewart Shadoff withdrew prior to the start of play and was replaced by Suzuka Yamaguchi.
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