SUPERSTITION MOUNTAIN (AZ) — Six of the top 10 Rolex Rankings players were among the 144 golfers who gathered at Superstition Mountain Golf & Country Club east Phoenix.
Nelly Korda is No. The rankings are at No. 2 and No. 3. Jin Young Ko, the third-ranked golfer and winner of the LPGA event in Arizona in 2019, is here. Atthaya Thitikul (3) and Lexi Thompson ((6)) were the other top 10 golfers. Brooke Henderson (7) was also in the field, as well as In Gee Chun (8).
The event was skipped by Lydia Ko, the top-ranked LPGA golfer, and Minjee Lee, the fifth-ranked LPGA golfer.
Three people tied for the lead
After 18 holes, the lead is tied at three. All three golfers played in the afternoon wave. Two of them finished just in time for the sunset.
Alison Lee, Jenny Shin, and Gaby Lopez all shot 7-under 65s. Lee had six birdies, and only one bogey on her nine first holes. She started on the back nine and birdied Nos. To take the lead, Lee birdied Nos. 1 and 2, to reach 7 under. She was briefly on 59 Watch when she made another birdie on the fourth.
She said, “It was one those days golf was just simple.” “I honestly thought I could have shot a lower round because I was playing so well.”
She finished with four straight pars, and a bogey.
Gaby Lopez was late to the game and shot a 65 without a bogey. She began with a birdie at the 10th hole and made the turn in 32 three holes later. Lopez said after her round that she had played Superstition Mountain only once before, and that it was five years ago when she was playing with Carlota Ciganda.
Lopez stated that the ball doesn’t travel as far when it gets colder, citing the cooler late afternoon temperatures. The greens become a bit more firm so you need to adjust how far the ball bounces.
“So, yes, tomorrow morning is going be a bit cooler than it was this afternoon. So we’ll just need to get ready.”
Jenny Shin, who claimed she had never played the course before this week said that she birdied the 18th to reach 7 under. She made eight birdies, including her first hole and last hole, and only one bogey.
Nelly Korda
Korda nearly missed the hole on the 11th hole. Her approach spun back, and she caught a little of the cup’s edge before stopping two feet away.
It’s so close to being an eagle! @NellyKorda | @NBCSports pic.twitter.com/4jBLbNx9Ws
LPGA (@LPGA March 23, 2023
She would miss the birdie putt, however. She made it back to even par two holes later when she was faced with another short birdie. She finished the round with six birdies, two bogeys and a double-bogey 6. The par-4 10th was her last hole. With birdies on Nos. 13 and 14, she finished strong in the first round. 13, 14, and 18 were the best for a 2-under 70.
Jin Young Ko
She was injured in her left wrist, which ended her 2022 season. However, three weeks ago she rebounded and won the HSBC Women’s World Championship. She is one of three winners for 2023 and all three are in Drive On. Brooke Henderson and Nelly Korda were also in the group. Ko birdied the par-5 18, just like Korda to record a 2-under 70.
Brooke Henderson
Two months ago, Henderson won her thirteenth title at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions. Henderson was the third star in the trio with Korda, Ko and Henderson. There were many Canadian fans who followed her around.
Brooke Henderson takes her shot from the seventh tee in the first round at the 2023 LPGA Drive On Championship held at Superstition Mountain Golf & Country Club, Arizona. (Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images).
A particular group of fans wore Saskatchewan Rough Riders gear. In her gallery, Mike Weir, a fellow Canadian, was even a high school gym teacher. Henderson shot 1-under 71.
Atthaya Thitikul
Last month, the third-ranked player in world tennis turned 20. The No. 1 ranking briefly remained with her. She briefly held the No. 1 ranking in November last year, joining Lydia Ko and other LPGA golfers who achieved that feat as teenagers. Thitikul is the winner of two LPGA championships. She shot a 3-under-69 in Arizona on Thursday. Before bogeying on the par-5 18th hole, she had four birdies.
Lexi Thompson
Thompson made her 2023 debut in the early waves Thursday. Her scorecard included three birdies, three bogeys, and an even-par round at 72. After 18 holes, she is tied for 94th. She won her last LPGA victory at the 2019 ShopRite LPGA Classic.
Lilia Vu
Vu was one of the 11 players who were 5 under. She began on the back nine, noting how different the greens looked on each side. Vu, like Henderson and Ko is also a winner on this season’s tour. After rallying from six shots behind to win the LPGA Stop in Thailand, Vu won the final round. This was her first LPGA victory.
“I don’t feel any different. She said that she felt like she just happened to have fun and play well, and that was how I won the round. My goal each week is to have fun. If I can do that, then my golf will follow.”
