They like to throw that “It’s Better In The Bahamas” slogan out there to attract tourists.
It’s also windier in the Bahamas this time of year.
The LPGA’s season got off to a wind-blown start at Paradise Island Thursday and the girls found themselves in the midst of 20-30 mile per hour gusts.
Brooke Henderson, Canada’s Golf Sweetheart, has been trying to improve her shot trajectory to handle windy conditions. It has paid off. She won the New Zealand Open last September and was the best in the field on opening day at the Pure Silk Classic. Henderson was bogey-free on her way to a five-under par 68 on the par 73 layout.
“Britt and I, we did a really good job of hitting balls pin-high, and I don’t know how we did it,” Henderson said about the help she got from her caddie and sister, Brittany. “It’s hard to judge wind sometimes, but I feel like we calculated everything really well.”
She led by one over Luna Sobron Galmes and Sarah Jane Smith. Galmes is making her LPGA debut after spending 2017 on the Ladies European Tour.
World’s No. 1 Shanshan Feng posted 70 along with Danielle Kang, the low American on day one.
Lexi Thompson showed no ill effects from her lingering wrist injury after a month of rest. But she only managed two birdies on her round and finished one-under for her day’s work. She birdied just one of the five par fives.
Michelle Wie, who is looking to stay healthy this season, opened with an even-par 73.
Play was suspended due to darkness with 12 players still left on the course.
RORY MCILROY ROCKIN’ IN DUBAI
Rory McIlroy looked pretty darn good last week in Abu Dhabi and he’s already better this week at the Dubai Desert Classic.
Rory already has one of those giant tea pots on his mantle and don’t be shocked if he wins another one come Sunday.
McIlroy opened with a bogey-free 65 on Thursday then went to work again in the second round but only completed 11 holes. Darkness suspended play thanks to an early morning fog delay that set things back nearly three hours.
Rory’s three-under for the day and 10-under overall, just three back of leader-in-the-clubhouse Jamie Donaldson. Donaldson snapped out of a scoring slump with an opening 62, a shot shy of the course record at the Emirates Golf Club. He cooled off on Friday, shot 69 and stands at 13-under.
Hatong Li, the best Chinese player on the planet, is in at 12-under after a pair of 66s.
But keep an eye on McIlroy. He’ll finish his second round early Saturday then head back out later in the day.
