On Wednesday, Lexi Thompson was sky-high.
On Thursday, she went really low in the first round of the Kingsmill Championship.
Thompson upstaged everyone when she parachuted in with some Navy SEALS for her first round tee time in the pro-am. She took off her flight suit then went to the first tee and ripped her drive.
Perhaps she was inspired by her trip with some of America’s best as she opened the first round Thursday with a nifty six-under par 65. Her ball-striking was spot-on as she hit 17 of 18 greens in regulation.
“It was a slow front nine,” said Thompson, who started on the back nine, had a birdie and a bogey and turned even par. “The second nine was crazy,” Thompson said.
Indeed it was. She started with a birdie at the first, parred the second then went on a roll with five straight birdies. “I struggled with my yardages on the first nine but I stayed patient,” she said.
Her patience paid off and she held a one-shot advantage over fellow Americans Gerina Piller, Angel Yin and Brittany Lincicome.
World’s No. 1 Lydia Ko was just two shots back after her opening 67.
Cristie Kerr has won this championship three times but if she wants to contend for a fourth, she has a lot of ground to make up after an opening one-over par 73.
