Good news is that Lexi Thompson showed up at the Kia Classic this week.
Bad news is that her game didn’t, at least not during Thursday’s first round.
Thompson, who has taken extended time off, got back into action in Carlsbad and struggled all day to find her form. By the end of the first round, her one-over par 73 left her eight shots off the pace set by Chella Choi.
Choi’s 65 gave her a two-shot lead over England’s Stephanie Meadow.
Then came the crowd. There’s a total of 15 players tied at four-under par including Americans Ryan O’Toole, Morgan Pressel and Sarah Schmetzel. It will be up to someone else to set up for the USA with the Korda sisters — Nelly and Jessica — taking this week off before next week’s first major of the season.
There are two huge names in the four-under logjam — No. 1 Sung Hyun Park and former No. 1, now No. 2, Ariya Jutanugarn.
