WEST CALDWELL, N.J. (AP) — Andrea Lee surprised even herself Thursday when she walked off the 18th green at Mountain Ridge with four birdies over her last five holes for a 6-under 66, giving her a one-shot lead over Jeeno Thitikul and Lydia Ko in the Mizuho Americas Open.
They were among only nine players to break 70 on a course that put a premium on keeping the ball in play and being on the right side of the hole on contoured, slick greens.
“I really didn’t see 6 under today to be honest, so I’m quite pleased by that,” Lee said. “The game plan going into today was just staying really patient, trying to hit as many greens and fairways as possible, and just know that pars is good score and trying to minimize bogeys.”
The tournament, which features a separate Stableford competition for 24 top players from the American Junior Golf Association, is at Mountain Ridge for the first time. The course previously hosted the Founders Cup in 2021.
Missing this week is Nelly Korda, who won her last two tournaments, including a major at The Chevron Championship, to return to No. 1 in the world.
The player she replaced, Jeeno Thitikul, took a big stride in the right direction. Thitikul, who missed the cut at The Chevron, drove into the rough on the par-5 eighth. The ball was sitting up, and she ripped it onto the green to 20 feet for eagle.
“Wasn’t a good beginning, but ended up really nice,” she said.
Thitikul closed out her round with a pitching wedge that cleared a mound and rolled out to 2 feet for birdie on the par-3 16th.
Players caught a little break with only a moderate wind, and it didn’t hurt to have some showers come through the area the day before the tournament to take some of the fire out of green. Still, it was key not to have putts above the hole, especially with false fronts on some of the greens.
“If they’re not watering the green, and if we get really breezy coming in a couple of days, should be tough, for sure,” Thitikul said. “That’s why I’m saying it’s like a major.”
Ko got her mistake out of the way quickly, a bogey on the 11th hole that a pin tucked just over a false front on the right side. It was rough for everyone. Brooke Henderson had it in an ideal spot, over the false front and about 25 feet away pin-high, only to putt it off the green.
Ko responded beautifully, going birdie-eagle, and finishing her front nine with a pair of birdies. She was pleased with her putting — another new putter this week — and felt she hadn’t felt this good on the greens since she shot 60 in Phoenix earlier this year. That week also featured a new putter.
“There are some putts you’re aiming so far out that hole is not even in your peripheral vision anymore,” Ko said. “It reminds me a little bit of Lancaster Country Club where we played the U.S. Women’s Open a couple years ago. That was some of the sloppiest and fastest greens I had played on. I did not putt well there. This is a good start.”
Brooke Matthews had a chance to join Lee atop the leaderboard. She was at 6 under until a double bogey on the last hole for a 68, leaving her tied with Hye-Jin Choi.
The group of players at 69 included Hannah Green and Nasa Hataoka.
Michelle Wie-West, the tournament host, came out of retirement to play as she plans to play the U.S. Women’s Open one last time next month at Riviera. It did not go well. She had two double bogeys and a triple bogey in her round of 82.
Wie-West, a mother of two, was competing for the first time in three years.
“Golf can take you places, and I went places today,” she said. “But you’ve got to see the big picture at the end of the day. I’m so proud of what we built here. I feel extremely lucky to have the opportunity to have the space to play today.
“It’s just great to be out here. It’s great to feel the vibes.”
She wasn’t alone in her struggles. Three other players failed to break 80. That included Lottie Woad, the No. 10 player in the world, and Brianna Do, who shared the 36-hole lead with Korda last week in the Riviera Maya Open at Mayakoba.
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