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Lexi Thompson has 1 shot lead over Brooke Henderson in Meijer LPGA Classic

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(Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
Canadian Press

Lexi Thompson shot a 64 on Saturday on the Blythefield layout reduced to a par of 69 because of flooding, giving her a one-stroke lead in the Meijer LPGA Classic.

The fifth hole was played as a 111-yard par 3 instead of a par 5 because of the flooding from overnight rain.

Coming off a playoff loss to Ariya Jutanugarn last week in Canada, Thompson had six birdies – four on the back nine – and a bogey to reach 15-under 196.

“It was just a matter of staying patient,” Thompson said. “I knew I was hitting it well on the front nine, I just wasn’t making the birdies. But I hit it well all day, so it was all a matter of hitting the shots closer and I guess just taking advantage of like No. 11, reaching that one in two, and making a few putts for birdie.”

Her only bogey was on the par-4 seventh.

“It was just a stupid club coming in,” she said. “I should have just played short of the green, that’s where you have to miss it, and I hit it long. Just a bad miss, stupid mistake.”

Brooke Henderson, the leader after each of the first two rounds, had a 67 to drop into a tie for second with Lee-Anne Pace (61), Sung Hyun Park (62) and Jenny Shin (63).

Thompson won the Kingsmill Championship last month in Virginia for her eighth LPGA Tour title after losing the ANA Inspiration in a playoff after being penalized four strokes for a rules violation reported by a television viewer.

At Rancho Mirage in early April, Thompson was given the four-shot penalty with six holes to play in the final round. She had a 15-inch putt on 17 in the third round when she stooped to mark the ball, and quickly replaced it about an inch away. The television viewer contacted the LPGA Tour the next day, and officials determined it was a clear violation.

Thompson was assessed a two-shot penalty for where she replaced the ball, and because it happened the day before, she received a two-shot penalty for signing an incorrect scorecard. She went from a three-shot lead to one shot behind, and eventually lost to So Yeon Ryu in the playoff.

Henderson birdied Nos. 12 and 13 and closed with five pars.

“I made that long one from off the green on 12 that wasn’t really expected and that kind of gave me some energy,” the 19-year-old Canadian said.

Pace had two eagles and five birdies.

“My irons were really good,” the South African player said. “Obviously, all the par 3s, that helps. I was looking at birdie almost every hole, which is quite nice. I was never really in trouble except on 10, I missed the drive left, but that was really the only thing. There were a couple of long putts I made, unexpected putts actually. ”

Shin made a long putt on No. 14 for her fifth straight birdie. But on 17, she pushed her approach shot and wound up on the bottom of the green, and took her only bogey of the round.

Hyo Joo Kim (65) was 12 under, and Lydia Ko (64), Michelle Wie (64), Moriya Jutanugarn (67) and Carlota Ciganda (68) followed at 11 under. Ko dropped to No. 2 in the world Monday after an 85-week run at the top. The top-ranked Ariya Jutanugarn, Moriya Jutanugarn’s younger sister, was 9 under after a 64.

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Brooke Henderson LPGA Tour

Canada’s Brooke Henderson stumbles late, keeps two shot lead at Meijer LPGA

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(Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)
Canadian Press

Brooke Henderson bogeyed the final two holes for a 4-under 67, leaving the 19-year-old Canadian with a two-stroke lead Friday in the Meijer LPGA Classic.

Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., had seven birdies – four in a row on Nos. 9-12 – and three bogeys to reach 12-under 130 and break the 36-hole record at Blythefield. She had a one-stroke lead Thursday after an opening 63.

Her approach on the par-4 17th rolled down a hill and she two-putted.

“Could have been really close to being a great shot,” Henderson said. “I practiced that shot in the practice rounds and it jumped forward on the first bounce there and I don’t think I got that today. So, unfortunately, it’s a tough hole and I just came away with bogey, which is not really what I was looking for.”

On the par-4 18th, she missed the green, left her chip well short and missed the long par putt.

“I kind of let emotions get into things and I was chasing birdie to try and get it back,” Henderson said. “Unfortunately, two bogeys to finish. Hopefully, that just gives me a little bit more motivation going into tomorrow.”

Maude-Aimee Leblanc (65) of Sherbrooke, Que., is 5 under while Hamilton’s Alena Sharp (72) is 3 under. Calgary’s Jennifer Ha shot an opening round 64 but faltered to an 80 on Friday to miss the cut. Augusta James of Bath, Ont., also missed the cut.

Fellow major champion Lexi Thompson, coming off a playoff loss to Ariya Jutanugarn on Sunday in Canada, followed her opening 64 with a 68 to join 2016 runner-up Carlota Ciganda (64) and Mi Jung Hur (66) at 10 under.

Thompson closed with a birdie on 18.

“I kind of peeked with about five holes to go and I think it said minus 14 was leading, and then I just saw on the last minus 12 was,” Thompson said. “But I try not to look at leaderboards, just try to focus on my own game, that’s all I can control.”

Ciganda lost a playoff to Sei Young Kim last year at Blythefield.

“I’ve been playing good,” the Spanish player said. “I’m just excited. It was a good week for me here last year so I have great memories. Yeah, I like the course. I like the greens. I think the crowds are always good, so I’m very excited.”

Henderson won twice last year, taking the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship for her first major, and successfully defending her title in the Cambia Portland Classic. She has a 36-hole lead for the first time since late last September in China in the Reignwood LPGA Classic.

“It’s great to see my name up there,” she said. “It’s been a little bit of a rough season so far, you know, not getting the results that I’ve been looking for. But this week seems to be a turnaround week and, hopefully, I can just finish strong the next two days.”

Moriya Jutanugarn was 9 under after a 66.

“It was great,” Moriya Jutanugarn said. “I’ve been playing solid. I rolled the ball good on the green. Everything seems to be good.”

Shanshan Feng (70) topped the group at 8 under. The Chinese player is trying to complete a Michigan sweep after winning the LPGA Volvik Championship three weeks ago in Ann Arbor.

Ariya Jutanugarn, Moriya Jutanugarn’s younger sister, was tied for 30th at 4 under in her first event as the No. 1 player in the world. Lydia Ko, at No. 2 after an 85-week run at the top, was 6 under after a 71. Michelle Wie also was 6 under after her second 68.

Kim had her second 70 to make the cut on the number.

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LPGA Tour

Brooke Henderson shoots 63, leads Meijer LPGA Classic

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(Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
Canadian Press

Canadian Brooke Henderson shot an 8-under 63 on Thursday to top the star-packed leaderboard in the Meijer LPGA Classic.

The 19-year-old from Smiths Falls, Ont., eagled the par-5 eighth hole and had six birdies at Blythefield in her lowest round of the season. She won the major KPMG Women’s PGA Championship last year and has three tour victories.

“It’s beautiful here,” Henderson said. “I feel like this course suits my game really well. There’s a couple tee shots where you need to hit it really straight, which I think is kind of my advantage or my strength. And once the putts start dropping, then really good things can happen.”

Fellow major champions Lexi Thompson, Stacy Lewis and Shanshan Feng were a stroke back along with Calgary’s Jennifer Ha, Giulia Molinaro and Holly Clyburn. Lydia Ko, at No. 2 in the world after an 85-week run at the top, returned from a three-week layoff to top the group at 65.

“I had the last three weeks off to get prepared with this big stretch coming up,” Ko said. “I took some time to relax, did some university work. So it was, I think, a really good break.”

New No. 1 Ariya Jutanugarn opened with a 69. She won the Manulife LPGA Classic on Sunday in Canada in a playoff with Thompson and In Gee Chun.

Henderson tied for 11th last week in her native Ontario, her seventh top-15 finish of the year.

“I felt like today was going to be a really good day,” Henderson said. “Everything was just kind of going my way. I was hitting the ball really well and some putts were dropping, which is kind of a change from the last few weeks. It’s really exciting and I’m looking forward to the next three days.”

Thompson had eight birdies in a 10-hole stretch in the middle of the round.

“I just love the layout,” Thompson said. “It’s always in great shape for us, first of all. Hit a lot of drivers, which is nice. That’s my strength, so it comes into factor on this golf course a lot.”

Lewis also eagled No. 8. She won the last of her 11 tour titles in 2014.

“I played really solid,” Lewis said. “I was kind of surprised looking at the scoreboard. I expected somebody else’s name to pop up that was still playing. It was pretty hard out there and the greens got firm. The wind was tricky back in the trees. I played great. It felt like boring golf but it was good, boring golf.”

She was surprised by the low scores.

“I didn’t quite see all those numbers, but I knew the golf course had to be softer,” Lewis said. “I tried to stay patient. The ball was going so far. That was my biggest challenge. I had some iron shots rocket on me, just because of the heat. I tried to dial it back and was able to make the last two.”

Hamilton’s Alena Sharp shot 67 while Maude-Aimee Leblanc of Sherbrooke, Que., shot 72. Augusta James, from Bath, Ont., shot a 2-over 73.

Feng is trying to complete a Michigan sweep after winning the LPGA Volvik Championship three weeks ago in Ann Arbor. The Chinese star pointed to putting on Blythefield’s undulating greens.

“Some the greens are pretty hilly, so you have to get the right read and also the right speed at the same time,” Feng said.

Madelene Sagstrom and Simin Feng matched Ko at 65. Jane Park and Mi Jung Hur shot 66.

Michelle Wie opened with a 68, and defending champion Sei Young Kim had a 70.

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LPGA Tour

Jutanugarn wins Manulife LPGA Classic in playoff, Henderson top Canadian

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(Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)

Ariya Jutanugarn was seated by the scorer’s tent snapping selfies with In Gee Chun on Sunday, thinking there was little chance they would return to the course for a playoff at the Manulife LPGA Classic.

A short time later, Jutanugarn was posing for pictures as the tournament champion.

Lexi Thompson buckled down the stretch and missed a four-foot putt to win in regulation, forcing her to return to the 18th tee with Jutanugarn and Chun for a playoff hole.

Jutanugarn found the rough with her drive but her approach was pin-high and she drained a 25-foot birdie putt for her first victory of the season.

The 21-year-old from Thailand is a virtual lock to move up one position Monday and knock Lydia Ko off her perch as the world’s top-ranked women’s player.

Jutanugarn, who won five times last year, had three birdies over a four-hole stretch around the turn at Whistle Bear Golf Club. She closed with six straight pars for a 3-under-par 69 that left her at 17-under 271.

Thompson, meanwhile, started the day with a one-shot lead and led by four strokes after a birdie on No. 9. Four bogeys on the back nine did her in, with the final one coming when she three-putted on the 18th hole.

“I had like a five-footer, six-footer, and about a four-footer and missed them all,” Thompson said of her last three holes. “If I made those I would have won, but that’s golf I guess.”

Conditions were warm and blustery for the second straight day and preferred lies remained in effect. Thompson finished with an even-par 72 while Chun had a 70.

Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., was the top Canadian. She finished six strokes back in a tie for 11th after a 71.

Hamilton’s Alena Sharp started the day three shots behind Thompson but was unable to make a run. She had a double bogey on her final hole and finished at 10 under after a 76. Sponsor invite Brittany Marchand of Orangeville, Ont., struggled to an 81 (285).

Sharp, who had a share of the 36-hole lead, was looking for her first career victory in 246 career LPGA Tour starts. Henderson, meanwhile, had an uneven round with an eagle, six bogeys and six birdies.

“Obviously I’m a little bit disappointed, but (tied for) 11th, I can’t complain too much,” Henderson said. “I feel like my game is so close to being so great.”

Jutanugarn birdied three of four holes over the turn and closed with six pars in a row. She earned US$255,000 of the $1.7-million purse for the victory.

Jutanugarn is the 13th different winner on the LPGA Tour this season. Her last victory came at the 2016 Canadian Pacific Women’s Open.

Marchand, a full-time member of the Symetra Tour, was making her first career weekend appearance at an LPGA Tour event. She tumbled from a tie for ninth place into a tie for 46th.

The last Canadian to win on home soil was Jocelyne Bourassa at the 1973 La Canadienne Golf Championship.

Manulife will not return as sponsor next season. The LPGA Tour has said it hopes to return to the area and the search is underway for a new title sponsor.

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LPGA Tour

Sharp, Marchand and Henderson in contention at Manulife LPGA Classic

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(Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)
Canadian Press

Brittany Marchand is making the most of her first weekend appearance at an LPGA Tour event. Fellow Canadians Alena Sharp and Brooke Henderson are right in the mix too.

Marchand had a 67 Saturday at the Manulife LPGA Classic to move five shots behind third-round leader Lexi Thompson of the United States, who closed with a birdie for a 67 to move to 17-under-par 199.

Sharp, who started the day in a three-way tie for the lead with Thompson and South Korea’s Hyo Joo Kim, shot a 70 to sit three shots off the pace. Henderson was also within striking distance after a 68 left her seven strokes behind.

“It was good to get through this round,” Sharp said. “I didn’t hit it as great as I would have liked to but my putter saved me. I had a lot of up and downs.”

American Lindy Duncan was alone in second place at 16 under and South Korea’s In Gee Chun was two shots off the lead at 15 under.

Marchand, a Symetra Tour player from Orangeville, Ont., wasn’t intimidated despite playing with world No. 2 Ariya Jutanugarn of Thailand, who was tied with Sharp in fourth place after a 65.

“I felt like I would probably be nervous today and I actually felt a lot more comfortable than I expected,” Marchand said. “I think that’s a good sign for tomorrow.”

Five early birdies helped Marchand to a blistering 31 on the front nine in warm, breezy conditions at Whistle Bear Golf Club. On the back nine, she bogeyed No. 10 but got the stroke back with a birdie on the 13th hole.

Henderson, from Smiths Falls, Ont., kept herself in the mix despite opening with a bogey. She followed that hiccup with two straight birdies and played bogey-free golf from there.

“I started out a little bit shaky and got a little bit shaky in the middle,” Henderson said. “I made a lot of birdies to compensate.”

This was new territory for Sharp, who’s from nearby Hamilton. It was the first time in her 12-year LPGA Tour career that she has been the leader or co-leader after 36 holes – a span of 246 starts.

Marchand, meanwhile, is playing on a sponsor exemption. She’s coming off a season-best 15th-place result at last week’s Fuccillo Kia Classic of New York on the lower-level Symetra Tour.

She earned US$1,749 for that result. The 24-year-old will be in line to earn much more than that on Sunday.

A victory here would give her Category 7 status on the LPGA Tour and a likely spot in the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship later this month.

Marchand has also played at the U.S. Women’s Open and the Canadian Open over her career. This is the first time she has made a cut in six career appearances on the LPGA Tour.

The 2012 Ontario Women’s Amateur champion played at the collegiate level with North Carolina State University.

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LPGA Tour

Sharp pulls into tie for lead at Manulife LPGA Classic

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(Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)
Canadian Press

When Canada’s Alena Sharp was faced with challenges Friday at the Manulife LPGA Classic, she responded in quick fashion.

A penalty stroke and double-bogey on the third hole? Answered with a birdie on the fourth.

A headache coming on at the 11th hole? A run of three straight birdies soon followed.

Sharp refused to buckle en route to a second straight 66 at Whistle Bear Golf Club, moving her into a first-place tie with American Lexi Thompson and Hyo Joo Kim of South Korea at 12 under. Three other players were one shot off the lead at the tournament’s midway point.

“This week has been different,” Sharp said. “I just walked up to the golf course yesterday and today just feeling like it was going to be a good day.

“Just had these good vibes coming out.”

The headache had gone away by the time Sharp signed her scorecard. Her third-hole misery didn’t last long either.

Sharp said her ball moved ever so slightly as she went to address a chip shot. While she didn’t feel she had grounded her club, she conferred with a rules official and took a one-shot penalty.

“I needed to call it on myself because I was going to be thinking about it all day,” Sharp said. “I thought I did the right thing. Went out and birdied the next hole and really just forgot about it.

“Just kept playing the way I was.”

Sharp, from Hamilton, capped her front nine with an eagle and had a run of three straight birdies on the back.

Perrine Delacour of France, American Lindy Duncan and South Korea’s In Gee Chun were tied in fourth place while China’s Shanshan Feng, Bronte Law of England and Minjee Lee of Australia were two strokes off the pace.

Canadians Brittany Marchand and Brooke Henderson were also in contention.

Marchand shot a 70 to make her first career LPGA Tour cut. The full-time Symetra Tour player from Orangeville, Ont., was five strokes off the lead at 7-under 137.

Henderson, from Smiths Falls, Ont., was six shots back after a 67. She started a run of four straight birdies on the ninth hole and played bogey-free the rest of the way.

“That was the day that I needed,” she said.

Delacour shot a blistering 62, the lowest score at the tournament since three players shot 63 when the event moved here in 2015.

South Korea’s Inbee Park (2014) and Hee Young Park (2013) share the tournament low of 10-under-par 61. Both scores were recorded at the Grey Silo Golf Course in nearby Waterloo.

Suzann Pettersen of Norway had a 71 to move to 9-under 135 while fellow first-round co-leader Mi Hyang Lee of South Korea was a shot behind her after a 72.

Conditions were warm and breezy and preferred lies were in effect for the second straight day.

Henderson, one of the longest hitters on tour, has been crushing her drives but she struggled with the putter Thursday. She was visibly frustrated at times and didn’t speak with reporters after signing her scorecard.

Her smile – and her short game – returned Friday.

“I played really well yesterday, I hit a lot great shots, I just didn’t make any putts and my energy kind of dropped a little bit,” Henderson said. “Today I was able to get a few tap-in birdies that were only at three or four feet and that gave me a lot of confidence.

“I felt like I could make any putt out there.”

The world No. 15 has had a rather quiet season after a huge year in 2016. Henderson won her first major title last year and reached No. 2 in the world rankings, but she has just two top-10 finishes this season.

Augusta James of Orangeville, had a 73 to fall to 1-under 143, just one stroke away from the cutline at the US$1.7-million tournament. Maddie Szeryk (78-67) of London, Ont., and Maude-Aimee LeBlanc of Sherbrooke, Que., (74-71) also missed the cut at 145.

The rest of the Canadian contingent included Jennifer Kirby (76-72, 148) of Brantford, Ont., Calgary’s Jaclyn Lee (75-74, 149), Calgary’s Jennifer Ha (72-77, 149), Samantha Richdale (79-72, 151) of Kelowna, B.C., Grace St. Germain (79-72, 151) of Penticton, B.C., Vivian Tsui (76-76, 152) of Markham, Ont., and Charlottetown’s Lorie Kane (76-77, 153).

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LPGA Tour Team Canada

Canada’s Sharp, Marchand in contention at LPGA stop, Henderson seven shots back

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(Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)
Canadian Press

Preferred lies and ideal conditions left Whistle Bear Golf Club in a prone position for Thursday’s opening round at the Manulife LPGA Classic. Canadians Alena Sharp and Brittany Marchand took full advantage.

Sharp eagled the par-5 12th hole en route to a 6-under 66 while Marchand opened with a 67. Both were within striking distance of Norway’s Suzann Pettersen and South Korea’s Mi Hyang Lee, who shared the lead at 8-under 64.

“I knew I needed to shoot a low round,” Sharp said. “But you don’t really want to think about a score in your mind. The way I’m hitting it I knew I was going to have a lot of chances and I took advantage of the par fives. I was 5 under on those so that really helped me out.”

South Korea’s Hyo Joo Kim, Belgium’s Gonzalez Escall and China’s Shanshan Feng were one shot off the lead at 65.

Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., had an uneven performance in the warm, sunny conditions. She was visibly frustrated after missing a few short birdie putts around the turn and finished with a 71.

“I hit a lot of really great shots and the putts just didn’t drop today,” Henderson said. “But hopefully I can switch things around tomorrow and everything will be good.”

Pettersen, meanwhile, recently lost her yardage book for the course and had to write notes from scratch this week. She trusted her eye and it paid off with six birdies over one eight-hole stretch.

“We woke up this morning to perfect conditions,” she said. “You can fire at pins and get to par fives, which is fun. I think it’s the best way to set up a golf course and get low scores.”

Sharp, from Hamilton, started on the back nine. She bogeyed her opening hole before recovering on the 12th, using a 6-iron to leave herself a 15-footer for eagle.

Sharp connected and followed it up with three birdies over her next four holes.

“I was on a nice run,” she said. “It was just easy. Felt really simple.”

Marchand, a Symetra Tour player entered as a sponsor’s invite, also had an early morning tee time. The Orangeville, Ont., native fired seven birdies over her round to go with a pair of bogeys.

She even had the clubhouse lead for a spell.

“I’ve shot 5 under before but never in an LPGA event, so it’s pretty cool,” Marchand said.

The course dried out a little as the round progressed. Warm temperatures were expected to continue through Sunday’s final round.

The 6,613-yard track is still recovering from an unusually wet and cool spring in the area. Players were allowed to lift, clean and replace balls on closely mowed fairway areas.

Those who kept drives long and tight could attack the soft greens.

“I just made a lot of key putts today and that kept me going,” Sharp said. “I made a lot of six- to 10-footers, which is what I’ve been working on. It’s nice to see the results coming early in the tournament.”

Jodi Ewart Shadoff of England and Emily Pedersen of Norway were tied with Sharp in sixth place at 66.

Joining Marchand at 67 were Thailand’s Ariya Jutanugarn, South Korea’s In Gee Chun and Americans Angel Yin, Lexi Thompson and Lee Lopez. Defending champion Caroline Masson of Germany opened with a 70.

There are 10 other Canadians entered in the US$1.7-million event. They include Augusta James (70) of Orangeville, Calgary’s Jennifer Ha (72), Grace St. Germain (72) of Penticton, B.C., Maude-Aimee LeBlanc (74) of Sherbrooke, Que., Jaclyn Lee of Calgary (75), Charlottetown’s Lorie Kane (76), Jennifer Kirby (76) of Brantford, Ont., Vivian Tsui (76) of Markham, Ont., Maddie Szeryk (78) of London, Ont., and Samantha Richdale (79) of Kelowna, B.C.

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LPGA Tour

South Korea’s In Kyung Kim wins ShopRite LPGA Classic

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(Hunter Martin/Getty Images)
Canadian Press

In-Kyung Kim held off two-time defending champion Anna Nordqvist on Sunday in the ShopRite LPGA Classic for her fifth tour title.

Tied with Paula Creamer for the second-round lead, Kim closed with a 2-under 69 in windy conditions for a two-stroke victory over Nordqvist at Stockton Seaview.

“Just so windy. … It was tough,” Kim said. “I feel really pleased with how I played today. Was really tricky and challenge out there, but I gave my best.”

Kim was making her sixth start since bruising her tailbone falling down stairs. The 28-year-old South Korean player won the Reignwood LPGA Classic late last season in China.

“That took a long time. Now I feel much better,” Kim said. “But actually helped me to work on my upper body – more stronger – while I couldn’t work on my low body. But I’m really happy to come back stronger than was I before.”

Nordqvist shot a 69.

“Just having the honour to back-to-back defend is quite amazing,” Nordqvist said. “There is a little bit of pressure coming into it, but it’s just been fun. I’m trying to embrace it. I love this golf course, I love hitting the shots. … It’s been really windy the last two days. The way I’m controlling the ball I’m really happy with. Just seem to be doing the right stuff, so I’m excited for the next couple weeks.”

Kim finished at 11-under 202.

Michelle Wie had a 65 to tie for third at 7 under with Jenny Shin (69), Jacqui Concolino (70) and Jeong Eun Lee (71).

“I just stuck it in there close today,” Wie said. “I was kind of frustrated after my first round. Couldn’t get my wedges in close at all, so I spent a lot of time on the range afterward just working on my wedge game. I’m glad it paid off today. I hit it a lot closer today, which felt good.”

Creamer had a 74 to drop into a tie for seventh at 6 under.

“You can’t shoot over par on Sunday, that’s for sure,” Creamer said.

Creamer’s group with Kim and Moriya Jutanugarn were put on the clock for slow play on the back nine.

“We were on the clock for four holes,” Creamer said. “That’s just not going to cut it. That’s unfortunate, because I said early on to the girls we got to try to keep up. I know we’re getting behind. But for four holes, that’s a long time. We just couldn’t get a rhythm. And especially with some of these pins and with the wind and everything, it’s all happening so fast and you kind of can’t regroup. I didn’t do a very good job of that.”

After making a birdie on the par-4 13th, Kim bogeyed the par-4 14th.

“Last group, wind like this, but we were I think little slow and we were on the clock on those tricky holes,” Kim said. “I had to rush one time. The bogey I made was 150 (yards) front and I hit 170 club. My caddie was like, ‘What are you doing?’ I’m like, ‘I had no idea. I was rushing.”’

Jutanugarn closed with a 72 to also tie for seventh at 6 under.

On Saturday, sister Ariya Jutanugarn took the No. 1 spot in the world ranking to be released Monday. Taking the week off, Ariya Jutanugarn replaced Lydia Ko atop the ranking when So Yeon Ryu missed the cut. Ko, also skipping the event, was guaranteed to lose the top spot to Ariya Jutanugarn or Ryu, and Ariya Jutanugarn got the position when Ryu failed to finish solo third or better.

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LPGA Tour

Jutanugarn takes No. 1 spot; Creamer, Kim lead in New Jersey, Henderson T8

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(Hunter Martin/Getty Images)
Canadian Press

Ariya Jutanugarn took the No. 1 spot in the world ranking without hitting a shot, and Paula Creamer and In-Kyung Kim topped the ShopRite LPGA Classic leaderboard Saturday.

Taking the week off, Jutanugarn replaced Lydia Ko atop the ranking when So Yeon Ryu missed the cut. Ko, also skipping the event, was guaranteed to lose the top spot to Jutanugarn or Ryu, and Jutanugarn got the position when Ryu failed to finish solo third or better.

Creamer and Kim each shot a 4-under 67 in windy conditions to reach 9 under at Stockton Seaview, while two-time defending champion Anna Nordqvist followed her opening 64 with a 71 to drop two strokes behind along with Moriya Jutanugarn – Ariya’s older sister – and Jeong Eun Lee.

“Today was definitely different wind than yesterday,” Creamer said. “There were some good pins out there that we had to kind of think about a bit. I played solid. I hit some good putts that didn’t go in and made some good putts that went in.”

Ryu had her second straight 74 to miss the cut by three strokes.

The 30-year-old Creamer won the last of her 10 LPGA Tour victories in 2014 in Singapore when she made a 75-foot eagle putt on the second hole of a playoff with Azahara Munoz.

“I feel good. I feel prepared,” Creamer said. “I knew there was a time I was going to kind of breakthrough. It just shows these last two days have been good golf. We’ll continue. Whatever happens tomorrow happens, but I feel like my golf game is in a good place.”

Kim won the Reignwood LPGA Classic late last year in China for her fourth tour title. She’s making only her sixth start of the season after an injury when she fell down stairs.

“This winter I didn’t have any break, I needed some time to get ready for the summer,” Kim said. “I’m really happy to get back.”

Nordqvist had two birdies and consecutive birdies on Nos. 11 and 12. She’s trying to match fellow Swede Annika Sorenstam’s record of three victories in the event.

“Overall, I feel like I played a little bit better than I scored,” Nordqvist said. “I’m still in it. It was just a hard afternoon with the wind.”

Nordqvist won the Founders Cup in Phoenix in March for her seventh LPGA Tour title, a homecoming victory for the former Arizona State star.

Brooke Henderson is the only Canadian to make the cut and is tied for eighth. The Smiths Falls, Ont., native shot a 69 and is 5 under, four shots back of Creamer.

Moriya Jutanugarn and Lee each shot 70.

Stacy Lewis followed an opening 67 with a 72 to drop into a tie for 19th at 3 under. She won in 2012 and 2014 at Stockton Seaview.

India’s Sharmila Nicollet shot a 76-78 to miss the cut after winning a fan Twitter poll to get the final sponsor exemption.

For the full leaderboard click here.

LPGA Tour

2 time defending champ Nordqvist leads ShopRite LPGA Classic

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(Hunter Martin/Getty Images)
Canadian Press

Anna Nordqvist knows how to get around Stockton Seaview – and likes the view from atop the ShopRite LPGA Classic leaderboard.

The two-time defending champion shot a 7-under 64 on Friday to take a one-stroke lead after the first round of the 54-hole event near Atlantic City.

“It just really fits my eye,” Nordqvist said. “I have so many good memories here, obviously. It almost feels like home now with a lot of supporters and a lot of friends here.”

She’s trying to join fellow Swede Annika Sorenstam as the only three-time winner.

“I feel like I enjoy this place, but at the same time, I don’t feel like I have anything to prove here,” Nordqvist said. “I am just trying to take it day-by-day. I’ve been playing good for a long time now, so just tying get everything to click at once. Happy with my start and looking forward to the rest.”

Moriya Jutanugarn, Jeong Eun Lee, Jenny Shin and Jennifer Song were tied for second, and Paula Creamer, Pornanong Phatlum and In-Kyung Kim followed at 66.

Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., is four strokes back after a 68. Maude-Aimee Leblanc from Sherbrooke, Que., shot an even par 71 while Team Canada Young Pro Squad teammates Augusta James of Bath, Ont., and Calgary’s Jennifer Ha were 1 over.

Moriya Jutanugarn is trying to win for the first time on the LPGA Tour, while younger sister Ariya _ taking the week off – is in position to take the No. 1 spot in the world.

“I just want to go out on the golf course and enjoy it, play my game,” Moriya Jutanugarn said. “Of course, like everybody, want to win the first tournament and it’s still my big goal, but I just want to focus what I have to do out there.”

Lydia Ko is skipping the event and will lose her No. 1 ranking to No. 2 Ariya Jutanugarn or No. 3 So Yeon Ryu. Ryu had four straight bogeys in a 74 that left her tied for 98th – and in danger of missing the cut. She needs to finish solo third or better to take the top spot.

Nordqvist had nine birdies and two bogeys. She started on No. 10 and birdied the first three holes, then birdied four of the last six holes of the day.

“It’s a tough golf course, definitely,” Nordqvist said. “The fescue is a little hard this year, and with the wind, you’re really going to have to hit solid golf shots. The greens are pretty small and it feels like you have to give yourself quite a few opportunities to make a couple.”

Nordqvist won the Founders Cup in Phoenix in March for her seventh LPGA Tour title, a homecoming victory for the former Arizona State star.

Stacy Lewis topped the group at 67. She won in 2012 and 2014 at Stockton Seaview.

India’s Sharmila Nicollet shot a 76 after winning a fan Twitter poll to get the final sponsor exemption. She won by 9 percentage points over Blair O’Neal.

For the full leaderboard click here.