IRVING, Texas – Lexi Thompson was pleased with her first LPGA Tour round since a rules violation cost her a likely victory in the first major tournament of the year. And her Thursday round even included a consultation with a rules official.

Thompson shot a 2-under 69, leaving her four strokes behind leader M.J. Hur in the North Texas LPGA Shootout.

“I’m glad to be back in competition,” Thompson said. “All I’m focused on is the tournament that I’m at right now out here in Texas. I’m going to Japan next week. I’m forgetting about it all. It’s time to move.”

Hur had a bogey-free 65 on a blustery, sunny day at Las Colinas Country Club. Ariya Jutanugarn and Michelle Wie were a stroke back along with Katherine Kirk, Jennifer Song, Sung Hyun Park, Sandra Changkija and Marina Alex.

Hamilton’s Alena Sharp was the low Canadian at 1-under 70, good for 32nd. Maude-Aimee Leblanc of Sherbrooke, Que., was 2-over 73 to tie for 70th, Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., was grouped at 88th after a 3-over 74 round and Calgary’s Jennifer Ha was 4-over 75.

Three weeks ago in the ANA Inspiration in California, Thompson was given a four-shot penalty with six holes to play – two shots for replacing her golf ball in the right spot on the 17th green, and two more shots for signing an incorrect scorecard because it happened on Saturday and it wasn’t detected by a TV viewer until Sunday. She wound up losing in a playoff to So Yeon Ryu.

Golf’s ruling bodies just this week announced new limits on video evidence that could spare players from being penalized even if committing a violation.

Thompson started on the back nine early Thursday afternoon and made the turn at 2 under after birdieing the par-4 16th and par-5 18th. She bogeyed the par-4 first and birdied the par-5 seventh after leaving a 30-foot eagle putt a half-inch short.

The 540-yard par-5 seventh hole is the longest on the course. The 233-yard second shot by Thompson, who went into Thursday leading the LPGA Tour in driving distance at an average of 275.6 yards, came to rest just beyond the green in the fringe and between two sprinkler heads.

Thompson sought out the official, who confirmed that the local rule allows relief within two club lengths of the green. Thompson’s ball sat just beyond that distance.

“I might as well ask,” she said, “but it ended up not being in my way.”

Thompson’s one bogey was the one green that she missed.

“I hit a great second shot,” she said. “The wind just absolutely killed it. It looked like the ball was coming down backward.”

Hur, a South Korean who lives about 40 miles from Las Colinas in McKinney, hit the first 14 greens in regulation and 16 overall. The streak ended when her tee shot on the 390-yard, par-4 15th sailed right in the wind and landed in the water. She saved par with a 30-foot putt.

“Everything was really good today, and I really liked the putter,” Hur said. “The wind was swirling on every hole. It gave me a headache.”

She won the last of the two tour titles in 2014

Top-ranked Lydia Ko, who turned 20 on Monday, shot a 70 in her first round with the latest of 10 caddies since turning pro in 2014, Peter Godfrey. She recently dismissed Gary Matthews after only nine events.

“I kind of needed somebody with a little bit more positive kind of thing and more a nice, confident energy,” Ko said. “Hopefully, that will happen between Peter and I.”

Defending champion Jenny Shin bogeyed two of her three last holes for a 71.

IRVING, Texas – Lexi Thompson paused, tears welling up in her eyes, when asked about how difficult things have been since a viewer-cited penalty cost her what appeared to be a sure victory in the LPGA Tour’s first major of the year.

Thompson stopped for more than 30 seconds after starting to answer the question Wednesday, a day before teeing off in Texas for her first tournament since the ANA Inspiration in California.

“That’s one of my favourite tournaments, and it’s always a dream of mine to just see myself jumping into Poppie’s Pond,” said the 22-year-old Thompson, who got to do that after winning at Mission Hills in 2014. “I played amazing that week. I don’t think I’ve ever played better, and just for that to happen it was just, it was kind of a nightmare.”

On the 13th hole in the final round April 2, Thompson had a three-stroke lead before being informed that she was being penalized four strokes for an infraction on the 17th hole the previous day that was pointed out by a television viewer by email.

Thompson, in her first media session since losing in a playoff at the ANA, said she didn’t intentionally put her ball back down in the wrong spot before making the 15-inch par-saving putt on the Dinah Shore Course with absolutely perfect greens.

“I have seen the video and I can see where they’re coming from with it. It might have been, I guess, me rotating the ball,” she said. “I have always played by the Rules of Golf. … I did not mean it at all.”

Golf’s ruling bodies just this week issued a new decision that limits the use of video evidence and could spare players from being penalized even if they violated a rule. The decision went into effect immediately on all tours around the world.

Players can avoid a penalty if the violation could not be noticed with the naked eye. Rules official also can eliminate penalties if they feel players made a “reasonable judgment” in taking a drop or replacing their golf balls on the putting green.

Thompson said she hadn’t read too much into the changes, but said, “any rule that’s made to make the game more simple, I think, is great for the game of golf.”

The U.S. Olympian also hadn’t spoken to any LPGA Tour rules officials about the new rule, and didn’t know if she would have been penalized had the new standards been in effect three weeks ago.

On the placement that got her penalized, Thompson said she was trying to take her time and make sure she made that putt after a birdie attempt that came up short on the 27th of 28 holes she had to play that Saturday at Mission Hills because she also had to finish her second round.

“I got up to it and thought about tapping it in, but I was pretty mad after my first putt because I put a terrible stroke on it,” she said. “My dad always told me I’ve missed a lot of putts by just going up and tapping them in. I’ve stubbed a few, done all that. I was just like ‘Lexi, just relax, mark the putt, it’s a major championship, you don’t need to go up and miss this little putt.”

So Thompson marked her ball, took a practice stroke, took a deep breath and made sure she made the putt.

Thompson, the fifth-ranked women’s player in the world, has three top-four finishes in her six starts on the LPGA Tour this season.

“I’m very excited. I’m happy to be here in Texas,” she said. “I’m really focused on this week to just get back playing again. My game is in a great spot. … I’ve been working hard the last three weeks, so I’m excited to tee it up and get this all behind me.”

With less than two months until the Manulife LPGA Classic, the application period has officially opened for the Manulife Ladies Classic Award. One high-achieving female amateur golfer will be selected by Manulife for a unique opportunity to play with some of the world’s best golfers in the Manulife LPGA Classic from June 8 – 11, 2017 at Whistle Bear Golf Club in Cambridge, Ontario.

“The Manulife LPGA Classic is one of only two LPGA tour stops in Canada, so the more Canadian golfers we have participating, the better,” said Marianne Harrison, President & CEO, Manulife Canada. “We are looking for a standout amateur golfer who demonstrates consistently high-performance in the sport, and an individual who sets a positive example of active, healthy living and community engagement.”

To apply, eligible golfers must complete the online application and submit a short video demonstrating their passion, including thoughts on why they should receive an opportunity to compete. The deadline for applications is May 11, 2017.

In 2015, Manulife and tournament owner Sports Properties International approached the LPGA to increase the size of the Manulife LPGA Classic field by six spots to 150 to encourage more Canadian golfers to compete. To deliver on that intention, Manulife created a Canadian-focused sponsor exemption strategy. One element of that strategy was the creation of the Manulife Ladies Classic Award. Last year, Thornhill’s Selena Costabile was the inaugural recipient of the award.

“It’s great to work with partners like Manulife who bring new ideas to the table and care about making a difference in an amateur golfer’s career,” said John Gaskin, Manulife LPGA Classic Tournament Director, Bruno Event Team. “It’s rare to see this kind of opportunity offered on the tour and we’re excited to see who will be joining us and the world’s best in just a few short weeks.”

For full contest details and eligibility, visit www.manulifeclassic.ca/classic-award

KAPOLEI, Hawaii – Cristie Kerr won the LPGA Lotte Championship on Saturday for her 19th tour title, closing with a 6-under 66 for a three-stroke victory.

The 39-year-old Kerr broke the tournament record at 20-under 268, a day after shooting 62 at Ko Olina to match the event mark. She earned $300,000 to top $18 million in her career.

Kerr hadn’t won in 30 starts since the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship in 2015. She was a pedestrian 4 under halfway through Lotte, then made a made a big move. She birdied seven of the last eight holes Friday, soaring into contention with the 62 and growing comfortable walking in her birdie putts before they fell in the hole.

“People think that I do it intentionally,” she said. “It never happens when I try to do it intentionally. It’s just that once I know it’s in, I walk after it.”

Kerr called it “epic” and began to count the ways. She had complications with knee surgery in November, keeping her from hitting a shot for eight weeks, and from playing the first tournament of the year.

“It feels so good to have overcome so many things to be sitting here,” Kerr said. “I played great the last couple weeks coming into here, and I just have a different perspective on life now. I felt it on the golf course today. I was able to keep going forward because I didn’t put that extra pressure on myself.”

The American overcame sponsor invite Su-Yeon Jang, the South Korean player who led after the second and third rounds and was five ahead of Kerr after three holes Saturday.

Jang had a 70 to drop into a tie for second with top-ranked Lydia Ko (64) and In Gee Chun (67). Jang’s first bogey of the week came at No. 6 and she suffered double-bogey two holes later, falling into a tie for first with Kerr.

Canadian Alena Sharp, looking for her first LPGA Tour win in her 241st start, bogeyed the final hole for a 70 to finish alone in fifth at 16 under. The Hamilton native finished one shot ahead of second-ranked So Yeon Ryu (67). Sharp was in pursuit of her first LPGA title; her best finish on Tour came last season with a fourth place result at the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open.

Fellow countrywoman Brooke Henderson fired a final-round 68 to climb into a tie for 11th at 11-under par (70-69-70-68).

Third-ranked Ariya Jutanugarn (69) and Stacy Lewis (6) were 14 under.

Ko was too far back to really challenge Kerr.

“Going into the day eight shots behind there is a huge difference between eight shots and five shots,” Ko said. “I knew that it would take the round of my life versus a mediocre round by everybody else. With how the girls are playing, it’s just really hard to mend the gap. Considering where I was after the first day (73), I’m pleased with where I finished.”

Kerr, who was a rookie the year Ko was born, has Top 10s in her last three starts.

“I can’t remember in 2 1/2 days that I had made so many birdies in my life,” she said. “That (first) day and a half that I had struggled a little with my swing feel it was an unbelievable run.”

She has four Top 10s at Lotte, and is the second American to win in the tournament’s six years here, after Hawaii’s Michelle Wie. Kerr also is the second American to win on the LPGA Tour this year.

“Experience is huge,” Kerr said. “Very few players are lucky enough like I am to have a career as long as I’ve had and be competitive as long as I’ve been competitive. Having that experience and being competitive, it’s an advantage.

“I felt like I didn’t have it on the first four or five holes, I didn’t worry, I didn’t rush, and soon as I made my first birdie it was kind of like off to the races. So experience definitely helps.”

KAPOLEI, Hawaii – Su-Yeon Jang took the Lotte Championship lead in the completion of the third round Friday morning and opened a three-stroke cushion in the afternoon with a third-round 7-under 65.

The 22-year-old sponsor invite from South Korea had a 17-under 199 total – two strokes off the tournament record for 72 holes – at Ko Olina Golf Club. She completed her second straight 67 in the morning in the rain-delayed event.

Cristie Kerr and Alena Sharp, the 35-year-old Canadian looking for her first LPGA Tour victory, were tied for second. Kerr had a 62 to tie Lizette Salas’ tournament record. Kerr, who turns 40 this year, played the back nine in 29, with birdies on seven of her last eight holes.

“I was just kind of being myself,” said Kerr, who had eight putts on her last eight holes. “Yeah, everybody says being in the zone. I just kind of stayed out of my own way today, which is what I have to do to have a chance tomorrow.

“I stayed in the moment and started walking them in.”

Sharp stayed with Jang, birdie for birdie, until a bogey on the final hole left her with a 66. She was just one back after sinking a 15-footer from the fringe on the 16th.

Sharp has not won in 240 LPGA starts, but is coming off her best year. The only LPGA player with more starts without a win in this field is Becky Morgan (315). She is tied for 10th, seven shots back. Morgan’s last Top 10 was in 2009.

Sharp admits “It’s hard to win out here,” but has never wanted to stop trying.

“I just love playing golf, so I don’t think about it as I need to win,” she said. “I just love the competition. I love travelling to all the different places we play and the amazing courses we play. I just have a lot of passion for the game itself.”

In Gee Chun, the 2015 U.S. Women’s Open champ, was 12 under after a 65.

“I was able to hole some longer putts in my front nine, which is the back nine,” said Ko, whose 14th – and last – win came in July. “When you get to hole the putts that you don’t necessarily think they’re birdie range, it’s always nice. It’s kind of a bonus.”

Top-ranked Lydia Ko, looking for her first win since July, was tied for seventh at 9 under after a 65. She was eight strokes behind the leader, a shot behind second-ranked So Yeon Ryu (69) and two back of third-ranked Ariya Jutanugarn (70).

Jang, who doesn’t have a bogey this week, also played in the final group last year at Lotte and finished fifth.

Hawaii has thrown its share of surprises at this year’s field. For the third day in a row there was a weather delay Friday. The wind and rain, and thunder and lightening, have made Ko Olina a tropical adventure.

When darkness halted play Thursday, Jang had two holes remaining and a share of the lead at 9 under with Ariya Jutanugarn and In-Kyung Kim. Jang birdied her 17th hole early Friday to claim the second-round lead, then had “some real good food my dad cooked up” before teeing off in the third round.

After the leaders played their first hole, play was halted for an hour. Jang came back with four quick birdies and added three in a row on the back nine. She needed just 25 putts.

“Because I had to finish up the second round this morning and play another 18 I was a little bit tired,” she said through an interpreter. “But I know I’m so far away from home and I travel so long to play this tournament, so I try to tell myself just to suck if up and have a good time and play a good round today.”

She was brilliant, and has been in nearly every round she’s played at Ko Olina the last two years. The exception was last year’s final round, when a 71 in the final group wasn’t nearly enough to keep up with Minjee Lee.

Instead Jang, ranked 68th in the world, won twice on the Korean LPGA tour last year and finished third on the money list.

“Obviously I’ve gained a good amount of experience doing that,” Jang said. “Hopefully tomorrow I won’t get too nervous. I think that experience will help me play in the rest of the round tomorrow.”

The last time a sponsor invite won on the LPGA it was Lydia Ko at the 2013 CN Canadian Women’s Open. Ko turns 20 in 10 days and was born the same year Kerr debuted on the tour.

The cut came Friday morning at 1 under, with 78 golfers playing on. Michelle Wie, the 2014 Lotte champion, made the cut on the number. Lindy Duncan holed out on the 18th hole early Friday for eagle to make the cut.

Nicole Broch Larsen was also one of the 15 players who came back to finish their second round Friday morning. She had a hole-in-one on her 17th hole (No. 8).

KAPOLEI, Hawaii – Ariya Jutanugarn and In-Kyung Kim each birdied their final hole Thursday to share the lead during the suspended second round of the LPGA Lotte Championship.

Jutanugarn had a bogey-free 6-under 66, and Kim shot 64 to reach 9-under 135 at Ko Olina Golf Club. Jutanugarn won five times last season and was the LPGA Tour’s player of the year.

Kim, a 28-year-old from Seoul who already has a pair of top-5 finishes here, had five consecutive birdies during one stretch for the lowest round of the day.

“It was nice to get out in the morning, definitely calmer,” Kim said. “Now the winds are picking up so it’s hard to get to the hole. I had a great putting day. Yesterday I hit the ball pretty well, just didn’t make any putts. Today the putts were dropping.”

Su-Yeon Jang, among the 15 players still on the course when play was halted due to darkness, was also at 9-under with two holes remaining. Jang doesn’t have a bogey in her first 34 holes of the tournament.

The cut will be determined after the completion of the round Friday morning.

Hamilton’s Alena Sharp (69), Stacy Lewis (68), first-round co-leader Mi Hyang Lee (70), Alena Sharp (69) and Becky Morgan, who also has two holes remaining, share fourth place at 8 under. There are five golfers at 7 under, including second-ranked So Yeon Ryu (69), coming off a victory in the major ANA Inspiration, and Olympic champion Inbee Park.

Alena Sharp has the second-most LPGA starts without a win in the field at the LOTTE Championship with 240 – only Becky Morgan (315) has more.

Play was also halted for nearly 90 minutes earlier in the day when the course was cleared due to the threat of lightning.

Paula Creamer, co-leader after an opening 66, bogeyed both par 5s on the front nine and had a double bogey on the par-3 eighth in a 74. Defending champion Minjee Lee rallied for a 68 and is six back, while top-ranked Lydia Ko moved up 45 spots, to 40th, with a 69. Hawaii’s Michelle Wie, who won here in 2014, is tied for 60th at 1 under.

For the second straight day, a morning tee time was a huge advantage. Winds began gusting up to 20 mph as the morning groups finished. When the wind stopped, thunder, lightning and rain followed.

Lewis birdied four of her first five holes to get to 8 under early. She bogeyed the 10th just before play was suspended, but got it back with her sixth birdie of the day, at the 13th. The two-time LPGA Player of the Year is winless in her last 69 starts. – and 8 under on Ko Olina’s front nine this week.

“Honestly, it’s just that I’ve had more momentum going into that side than I have when I’ve played the back,” Lewis said. “I played the back early yesterday and just wasn’t striking it very good.

“Then today, coming out after the delay, you kind of lose some of the momentum there. But I played solid for two days and still left some out there, so it’s some good golf.”

Brooke Henderson (Smiths Falls, Ont.) is at 3-under par with rounds of 70-69 to sit T17. Maude-Aimée Leblanc bounced back after an opening 75 to record a 3-under 69, pulling her to an even-par score for the tournament.

Calgary’s Jennifer Ha—a member of Team Canada’s Young Pro Squad—carded two 75s to sit at 6-over par.

Lotte announced a three-year extension this week, which will take it through 2020.

KAPOLEI, Hawaii – A funny thing happened in sunny Hawaii while waiting for someone to break away from a pack of leaders in the opening round of the LPGA Lotte Championship Wednesday.

Rain zeroed in on Ko Olina Golf Club, forcing a 45-minute delay.

Then Paula Creamer and South Korea’s Mi Hyang Lee took over, bolting into first at 6-under 66. Both had seven birdies and a bogey, with Lee’s coming on the final hole, in the dark.

“I couldn’t see the line or anything,” she said. “It was too hard.”

Play was suspended with six golfers still on the course.

Lee, 24, made the cut just once in three previous starts at Ko Olina. She is ranked 51st in the world, with a win in 2014 after earning Rookie of the Year honors on the 2012 Symetra Tour.

Canada’s Alena Sharp fired a bogey-free 67 (-5) to hold a five-way share of third place. Fellow countrywoman Brooke Henderson carded a 2-under 70 to sit T31.

Sharp, 35, is coming off her best season, finishing 41st on last year’s money list. She has played all six Lottes, with her best finish in her first, when she tied for 25th.

Two of Creamer’s 10 victories have come in Hawaii and she would surpass $12 million in career earnings with a win Saturday.

Her only bogey came on the 15th and she erased it with a tap-in birdie two holes later. She waited out the rain delay under the waterfall next to the 12th hole, sitting next to 2012 champion Ai Miyazato.

“I’m 30, I’m getting old out here,” Creamer said. “I was like, ‘Oh, gosh. I got to warmup a bit.’ I went out with a good two-putt (at No. 12) and then birdied the par-5 right afterwards.

“You know, I played solid. I putted really well. I switched back to conventional-style putting. I’ve been left-hand-low for the last three years. This is my first week back doing that and using my line, and seems to be doing pretty good so far.”

Lizette Salas, Su-Yeon Jang, Beth Allen and Eun-Hee Ji shot 67 in the morning, when the wind came and went. Canadian Alena Sharp joined them in the afternoon, playing her final two holes after rain drenched the course and left puddles on the greens and in bunkers.

Second-ranked So Yeon Ryu, who won the year’s first major two weeks ago, parred her last nine holes to finish with a 68. She can overtake top-ranked Lydia Ko with a win here.

Stacy Lewis also shot 68 and Hawaii’s Michelle Wie, the 2014 Lotte champion, had a 71.

Salas, who played for the U.S. in the last two Solheim Cups, has fond and frustrating memories of Ko Olina. She fired a career-low 62 in the final round of the 2013 Lotte, but lost a playoff with Suzann Pettersen. They still share the tournament record of 19-under 269.

Salas played the back nine in 29 that day. She was 4 under Wednesday and finished with seven birdies. A pair of bogeys on the front nine kept her out of the lead.

“This week we really just tried to be aggressive from the get-go,” said Salas, who broke 70 just twice in her first seven tournaments this year. “I know this course pretty well and I’ve had some good success here, so being comfortable and confident coming in just really gave me that start that we’ve been wanting.”

She was not alone. Nearly half the field broke par on a day when the tropical breeze came and went, leaving a huge dark cloud over the course that let loose just before 4 p.m.

Those near the top of the leader board will come at Thursday’s second round from different directions.

Salas’ only win came the year after she lost the playoff with Pettersen. Jang is playing on a sponsor exemption for the second time. She finished fifth last year. Ji won the 2009 U.S. Women’s Open and was third there last year, but has never been in the Top 15 at Ko Olina.

Allen, 35, has never played Ko Olina before. She was a rookie on the LPGA tour in 2005, then moved around before becoming the first American to lead the Ladies European Tour Order of Merit last year.

“It was a great year for me,” she said on TV. “I thought I’d go back to the States and see what happens. I’ve taken my experience with all those wins and being in contention more and brought it here.

“At the end of the day it’s golf. It’s the same in every country. I thought I’d try it again on the LPGA.”

RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. – Lexi Thompson had no idea why LPGA Tour rules official Sue Witters was approaching her on the way to the 13th tee at the ANA Inspiration.

When she found out, Thompson still couldn’t believe it.

A television viewer’s email had alerted officials to a day-old rules violation by Thompson for a 1-inch ball placement error . Her three-shot lead had just been wiped out by a four-shot penalty.

“Is this a joke?” Thompson asked Witters.

After being assured it wasn’t, she responded: “This is ridiculous.”

Thompson survived the shock and tears, and she forced a playoff with three gutsy birdies that had the Dinah Shore Course crowd on its feet.

But So Yeon Ryu managed to take advantage of the break created by Thompson’s extraordinary penalty.

Ryu birdied the playoff hole to win the LPGA Tour’s first major of the year Sunday after Thompson was blindsided for an infraction she had accidentally committed 24 hours earlier.

Thompson, the 22-year-old U.S. Olympian who won here in 2014, was left stunned by the decision that stopped her from cruising to what looked like an easy victory. The ruling cost her more than a strong chance at her second major title: Ryu won $405,000 with the victory, and Thompson went home with just over $250,000 in second place.

“Every day is a learning process,” said Thompson, who still stopped to sign dozens of autographs after her heartbreak. “I wasn’t expecting what happened today, but … it happens, and I’ll learn from it and hopefully do better.”

The fateful email arrived during Sunday’s final round, alerting officials to the violation committed Saturday. Thompson marked a 1-foot putt with a coin on the 17th green during her third round, but she replaced the ball perhaps 1 inch out of position.

After an extensive video review , Thompson was penalized two strokes for an incorrect ball placement and two strokes for an incorrect scorecard. Witters regretfully explained the penalty to Thompson.

Lexi Thompson was assessed a 4-shot penalty for an incorrect marking of a ball and signing an incorrect card yesterday at #ANAInspiration pic.twitter.com/6pNJ5haql9

— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) April 3, 2017

“I can’t go to bed tonight knowing I let a rule slide,” Witters said. “It’s a hard thing to do, and it made me sick, to be honest with you.”

Thompson fought back tears after getting the news, but she incredibly birdied the 13th hole. She battled back into a five-way tie for the lead, making three birdies and a bogey on the final six holes of regulation at Mission Hills Country Club.

“It’s unfortunate what happened,” Thompson said. “I did not mean that at all. I didn’t realize I did that. I felt strong through the finish, and it was great to see the fans behind me.”

Golf fans on the course and the internet reacted with bewilderment and outrage when the LPGA’s decision became understood. Tiger Woods immediately came to Thompson’s defence on Twitter.

“Viewers at home should not be officials wearing stripes,” Woods wrote . “Let’s go, Lexi, win this thing anyway.”

Most golfersweighing inon Twitter didn’t disagree with the ruling, but condemned the practice of allowing TV viewers to have their say – particularly an entire day afterward.

Even Justin Timberlake saw it : “Lexi is SO CLASSY. Handled that with grace and fight. Career defining moment.”

As awkward as the situation was, it could have been worse: If golf officials hadn’t made a rule change before last year, Thompson would have been disqualified entirely.

Ryu birdied the 18th hole in regulation and again in the playoff, but she didn’t find out she was in serious contention to win until officials informed her of Thompson’s penalty on the 16th tee.

“I just cannot believe the situation,” Ryu said. “I didn’t even check the leaderboard. I thought Lexi played really, really well. I didn’t expect what happened to Lexi.

“It’s a very unfortunate situation. I didn’t expect it. I thought I’m well behind, so all I wanted to do was play my game.”

They both finished regulation at 14-under 274, but Thompson still nearly won it in regulation after crushing her approach shot on the 18th.

With emotions visible on her face amid loud chants of her name, Thompson gathered herself – and left a 15-foot winning eagle putt inches short.

Ryu, who also won the 2011 U.S. Women’s Open in a playoff, buried a 5-foot birdie putt to claim her second major title with an excellent playoff hole after her bogey-free, final-round 68 .

Although she cried with joy on the green for what she said was the first time in a U.S. tournament, her celebration was a bit muted because of the bizarre circumstances – at least until she made the traditional leap into Poppie’s Pond with her caddie and friends.

“It definitely feels a bit weird,” said Ryu, who is expected to move to No. 2 in the world. “It was kind of a weird atmosphere, even after I won the tournament.

“But I think the most important thing is no matter what happened during the round, we ended up going to a playoff. Then I was able to handle the tough situation well.”

Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., shot a 68 to finish the tournament tied for 14th at 5-under 283.

Norway’s Suzann Pettersen barely missed a birdie putt on the 18th to force a three-way playoff. She finished tied for third with Inbee Park and Minjee Lee.

OTTAWA – For the fourth time, the stars of the LPGA Tour will light up the nation’s capital as Golf Canada and Canadian Pacific have announced that the 2017 CP Women’s Open will return to Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club in August of 2017 (date TBC) to coincide with Canada’s 150 year celebration.

Through its CP Has Heart campaign, CP will once again be making a significant charitable donation to the host community. In the first three years of CP’s title sponsorship of the event, more than $4.3 million has been raised in support of children’s heart health.

The 2017 edition of the CP Women’s Open will mark the championship’s fourth visit to the nation’s capital and third visit to Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club, which previously hosted in 1994 and 2008.

“We could not be more excited for the return of the CP Women’s Open to Ottawa and the Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club in 2017” said Tournament Director Brent McLaughlin. “We are proud to add to the nation’s celebration as Canada turns 150. With an outstanding atmosphere and a passionate golfing community, we are confident Ottawa will be the perfect backdrop for the 45^th playing of Canada’s National Women’s Open Championship.”

The announcement of Ottawa as the 2017 host city coincides with Canada’s 150^th birthday celebration and builds on a partnership between Ottawa Tourism and Golf Canada.

“We are thrilled to welcome the stars of the LPGA back to Ottawa in 2017,” said Dick Brown, President and CEO for Ottawa Tourism.  “The 2017 CP Women’s Open will be a pinnacle event tied to the Canada 150 celebration. In addition, together with Golf Canada, the region will welcome numerous national and international golf championships between 2015 and 2018.”

In 2008, Katherine Hull-Kirk overcame a 6-stroke deficit to claim her first LPGA Tour title during the Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club’s centennial year.

Allan Bulloch, President of the Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club recalls how the city embraced the tournament in 2008 and anticipates the Club once again rallying around Canada’s National Women’s Open Championship.

“We are delighted to have been chosen to host the prestigious 2017 CP Women’s Open. This will also be an opportunity for us to show the world class competitors our magnificently redesigned course”

The Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club has welcomed numerous notable championships throughout its 107 years, including the 1994 Du Maurier Ltd. Classic, 2008 Canadian Women’s Open, 1932 Canadian Open and three Canadian Amateur Championships in 1937, 1960 and 1970. The 18-hole championship course that will challenge the world’s best women golfers in 2017 was originally crafted by famed architect Willie Park, and recently redesigned in 2013–2014 by international course designer, Dr. Michael Hurdzan.

The CP Women’s Open consistently draws one of the strongest fields on the LPGA Tour. The 2015 CP Women’s Open saw 97 of the top 100 players on the current LPGA Tour Official Money List compete in the event, including Smiths Falls, Ontario native and recent LPGA winner, Brooke Henderson who was the top Canadian.

First conducted in 1973, Canada’s National Women’s Open Championship has allowed the brightest stars of the LPGA Tour to shine on Canadian soil and to inspire the nation’s next generation of female golfers.

Priddis Greens Golf and Country Club in Calgary hosted the 2016 edition of the CP Women’s Open, where Ariya Jutanugarn came out on top.

Information regarding tickets, volunteer opportunities and corporate hospitality for the CP Women’s Open can be found at www.cpwomensopen.com.

RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. – One day after Lexi Thompson couldn’t even tee off until shortly before sunset, she had to get back to the Dinah Shore Course before dawn to start a 28-hole day.

Thompson is excelling under unusual conditions at the ANA Inspiration, and it has put her in prime position to play for her second major title.

Thompson claimed the tournament lead while completing her wind-delayed second round Saturday before moving two shots ahead of Norway’s Suzann Pettersen with a third-round 67 . After an extra-long day of play in wind and sun, Thompson is at 13-under 203 heading into Sunday’s final round.

“I struggled a little bit off the tee and had a few more rough shots than I wanted, but you can’t ever complain about a 5-under round,” Thompson said.

The 22-year-old Thompson’s victory here in 2014 is her only previous major victory, but the U.S. Olympian simply excels at Mission Hills Country Club. She smashed her drives and got great results from her inconsistent putter on the way to six birdies in the third round, keeping a competitive field squarely behind her.

“I just love this golf course,” Thompson said. “I get to hit a lot of drivers, and it just sets up nicely for me all over.”

Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., shot a 3-under 69 to get to 1-under for the tournament.

Thompson and Pettersen stayed ahead of a field posting unusually low scores, with the 2-over 146 cut matching the lowest cut score in tournament history.

They did it despite intermittent returns of the desert wind that called an early halt to Thursday’s play and forced two days of catch-up, forcing 56 golfers to complete their second rounds on Saturday morning. The field got all caught up on a postcard-perfect desert Saturday, and warm weather is expected Sunday.

“It’s definitely not a usual week, what we’re used to, but it’s a major week,” Thompson said. “We have to deal with the wind conditions and whatever weather we get.”

Pettersen shot a third-round 68 to reach 11 under, while Australia’s Minjee Lee joined a South Korean trio – Inbee Park, So Yeon Ryu and Mi Jung Hur – at 10-under 206. Michelle Wie, Cristie Kerr, world No. 2 Ariya Jutanugarn and France’s Karine Icher are five shots behind Thompson at 8 under.

“I think I’ve always said since the first time I saw this place, it really fits my eye,” said Pettersen, a two-time major champion.

“I’m driving the ball well, and that’s a major key on this golf course. I’ve got a big job to do (Sunday). The leaderboard is packed behind me as well. You’ve got to expect to go out there and shoot low. There’s a lot at stake, but I’m all in for it.”

Thompson debuted at the Dinah Shore Course as a 14-year-old amateur in 2009, and she won in 2014, the tournament’s final year as the Kraft Nabisco Championship. She has finished seventh and fifth in the two years since the major’s name change.

Thompson immediately took charge Saturday morning with back-to-back birdies, claiming the outright lead and surging to a second-round 67. After following two birdies with a bogey early in her third round, she settled in and finished the final 14 holes at 4 under.

Wie battled to a third-round 71 while struggling with a nagging back injury during her own 28-hole day. She repeatedly saved par to stay in contention.

“I just hit one shot that was a little bit out of sync and kind of threw my hips out of place,” Wie said. “I think it was just a lot of golf. The two full warmups (and then) 28 holes. Just not a young stallion anymore, I guess.”