PINEHURST, North Carolina (AP) ― Stacy Lewis had at least one thing in common with U.S. Open champion Martin Kaymer. She made it around Pinehurst No. 2 without a bogey Thursday in the opening round of the U.S. Women’s Open, and that put her in the lead.
That was about the only worthy comparison after one day of golf’s unique doubleheader.
Lewis managed to keep the stress at a minimum on a steamy morning in the North Carolina sandhills for a 3-under 67, giving her a one-shot lead over Michelle Wie when the opening round was halted because of storms in the area.
“It was such an easy day,” Lewis said, referring to her game more than the golf course. “I played really, really solid, other that I had to make a few par putts. But other than that, I didn’t put myself in too bad of spots and made a few birdies.”
Wie made four birdies on the back nine, and a 10-foot par save on the par-3 17th hole, for a 68.
Comparisons were inevitable for such an occasion ― the first time the U.S. Open and the U.S. Women’s Open were held on the same course in back-to-back weeks. Pinehurst No. 2 was 1,064 yards shorter than it was for the first round last week.
That didn’t make it any easier.
Lewis, the No. 1 player in women’s golf, and Wie were among five players who broke par when play was suspended with 30 players still on the course. Kaymer led 15 players under par in the first round last week.
The scoring average for the women was 75.73, about 2 1/2 shots higher than the opening round for the men.
The show belonged to Lucy Li, the 11-year-old from the Bay Area who became the youngest qualifier in U.S. Women’s Open history. She missed only one fairway and was rarely out of position, though it cost the sixth-grader dearly when she was.
Li made one triple bogey and two double bogeys, three blemishes on her card that led to a 78.
That was about the only worthy comparison after one day of golf’s unique doubleheader.
Lewis managed to keep the stress at a minimum on a steamy morning in the North Carolina sandhills for a 3-under 67, giving her a one-shot lead over Michelle Wie when the opening round was halted because of storms in the area.
“It was such an easy day,” Lewis said, referring to her game more than the golf course. “I played really, really solid, other that I had to make a few par putts. But other than that, I didn’t put myself in too bad of spots and made a few birdies.”
Wie made four birdies on the back nine, and a 10-foot par save on the par-3 17th hole, for a 68.
Comparisons were inevitable for such an occasion ― the first time the U.S. Open and the U.S. Women’s Open were held on the same course in back-to-back weeks. Pinehurst No. 2 was 1,064 yards shorter than it was for the first round last week.
That didn’t make it any easier.
Lewis, the No. 1 player in women’s golf, and Wie were among five players who broke par when play was suspended with 30 players still on the course. Kaymer led 15 players under par in the first round last week.
The scoring average for the women was 75.73, about 2 1/2 shots higher than the opening round for the men.
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| Lucy Li plays a shot on the 15th hole at the U.S. Women’s Open on Thursday. (AFP-Yonhap) |
The show belonged to Lucy Li, the 11-year-old from the Bay Area who became the youngest qualifier in U.S. Women’s Open history. She missed only one fairway and was rarely out of position, though it cost the sixth-grader dearly when she was.
Li made one triple bogey and two double bogeys, three blemishes on her card that led to a 78.
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