Japan’s Miyazato leads LPGA Thailand (AP)
CHONBURI, Thailand (AP)—Ai Miyazato shot a 7-under 65 on Saturday to take
a one-stroke lead over top-ranked Yani Tseng after the third round of the LPGA
Thailand.
Miyazato, the Japanese player who won the 2010 tournament, birdied five of
the first six holes on the back nine. She had a 14-under 202 total on Siam
Country Club’s Pattaya Old Course.
“I think I have a good feeling with this golf course,” Miyazato said.
“It’s just the beginning of the season and a beautiful golf course and a nice
temperature today. The people are really nice over here and I’m just having a
really good time.”
Tseng, the winner last year, shot her second straight 65 after opening with
a 73. The Taiwanese star had 12 worldwide victories last year, seven on the LPGA
Tour.
“I hit so many great shots today and I just feel like my game is there,”
Tseng said. “I’m pretty confident and just will try to do it again tomorrow.”
Australia’s Karrie Webb and South Korea’s Jiyai Shin were 12 under.
Webb shot a 71, and Shin had a 68.
“I’ll take 1 under,” Webb said. “I really didn’t swing it well and it
progressively got worse as it went on, so I made some really good pars out there
today when I really was struggling with my swing. I’m glad that I haven’t played
my way out of it. I’m only two shots back, so I’ll have a nice Thai massage
tonight and my body will be back to normal by tomorrow, hopefully.”
Webb had a three-stroke lead Saturday morning after the completion of the
lightning-delayed second round, playing the final four holes in 1 under after a
65.
After the long day, Webb joked about the walk up the hill on the par-5 18th.
“It was definitely a lot steeper this evening after a 4:45 a.m. wakeup call
this morning,” the Hall of Famer said. “I’m glad to be done. There are still
18 holes to go, so hopefully I’ll be in good shape for tomorrow.”
Miyazato also returned early to finish the last five holes of her
second-round 70. “It was a really, really long day for me,” Miyazato said.”
I’ve been up since 4 o’clock this morning. But the temperature dropped down
today, so that helped a lot, too. So that’s why I think I could control myself
out there.”
She’s trying to win her eighth LPGA Tour title in the last four seasons.
“I just need to focus my game,” Miyazato said.
Miyazato played alongside Tseng.
“It was really fun,” Miyazato said. “It’s always fun to play with Yani.
We talked a lot and I think we’re very close. Just the attitude that she brings,
I really like it. I think we have good vibes with each other.
South Korea’s Amy Yang was 11 under after a 68. Second-ranked Norwegian star
Suzann Pettersen, the 2007 winner, was another stroke back after a 69.
Sixteen-year-old Thai amateur Ariya Jutanugarn had two eagles in a 65 that
left her at 9 under. Last year, she won the U.S. Junior Girls’ Championship and
was the Rolex Junior Player of the Year.
Michelle Wie was even par after a 73.
Horschel leads at midway point of the season opener (PGATOUR.com)
BOGOTA, Colombia—Billy Horschel was all smiles this time around. The former Florida Gator rolled in a 12-foot birdie putt on his final hole Friday for a second straight round of 66 in the Pacific Rubiales Colombia Championship. Horschel missed a two-footer on his closing hole Thursday and was hoping the miss wouldn’t come back to haunt him.
His opening day 66 was good enough for a share of the first-round lead in the Nationwide Tour’s 2012 season opener.
Three birdies in his four holes at the Country Club of Bogota Friday morning broke the tie and moved Horschel into sole possession of the lead. He finished the day with six birdies and one bogey, which came on the par-4, 9th hole, the same place his putting hiccup occurred a day earlier.
“I was really trying to get through without a bogey today,” he said. “Overall, it was a good day.”
Horschel’s 10-under 132 total broke the tournament’s 36-hole record and also left him two shots in front of Californian Brian Smock, who bogeyed his final hole for a round of 68.
Rookie Erik Flores, making his first career start on Tour, also shot a 3-under 68 and shows no signs of the jitters. His 7-under 135 score puts him for third with Australian Michael Sim.
Andrew Svoboda (66) and first-round co-leader Peter Lonard (70) share fifth place, four shots back.
“You want to play well after a round like yesterday, but it’s always tough because sometimes the putts don’t go in,” said Horschel. “Not that I had a really low round but sometimes it’s difficult to follow up a decent round with another decent one. I made a couple of early birdies but then a few putts just slipped out, and that’s going to happen.”
Horschel says his biggest concern Friday was trying to slow things down.
“I’m a fast player by nature. I talk fast, I walk fast, I move fast,” he said. “Everything I do is quick. I just have to go to the range and try go at a slower speed. When you’ve got shots out there and you don’t want to miss it in a certain spot, you get a little quick.”
Smock, meantime, is finding his game rounding into better shape after changing his style of play.
“Everyone evaluates from one year to the next. I played pretty poorly for the most part last year,” he said. “I had a couple of good tournaments but that was it.”
Smock made only 10 cuts in 23 starts in 2011 but still managed to finish No. 42 on the money list thanks to three top-10s. During his time off he changed coaches and the way he plays. The fade is gone and a draw is now the preferred trajectory.
“The cut just got shorter and shorter and more off line,” he said. “The last couple of years I was fading the ball and it got to the point last year where it became weaker and weaker. I’m more solid now.”
Second-Round Notes:
• Friday’s weather: Mostly cloudy. High of 64. Winds NW 5-10. A brief period of rain showers at 3 p.m.
• A total of 73 players made the 36-hole cut, which came at 1-over 143.
• This year’s first two rounds are nearly identical to those in the first year of the tournament. In 2010, the 36-hole leader was 8-under par, the cut came at 1-over par and 73 players made the cut. This year, the leader is at 10-under (second place is 8-under), the cut came at 1-over par and 73 players made the cut. Steve Pate won the tournament two years ago with an 11-under 273 total.
• Among those missing the cut this week: Camilo Benedetti (144), Diego Vanegas (144), Josh Broadaway (145), Aaron Watkins (146), Jeff Gove (147), Len Mattiace (147), Carlos Franco (149), Russell Henley (150) and Scott Dunlap (150).
• Earlier in the week, former President Bill Clinton was in town to play in the Wednesday Pro-Am. D.J. Brigman, the Chairman of the Nationwide Tour Players Advisory Council, had the honor playing with President Clinton and Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos. Joining them were Jose Francisco Arata, the president and executive director of Pacific Rubiales Energy, the tournament sponsor, and German Calle, the tournament executive director. Brigman has carded back-to-back scores of 69 and is T11 heading into the weekend.
• Defending champion Brenden Pappas posted a 4-over 75 in the second round after opening with a 68. His 1-over 143 total made the cut on the number.
• Australian Michael Sim, the 2009 Nationwide Tour Player of the Year, matched the tournament record with four consecutive birdies. Sim’s string came on holes 7-10. Sim closed his round with three straight birdies for a 6-under 65. He is tied for third.
• Martin Piller was one of the last players to make the cut. The former Texas A&M standout overcame a triple-bogey on the par-5, 8th hole.
• Steven Bowditch was disqualified for signing an incorrect scorecard.
• Lift, clean and place conditions were in effect for the second straight day.
• Scoring averages for the week:
Miyazato leads after 1st round at LPGA Thailand (AP)
PATTAYA, Thailand (AP)—Ai Miyazato shot a 5-under 67 Thursday to take a
one-stroke lead in the first round of the LPGA Thailand.
On a warm and humid day, the 2010 champion from Japan opened with a birdie
and later produced four more at the Pattaya Old Course.
“It was long and hot day for me. But I was calm this morning and could
control my shots,” Miyazato said. “I made no bogeys but made several birdies.
I hit well and putt well. I’m happy to take a lead and keep the score low.”
Miyazato said she will be protecting herself from the heat in the coming
days.
“I will have use umbrella a lot tomorrow and need some ice,” she said.
Five others were one shot behind, including third-ranked Choi Na-yoen. The
others are Se Ri Pak, Amy Yang, Anna Nordqvist and Karrie Webb.
Webb made a run on the back nine, sinking four birdie putts to close in on
Miyazato.
“The conditions besides the heat were pretty good,” Webb said. “We didn’t
have any breeze. I did think the pins were set pretty tough for first round
today.”
Numa Kulyanamitta (69) is tied for seventh along with Christel Boeljon,
while Stacy Lewis (70) dropped off the top of the leaderboard with a
triple-bogey on the last hole.
Tour Report: Wi leads; Tiger, Paddy closing in (PGATOUR.com)
PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. — Five birdies over the last seven holes. That’s what Tiger Woods has done to get within three of Charlie Wi’s shrinking lead. Wi actually saw his lead cut to two briefly before a birdie on No. 12 at Spyglass Hill to move to 14 under.
It’s not so much that Wi has played poorly — he has two birdies and no bogeys on the most difficult course on the property — it’s just that Woods has been borderline spectacular. Woods is 5 under through 11 holes at Pebble Beach, where he’s putted the ball very well with just 15 putts so far.
Woods isn’t the only playing well, though. Padraig Harrington, who needs to win if he has any hope of qualifying for the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship in two weeks, is 3 under through his first seven holes at Spyglass Hill. That has him tied for second with Woods and Joseph Bramlett.
PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. — The first two rounds, Tiger Woods talked about how he was putting the ball well but just wasn’t giving himself enough good looks to make birdies.
He certainly seems to be doing that here in the third round, where Woods just made his fifth birdie in his last six holes to get to 10 under and into a tie for second. Woods is now just three strokes back — he started the day six back — after making the turn on the back nine at Pebble Beach in 32.
Just how well is Woods hitting it today? Well enough that he took just 13 putts through his first nine holes.
The man Woods is chasing, Charlie Wi, meanwhile, just made the turn at Spyglass Hill in 1 under.
PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. — Tiger Woods has had plenty of highlight-reel moments at Pebble Beach, and another one looks like it’s in the works right now.
Woods just made his fourth birdie in the last five holes, pouring in a 22-footer on the par-3 17th to get to 3 under on his round and 9 under for the week — and within four shots of Charlie Wi’s lead.
Currently tied for fifth, there are only three players between Woods and Wi on the leaderboard at the moment with all three players just a stroke ahead of Woods.
So far Woods’ shots off the tee and into the greens have been largely on target. He’s missed just two fairways and one green in regulation. He’s also putting the ball much better with 12 putts through his first eight holes. Four of those putts were one-putts. By comparison, Woods had four one-putts all of his second round.
PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. — Charlie Wi still has the lead at 13 under, but for how long? There is an awful lot of movement behind him on the leaderboard with a ton of big names lurking.
Padraig Harrington, who earlier this week talked about the need to not only play well but win if he’s going to make the European Ryder Cup team, is 10 under after birdies on each of his first two holes at Spyglass Hill.
Jospeh Bramlett is also 10 under after making a double-eagle on the par-5 11th at Spyglass Hill.
Then there’s Tiger Woods, who bounced back from an early bogey with three straight birdies to get to 2 under through his first seven holes and within five of the lead at 8 under overall.
Dustin Johnson also recovered from a rough start. He bogeyed his first two holes at Monterey Peninsula but has since added a birdie and is also 8 under.
Phil Mickelson is in the hunt, too. He’s made two birdies (and one bogey) through his first eight holes on Pebble Beach and is among the eight players tied for sixth at 8 under.
PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. — After Friday’s second round, Tiger Woods talked about the need to make birdies. Well, he just made back-to-back ones on Nos. 13 and 14.
On the par-4 13th at Pebble Beach, Woods missed the fairway left — that’s been his consistent miss when he has missed this week — but managed to hit his approach from 126 yards to just 2 feet to set up the first birdie. He followed that with an approach shot to 11 feet on the par-5 14th and made the putt.
That gets Woods back into red numbers after he’d slipped to 1 over with a bogey on the par-3 12th. More importantly, it gets him back to within six shots of leader Charlie Wi.
As we’ve seen the last couple of weeks, six shots can go away pretty quickly — especially at Pebble Beach, where everyone will be playing on Sunday.
PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. — After shooting just a 2-under 68 on the easiest course in the rotation here, Monterey Peninsula, Tiger Woods knew he let an opportunity slip away. That score left him six shots back going into today’s third round at Pebble Beach, where Woods teed off just under an hour ago.
So far it hasn’t been a great start for Woods, who parred Nos. 10 and 11 — he wasn’t inside 20 feet on either approach shot — and just bogeyed No. 12 to drop a shot. On the 207-yard par-3 12th, Woods pulled his tee shot left of the green, pitched over a bunker to just inside 11 feet, and missed the par save.
Adding to Woods’ problems is that overnight leader Charlie Wi just birdied the fourth hole at Spyglass Hill to move to 13 under — eight shots ahead of Woods.
To track Woods’ round live with Shot Tracker,
PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. — The third round is under way at Pebble Beach, where it’s cool and overcast after some rain during the night and early morning hours. Weather shouldn’t be much of a factor, though, except for the temperatures only reaching into the low 50s with winds in the 10-15 mph range.
As for the courses, here’s a look at how they’ve played in the third round. Not surprisingly, Monterey Peninsula remains the easiest by two full strokes. Overnight leader Charlie Wi is playing Spyglass Hill, while Dustin Johnson is on Monterey Peninsula and Tiger Woods on Pebble Beach.
Golf-Veteran Bjorn leads in Dubai as McIlroy’s aim goes awry (Reuters)
By Matt Smith
DUBAI, Feb 11 (Reuters) – Veteran Dane Thomas Bjorn
was 14 under at the turn of the third round of the Dubai Desert
Classic on Saturday, one-shot ahead of playing partner Rory
McIlroy and with a resurgent Lee Westwood in fierce pursuit.
Bjorn, 40, and U.S. Open champion McIlroy began the day 13
under after rattling in a succession of birdies in near-perfect
conditions on the first two rounds.
Saturday was a different story, however, as offshore gusts
buffeted the Majlis course and temperatures topped 30 degrees
Celsius, making it tough for the leading trio as they teed off
under a searing midday sun.
By the turn, Bjorn was one under for the round, having
squandered a two-foot birdie chance on the ninth green, while
McIlroy, 22, was on par.
It could have been worse for the Ulsterman. Normally so
strong on this long game, the world number two missed the
fairway from the tee on four of the opening nine holes, most
calamitously on the seventh when his drive cleared the lake but
then rolled back into the water for a penalty shot.
He made partial amends, staying calm to sink a 20-foot putt
down the slope to escape with a bogey.
But Bjorn, who had bogeyed the fifth, took full advantage,
tapping in a five-foot birdie putt for a two-shot swing to
reclaim the lead.
McIlroy’s solitary birdie of the opening nine came on the
second hole, sinking a 10-foot putt on the short par four and
all the while Westwood, 38, was gaining ground.
The world number three had sunk successive birdies on the
final three holes of Friday’s round to start the day three
behind at 10 under and he reached 13 under before a bogey on the
sixth hole stalled his charge.
(Editing by Alison Wildey)
Jessica Korda leads Women’s Australian Open (AP)
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP)—American teenager Jessica Korda moved into position
for a two-sport, father-daughter Australian double, shooting an even-par 73 on
Saturday to take the third-round lead in the Women’s Australian Open at
difficult Royal Melbourne.
Korda, the 18-year-old daughter of 1998 Australian Open singles tennis
champion Petr Korda, had a 4-under 215 total in the LPGA Tour opener on the
historic club’s composite course, the 2011 Presidents Cup venue that is hosting
a women’s professional event for the first time. She opened with rounds of 72
and 70.
So Yeon Ryu, the U.S. Women’s Open champion who took a one-stroke lead into
the third round, was a stroke back along with fellow South Korean player Hee
Kyung-seo and Australia’s Nikki Campbell. Ryu shot a 76, Seo had a 75, and
Campbell a 70.
Top-ranked Yani Tseng, the Australian winner the last two years at
Commonwealth Golf Club, topped the group at 2 under after a 71. The Taiwanese
star was still smarting from a three-hole stretch Friday in her second-round 76
when she dropped six strokes with a quadruple-bogey 8 and two bogeys.
Canada’s Lorie Kane and American Katie Futcher also were 2 under. The
47-year-old Kane had a 72, and Futcher shot a 71.
Korda, seeking her first LPGA Tour victory, birdied Nos. 7, 9 and 10—all
par 4s—for a share of the lead with Ryu at 6 under. Korda dropped strokes with
bogeys on the par-4 13th and par-5 17th.
Ryu birdied the second and third holes to reach 8 under, but played her
final 14 holes in 5 over with six bogeys and a birdie. She bogeyed the par-4
18th to drop out of a tie for the lead.
Campbell had the best round of the day with her 70. She had five birdies and
two bogeys.
Only nine players were under par after three rounds, with long-hitting
American Brittany Lincicome and Paraguay’s Julieta Granada three strokes back at
1 under. Lincicome had a 73, and Granada shot a 76.
American Stacy Lewis, 4 under after opening rounds of 69 and 73, was even
par after a 70.
Fourteen-year-old New Zealand amateur Lydia Ko was 3 over after a 72, one of
only nine sub-par rounds Saturday. She won the New South Wales Open two weeks
ago to become the youngest winner of a sanctioned professional tour event.
Australian star Karrie Webb, a four-time winner in the event, was 6 over
after her third straight 75.
Second-ranked Suzann Pettersen also was 6 over after a 74. The Norwegian
star opened with an 80—the second-highest score of her LPGA Tour career—and
had a 71 on Friday to make the cut.
The LPGA Tour is sanctioning the national championship for the first time,
teaming with Australian Ladies Professional Golf and the Ladies European Tour.
Ryu leads Women’s Australian Open (AP)
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP)—So Yeon Ryu shot a 4-under 69 on Friday to take a
one-stroke lead over fellow South Korean Hee Kyung Seo after the second round of
the LPGA Tour’s season-opening Women’s Australian Open.
Ryu, a playoff winner over Hee in last year’s U.S. Women’s Open, had a
6-under 140 total at Royal Melbourne, the 2011 Presidents Cup venue hosting a
women’s professional tournament for the first time.
Hee shot a 66, the best score in the first two days of the tournament also
sanctioned by Australian Ladies Professional Golf and the Ladies European Tour.
American Stacy Lewis led after 13 holes but dropped five shots over the next
three holes and finished with a 73 to be at 4 under, along with American Jessica
Korda—daughter of former Australian Open tennis champion Petr Korda—
England’s Melissa Reid and Paraguay’s Julieta Granada.
Two-time defending champion Yani Tseng was even par after a 76.
The top-ranked Taiwanese star won the tournament, sanctioned by the LPGA
Tour for the first time this year, the last two seasons at Commonwealth Golf
Club. She won 12 worldwide titles last year, including major victories in the
LPGA Championship and Women’s British Open.
Sixteen-year-old American teen star Lexi Thompson was 2 over after her
second 74.
Four-time champion Karrie Webb was 4 over after a 75.
Fourteen-year-old New Zealand amateur Lydia Ko also was 4 over after a 76.
She won the New South Wales Open two weeks ago to become the youngest winner of
a sanctioned professional tour event.
Second-ranked Suzann Pettersen followed her opening 80—the second-highest
score of her LPGA Tour career—with a 71 to make the cut. Fourth-ranked Cristie
Kerr missed the cut with rounds of 75 and 78.
So Yeon Ryu leads Australian Ladies Masters by 3 (AP)
GOLD COAST, Australia (AP)—U.S. Open champion So Yeon Ryu shot a 3-under-par
69 on Saturday to take a three-stroke lead into the final round of the
Australian Ladies Masters.
Ryu, who shot an 11-under-par 61 in the second round, moved to a 54-hole
total of total of 20-under 196 at Royal Pines.
Christel Boeljon of the Netherlands shot 68 and was alone in second,
followed by Kim Ha-neul of South Korea, who shot a 64 and Diana Luna of Italy,
who carded a 66. They were tied for third, five strokes behind the leader.
American-born Australian Frances Bondad was the biggest mover of the day,
shooting a career-best 63 and was in fifth place, seven behind Ryu.
“I sort of lost track of how low I was shooting midway through the back
nine,” said Bondad, who has lived in Australia since she was three. “It was a
pretty good round and it sets me up well for Sunday.”
Bondad, a Ladies European Tour regular who won her first tour event last
year in China, birdied her last five holes.
Veteran Laura Davies of England shot 70 and was at 213, 17 behind Ryu.
Seven-time champion Karrie Webb is not playing this week and will start her
2012 season next week at the Australian Open, which is co-sanctioned by the LPGA
Tour.
Fernandez-Castano leads Daly by 1 at Qatar Masters (AP)
DOHA, Qatar (AP)—Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano birdied his last three holes
for a 6-under 66 at the Qatar Masters, overcoming wind and blowing sand to lead
John Daly by a shot after the first round on Thursday.
Daly (67) was followed by K.J. Choi (68) and Jason Day (68). Six players,
including 1999 British Open champion Paul Lawrie and Nicolas Colsaerts, were
three shots off the pace.
Martin Kaymer (71) and Sergio Garcia (72) were in contention, but about
two-thirds of the field shot over par, including defending champion Thomas Bjorn
(79).
“It just happened,” Fernandez-Castano said with a smile. “It was such a
difficult day that you didn’t have any expectation going out there. Every shot
was difficult. Every shot, you had to be 100 percent focused. That is probably
what kept me in the game.”
The Spaniard, winner of five European Tour titles, holed several putts of
more than 20 feet on his way to nine birdies to go along with three bogeys.
He played his best golf on the back nine, bouncing back from a bogey on 13
to make four birdies on the final five holes.
“I think the key was holing the putt on 16th,” Fernandez-Castano said. “I
hit the green with my 3 wood. The first putt was very poor, left it 3 meters (10
feet) short of the hole and managed to hole that one. You never know, maybe I
missed that one and your momentum disappears.
“But I holed that one and hit a lovely shot on the next, holed the putt and
then had a lovely drive on the last … I had a tricky bunker shot and holed the
last putt.”
Daly benefited from milder conditions in the morning when gusts of up to 22
mph died down for several holes. The two-time major winner shot bogey-free golf,
including five birdies.
Opening his season in Doha, he wants to get back on track after struggling
at the end of 2011, the nadir being when he quit the Australian Open in November
after hitting seven balls into water.
“It was brutal. I’m pretty shocked myself shooting 5 under,” said Daly,
sporting a buzz cut and bright red and black checkered pants.
“It was great start,” he added. “It was one of the best rounds I ever
played. I mean that. That is just how hard the golf course is playing.”
Daly, who won the 1995 British Open in wind and rain, said he often thrives
in tough conditions like those endured on Thursday, adding that he was helped by
consistent driving and the way he “managed the course.”
“I had a lot of chances to at least hit the greens and I can’t say it’s
from practicing a lot because I took a lot of time off which I pretty much
needed,” Daly said. “I love the way I putted. I’ve always been kind of decent
in the wind. I’m a streaky putter so you can sometimes hit some bad putts and
get away with it.”
Some players said they have faced windier conditions, especially in England
and Scotland. But what made the Doha course so challenging was the strong winds
were kicking up sand from the surrounding desert.
Balls were difficult to track off the tee because of lower visibility and
sand was getting into their hair, eyes and everything else.
“I know what wiener schnitzel feels like, because I’m pan-fried,”
Fernandez-Castano joked.
Lee Westwood, who missed the cut last year, said he was just happy to break
par.
“71 felt like a good score,” Westwood tweeted. “Left a few out there but
have a very smooth completion on the plus side! Sandblasted!”
Several big names fared worse and were in danger of missing the cut,
including Ryder Cup player Ross Fisher, who finished with a 9-over 81, Bjorn at
7 over and Robert Karlsson, who shot 78.
Choi (68) said the key to his bogey-free round was the way he and caddie
Steve Underwood were able to predict the gusts.
“To play bogey-free golf is fantastic,” said Choi, who tied for 48th in
Abu Dhabi last week.
“We were comfortable reading the wind together. We had great teamwork today
and that set the pace and helped me gain confidence.”
———
Follow Michael Casey on Twitter at https://twitter.com/mcasey1
Lee leads Australian Masters after 1st round (AP)
GOLD COAST, Australia (AP)—Lee Bo-mee of South Korea fired seven birdies
for a 7-under 65 to take a one-stroke lead after Thursday’s first round of the
Australian Ladies Masters.
U.S. Open champion So Yeon Ryu, the early leader, was a stroke back on 66 at
Royal Pines with fellow-South Korean Hee Kyung Seo and Christel Boeljon of the
Netherlands.
American teenager Lexi Thompson had five birdies in an error-free round to
sit two strokes off the pace with England’s Felicity Johnson, and Australians
Nikki Campbell and Stephanie Na.
The 16-year-old Thompson became the youngest winner in Ladies European Tour
history in December when she won the Dubai Ladies Masters. In September she
became the youngest LPGA Tour champion with a victory in the Navistar LPGA
Classic in Alabama.