Lexi Thompson shares first-round lead at Evian Championship
Thursday 10 September 2015 19:30, UK
Lexi Thompson set a searing pace in the opening round of the Evian Championship as many of Europe's Solheim Cup team struggled in the final major of the year.
Thompson made light of the cool, breezy conditions to fire a flawless five-under 66, while Mi Hyang Lee was the only one of the later starters to reel in the American by the close of play.
Caroline Hedwall, one of Carin Koch's four captain's picks for next week's Solheim Cup, discovered some timely form with a two-under 70 and Charley Hull made three straight birdies on the back nine to get under the card, but they were the only two members of Europe's team to break par.
Anna Nordqvist slumped to four over par before she birdied her last three holes to salvage a respectable 72, but team spearhead Suzann Pettersen failed to make a single birdie in a 75 as did Melissa Reid, who was one shot further adrift.
But Thompson was a model of consistency after racing to the top of the leaderboard, following two pars at 10 and 11 with a birdie at 12, a superb eagle at the next, and further birdies at 14 and 15 taking her to five under after just six holes.
Live Ladies European Tour Golf
The putts dried up for the world No 7, but she managed to keep a bogey off her card as 12 consecutive pars capped an excellent opening day.
Lee also started at the 10th and birdied her first two holes before offsetting two more birdies with a pair of bogeys in a back-nine 34, but she picked up three shots over a faultless outward half - including one at the ninth which earned her a share of the overnight lead.
Gerina Piller, Eun-Hee Ji and Pornanong Phatlum all posted commendable 67s to tie for third place, while last week's Helsingborg Open champion Nicole Broch Larsen is among a group of six players on three under.
Hedwall mixed three birdies with just one bogey in her encouraging opener which put her alongside world No 2 Lydia Ko, who made five birdies against three bogeys in her erratic 69.
Hull bogeyed two of the first five holes before hitting back with an eagle at the ninth, although she gave both shots back at 10 and 11 prior to a sparkling run of three straight birdies from the 13th.
The 19-year-old was one of only 25 players to break par on day one, while veteran Karrie Webb returned a 71 and world No 1 Inbee Park dropped her fourth shot of the round at the ninth to slip to one over par.
