Stephanie Meadow birdied her last two holes to open with a one-under 70 as Leona Maguire shot 71 in the ShopRite LPGA Classic in New Jersey. 

The touring professional for Galgorm Castle sandwiched birdies at the 14th and 16th between bogeys at the 13th and 18th to turn in level par at Seaview’s Bay Course near Atlantic City. But after dropping another shot at the fifth, her 14th to slip to one-over, the Jordanstown star birdied the eighth and the par-five ninth to finish in the red.

Scores

She ended the day tied for 55th, seven strokes behind Mi Hyang Lee and second-year LPGA member Lauren Stephenson, who fired eight-under 63s to lead by a shot from Nasa Hataoka and Ryann O’Toole.

It was a better driving performance for Meadow, who struggled to hit fairways in the ANA Inspiration, then missed the cut in the Cambia Portland Classic two weeks ago.

As for Maguire, she also started on the back nine and followed a bogey at the 14th with a birdie at the first before then bouncing back from another dropped shot at the seventh with a birdie at the eighth.

She finished the day tied for 71st and eight shots off the lead held by Lee and Stephenson, who holed out for eagle from 137 yards with a pitching wedge on the 14th. The University of Alabama alumna also added eight birdies to her scorecard.

“I was in the rough and assumed it was going to skip forward,” said Stephenson, who competed in the IOA Classic last week on the Symetra Tour to prep for her eighth LPGA Tour start this season. “I saw the bounce and thought it stopped, which I was happy with because I was worried it was going to skip through the green and go over. I looked away and my caddie was like, ‘I think it went in.’ I didn’t want to get excited then it was over the green, but yeah, it was exciting.”

Lee recorded a bogey-free round in the afternoon to join Stephenson at the top. A major key was her play on the four par-threes, which she played to three-under combined.

“It was a really good start for me, and I really look forward to the next three rounds,” Lee said after eight birdies on the Bay Course. “I didn’t have any bad shots or bad putts, everything was good. It’s a little wet and the greens are really soft, so it was easier to hit the long clubs in. I have experience tied for a lead in the first round before and need to concentrate on my golf then just keep going.”

Holding down the fort in solo fifth position is Jennifer Song thanks to a bogey-free, six-under 65. A total of six players sit -5 including three-time LPGA winner Katherine Kirk, 2019 Symetra Tour graduate and 2020 LPGA rookie Patty Tavatanakit, and Jenny Shin, a ROLEX First-Time Winner in 2016.

Defending champion Lexi Thompson opened her ShopRite LPGA Classic title defense with five birdies in a 68 to finish the day in a nine-way tie for 12th with Cambia Portland Classic winner Georgia Hall.

HATAOKA CRUISES TO AN OPENING-ROUND 64
Nasa Hataoka is making her return to the ShopRite LPGA Classic in a big way, thanks to a first-round 64 that puts her in a tie for third entering Friday. It’s only her second career appearance on the Bay Course at Seaview, A Dolce Hotel, and first since 2017. The three-time LPGA Tour champion is trying to draw on the memories she has of Galloway, N.J., from her first start here three years ago.

“Feels a lot different than the first time I played, and I had a lot of quality shots out there today,” said Hataoka, who recorded six birdies and a 24-foot eagle putt on No. 18. “I remember the fescue, rough and narrow fairways. Felt like playing a links golf course.”

Since the LPGA Tour resumed play, Hataoka has only one top-10, a tie for seventh result at the ANA Inspiration. It’s the little things, she said, that will help yield another top finish. “Since the restart, I am getting my feel back with the putter,” said Hataoka. “That was a big thing. I had some long putts today, so that was very big.”

O’TOOLE STARTS BOGEY-FREE AT SHOPRITE LPGA CLASSIC
Ryann O’Toole feels her game coming back and admits it has been a challenge finding momentum. Through eight events in 2020, O’Toole’s highest finish is only a tie for 62nd at the ANA Inspiration. But she said she’s finally seeing the fruits of her labor, and so did the rest of the world after a first-round 64 at the ShopRite LPGA Classic presented by Acer. It’s her lowest 18-hole score on the season, and she is proud of her work that she has put in recently.

“I felt like it was just a slow process back, just having that layoff and not being able to work with your coach for that period of time. Arizona was on shutdown and you couldn't fly to us or anything,” said O’Toole. “Made it tough and now just getting back into the swing and seeing where things are, it's a weird year to say the least.”

O’Toole said she is even looking ahead to next week—the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship—where she is currently the second alternate. She booked her flights like she was in the event and wants to fight for her chance to play through the ShopRite LPGA Classic. 

“I just feel like I've been staying patient, not getting discouraged, keep working on the right things, and it showed itself,” O’Toole said. “As a competitor, a golfer, I hate being an alternate. I'm second alternate, so there is a winner this week and I want to win so I don’t have to sit and wait and hope that I get in. If I do, if someone else plays better, good for them.”

SONG SHOWCASES STRONG SHORT GAME IN BOGEY-FREE EFFORT

Short game is typically a strong suit for Jennifer Song and while it wasn’t in peak form during the Cambia Portland Classic, she got it back on track in round one of the ShopRite LPGA Classic presented by Acer. It helped guide her to a -6 performance on the Bay Course of Seaview, A Dolce Hotel, today.

“On the front nine, I had some trouble where I was trying to make up and down but I didn’t get it on the green and was on the fringe. One hole I chipped in for par, then another I left my chip short, but putted off the fringe and it went in the hole,” said Song, now in her 11th year on Tour. “Things went pretty well for me. When I did have birdie chances, I was able to roll a couple putts in which helped me shoot low.”

During the week off, improving her short game was a point of emphasis in her practice routine.

“When I was in Portland, I was sort of struggling with my short game. It was decent, but short game is one of my strengths and I felt like it wasn’t quite there,” Song said. “Last week in Orlando, I was working on my short game a lot. You can’t always make every green in regulation. When I made mistakes today, I was pretty confident off the green. That really helped me a lot.”

SOLID START FOR BUHAI IN JERSEY THANKS TO LESSONS LEARNED IN PORTLAND

Ashleigh Buhai was relieved to have last week off from the LPGA Tour after a roller coaster of a final round at the Cambia Portland Classic. She started that Sunday seven shots off the lead, but as the day’s leaders started falling, Buhai’s 65 landed her in the first playoff of her career with Georgia Hall. Buhai eventually lost with bogey on the second extra hole but taking second was still a gratifying experience.

“It was a good week. It's good that I had a week off. Obviously, I was disappointed, so got over that a little bit. At the same time I was very proud with how I played there,” Buhai said after shooting a first-round 66 in the ShopRite LPGA Classic presented by Acer. “If you had told me at the beginning of that day that I would be seven shots behind and in a playoff,  I would've taken it. So I tried to just take the feels that I was feeling there into this week, and so far I've managed to accomplish that.”

Buhai currently sits in a tie for sixth in her fourth career appearance in Galloway, N.J. She recorded six birdies, to which she credits soft greens giving her the ability to play “super aggressive” while only hitting eight of 14 fairways. The South African said the playoff reminded her that she has the ability to cope with the pressure of a tournament on her shoulders and was proud of shots she executed down the stretch. Now, she’s hoping to keep those “same feels” going this week.

“It is not always easy, but I'm happy that so far I've been able to do it,” said Buhai. “I was 2-under with I think four or five to play and I said to myself, ‘Well, let's try to get two going and get it to four’ and I managed to get one extra, so definitely take it.”

ACE FOR ALTOMARE
A member of Team USA at the 2019 Solheim Cup, Brittany Altomare made the eighth hole-in-one of the 2020 LPGA Tour season, finding the bottom of the cup on No. 17 with a pitching wedge from 108 yards.

“It hit the pin pretty hard and in my experience when it does that, the ball could go anywhere—hits the pin and just ricochets,” said Altomare, who carded a bogey-free, 6-under par 28 on her opening nine which included the ace. “I heard it and think I was a little shocked. It made a loud noise then just dunked in. When that happens, it’s so unexpected but is always a nice surprise.”

For that ace, CME Group will donate $20,000 to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, which is leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. The 2020 season has now seen eight aces for a total of $160,000 donated to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

“It is awesome that the CME [Group] does that,” Altomare said. “I think last year they donated a lot of money, which is pretty cool. I’m just happy that I could contribute in some way to a great cause.”

Altomare ultimately shot a 5-under par 66 on the day and is tied for sixth.

LPGA TOUR, CME GROUP REAFFIRM FINAL EVENT OF 2020 SEASON
The LPGA announced today that the CME Group Tour Championship will have a few adjustments to its 2020 tournament format. As the final event for the 2020 LPGA Tour season, the field will comprise 70 players versus the traditional 60 in the Race to the CME Globe points standings, along with two sponsor exemptions. The 72-hole tournament will have no cut, with a purse of $3 million. The winner will receive $1.1 million, the highest first-place check on the LPGA Tour.

“The 2020 LPGA Tour season has certainly faced its challenges, and thanks to incredible partners like CME Group, we have been able to stage competitive opportunities for our players,” said LPGA Commissioner Mike Whan. “Terry Duffy and his team are among the greatest ambassadors for women’s golf, and we are incredibly appreciative that they have remained with us through this season. The LPGA and CME Group intend to return the Tour Championship back to its original format in 2021.”

“We are extremely proud to continue our long-standing relationship with the LPGA Tour, which supports female athletes while also elevating the sport of women’s golf,” said Terry Duffy, CME Group Chairman and CEO. “Through the CME Group Tour Championship, we are also very proud to continue our support of St. Jude Children’s Hospital – where no family ever receives a bill because all they should worry about is helping their child live. We believe this year’s Tour Championship will provide an exciting finish to one the most uncertain years in history.”

The 2020 CME Group Tour Championship will be held at Tiburon Golf Club in Naples, Fla., on Dec. 17-20. Sunday’s final round will be televised on NBC, with the first three rounds airing on Golf Channel.

Rolex Rankings No. 53 Mi Hyang Lee (63)

• Her first-round 63 is one stroke shy of matching a career-best on the LPGA Tour; her top score of 62 came at the 2016 Volvik Founders Cup

• She hit 13 of 14 fairways and 16 of 18 greens, with 26 putts

• This is Lee’s eighth event of the 2020 LPGA Tour season; her best finish is T6 at the ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open in February

• This is Lee’s seventh appearance in the ShopRite LPGA Classic presented by Acer and her top performance is T28 in 2013

• First win as a professional was at the 2012 Symetra Classic on the Symetra Tour

• Finished in the 2012 Volvik Race for the Card top-10 to become a Symetra Tour graduate

• Two-time LPGA Tour champion at the 2014 Mizuno Classic and the 2017 Aberdeen Asset Management Ladies Scottish Open

• Finished T29 at the 2011 LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament to first secure LPGA Tour membership for the 2012 season

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Rolex Rankings No. 182 Lauren Stephenson (63)

• Her first-round 63 is a career-best on the LPGA Tour; her previous best was a 66, which she recorded three times as a rookie in 2019 and most recently in the first round of the Cambia Portland Classic

• She hit 12 of 14 fairways and 16 of 18 greens, with 26 putts

• This is Stephenson’s eighth event of the 2020 LPGA Tour season; her best finish is T35 at the Gainbridge LPGA at Boca Rio in January

• This is Stephenson’s second appearance in the ShopRite LPGA Classic presented by Acer; she finished T51 in 2019

• Qualified for the 2016 and 2017 U.S. Women’s Open Championship; secured career-best T41 result in 2017 at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, N.J.

• Member of Team USA for both the Curtis Cup and Arnold Palmer Cup in 2018

• Finished T8 at 2018 LPGA Q-Series to first earn LPGA Tour membership for 2019 season

Rolex Rankings No. 134 Ryann O’Toole (64)

• O’Toole’s first-round 64 is her lowest round ever at the ShopRite LPGA Classic presented by Acer; her previous best was 67 during the first round in 2015

• She hit 13 of 14 fairways and 15 of 18 greens, with 27 putts

• This is her 10th season on the LPGA Tour; her career-best finish is 3rd at 2018 Swinging Skirts LPGA Taiwan Championship presented by CTBC 

• This is O’Toole’s ninth event of the 2020 LPGA Tour season; her best result is T62 at ANA Inspiration

• This is O’Toole’s eighth appearance in the ShopRite LPGA Classic presented by Acer; her best finish is T23 in 2015

• In 2019, she earned one top-10 finish with a top performance of T6 at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship presented by P&G in June

Rolex Rankings No. 8 Nasa Hataoka (64)

• Hataoka’s first-round 64 is her lowest round ever at ShopRite LPGA Classic presented by Acer; her previous best was 74 during the first round in 2017

• She hit 10 of 14 fairways and 15 of 18 greens, with 27 putts

• This is Hataoka’s seventh event of the 2020 LPGA Tour season; her best result is 2nd in the Gainbridge LPGA at Boca Rio, one of four top-15 performances this year

• Hataoka fell to Gaby Lopez on the seventh playoff hole in a Monday finish at the season-opening Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions; her fifth career runner-up finish

• She is in her fourth season on the LPGA Tour and has three career wins, most recently at the 2019 Kia Classic

• Hataoka won the 2016, 2017 and 2019 Japan Women’s Open Championship; in 2016 she was the first amateur and the youngest champion to win a major on the JLPGA

• The 21-year-old has five total wins on the JLPGA, with four being major titles