Maude-Aimee LeBlanc, a 35-year-old Canadian who has never won an LPGA event, holds a one-shot lead after the first round of the Fir Hills Seri Pak Championship on Thursday in Palos Verdes Estates, Calif.
LeBlanc shot a bogey-free, 7-under-par 64 at Palos Verdes Golf Club, with Malia Nam just behind.
Alison Lee, Lauren Hartlage, Japan’s Yuka Saso and Sweden’s Madelene Sagstrom are tied for third at 5 under. Rose Zhang, Thailand’s Natthakritta Vongtaveelap, China’s Xiyu Lin, Canada’s Brooke Henderson, Germany’s Isi Gabsa, South Korea’s In Gee Chun and Japan’s Yuna Nishimura share seventh place at 3 under.
LeBlanc birdied two of her first three holes, then added three consecutive birdies to complete the front nine. She birdied both of the par-5 holes on the back nine.
“I felt like I hit the ball really well today and whenever I missed the green I was able to make up and down,” LeBlanc said. “Made some really good saves and just kept the momentum going throughout the round, so, yeah, the putting was good as well.
“These greens can get really tricky. They’re hard to read, but I feel like my caddie and I did a good job reading them today, so I’ll take it.”
LeBlanc missed the cut in both of her previous starts this year, and she made just three cuts in seven events last year, topped by a tie for 13th at this event last year.
Asked about the challenge of breaking through for a victory, LeBlanc said, “That’s a constant work. I feel like I have to bring myself back to the present a lot of time. I have my mental coach on the bag with me so he helps me with that as well.
“So, yeah, I can feel my mind going in the future a lot when I’m playing, but when I’m over the ball, I feel like I can bring myself back to the shot that I need to hit.”
Nam, a 24-year-old rookie, is a former University of Southern California star competing in her second LPGA event. She tied for 57th in Bradenton, Fla., in January.
Nam, who said she has played Palos Verdes more than 100 times, was at 6-under 30 through the front nine, including an eagle on the par-4 fifth hole. She finished with one bogey and one birdie on the back nine.
“It’s really nice to come back to a course that I’m really familiar with,” she said. “It definitely helped knowing where not to miss and where to miss.”
Lexi Thompson became the first player to record two eagles in a round on the tour this year, accomplishing the feat on the par-5 seventh and par-4 18th holes. However, she is tied for 44th at even par, as her round included five bogeys and just one birdie.
Defending champion Ruoning Yin of China shot a 70 and is tied for 28th.
–Field Level Media
