(Los Angeles) American women’s golf star Lexi Thompson was one over par after 16 holes in her PGA Tour debut when darkness fell during the first round of the Shriners Children’s Open on Thursday at Las Vegas.
The 28-year-old LPGA star became only the seventh woman to compete in a PGA tournament, the first since compatriot Brittany Lincicome at the 2018 Barbasol Championship.
Thompson was tied for 76th place, eight shots back of the lead held by compatriot Beau Hosler. She will attempt to become the second woman to make the cut in a PGA Tour tournament, the first being Shirley Spork with a 105th place finish at the 1952 Barracuda Championship.
“Babe” Didrikson Zaharias played in seven PGA tournaments, the last in 1946, while another American, Michelle Wie West, played in eight PGA tournaments, missing the cut each time, the last in date being the 2008 Barracuda Championship.
Sweden’s Annika Sorenstam missed the cut at Colonia in 2003 and American Suzy Whaley also missed the cut at the Travelers Championship in 2003.
Thompson said she felt the weight of history at the start of her first round, comparing it to the tension of Solheim Cup team matches, including last month’s event where she was part of the U.S. team that were unable to reclaim the trophy after drawing 14-14 with Europe.
“I was a little nervous, but not too much,” she said. “Like at Solheim, I was a little nervous, but that’s kind of why you play.”
A former world No.2, Thompson, who won her only major title at the 2014 Kraft Nabisco, captured her last LPGA title at the 2019 ShopRite Classic. Her most recent title came at a Ladies European event Tour to New York in October 2022.
