Lexi Thompson Grabs Lead After Third Round Of 2013 Lorena Ochoa Invitational

Lexi Thompson (click to enlarge)

With only a few months separating Lydia Ko from her rookie season on the LPGA Tour, another precocious prodigy might be on the verge of taking her game to an even higher level. Everybody recognizes the talent possessed by Lexi Thompson. She won both LPGA and Ladies European Tour events before her rookie season on the LPGA Tour. She has won since joining the LPGA Tour, capturing the Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia last month. And if she can close the deal on Sunday at the 2013 Lorena Ochoa Invitational, we just might be witnessing the inception of a dominant run by a player who is still only 18 years old. All of the talent and promise may be coming to a successful fruition before our eyes. But…she has to finish the job in round four. As I said yesterday, her second round 64 coming off of last month’s victory might signal big things for Lexi on moving day. Indeed, she followed her sensational second round 8-under with a 5-under 67 in the third round, tying for low round of the day and vaulting her into solo first place on the penultimate day of action. Thompson had an up and down even round first day, finishing with 3 birdies and 3 bogeys, including a downer of an ending by bogeying 18. However, she has been nothing short of spectacular since, draining 13 birdies against zero bogeys over the last 36 holes.

Lexi Thompson (click to enlarge)

There are a lot of great players on tour. They wouldn’t be on the LPGA Tour if they hadn’t been successful elsewhere. With that, there are special players who have careers loaded with surpassing achievements, be that reaching #1, winning multiple Majors, qualifying for the Hall of Fame, etc. But there are a precious few players who have an extra plateau they can ascend to where they look like they are toying with the rest of the field, like they are playing a different game than everybody else. Oddly enough, some of those players are very streaky. They never reach #1 or the Hall of Fame. One such player is Suzann Pettersen. She hasn’t been #1 yet (although that could change soon), but if you follow the LPGA, you know that when Tutta has everything working she can be untouchable. Others do reach that level while also reaching the top. There were many times Annika Sorenstam, Lorena Ochoa and Yani Tseng were so dominant that they effectively ended any speculation about who would win a tournament by Saturday. When they were firing on all cylinders, it was just a matter of how much would they win by. At this point, Lexi doesn’t belong in either category. However, I think the ability to put herself in that realm of Golf Goddesses is there, ready to bubble over. First, she needs to finish off this tournament. That will be no easy task. In Kyung Kim, So Yeon Ryu and former world #1 Stacy Lewis are all on Lexi’s heels. They will not roll over just because fans think Lexi might be on the verge of realizing her potential. So don’t think I am counting this as a Lexi win yet. Not at all. What I am saying is that I think that Lexi has the talent in her to be spoken of in the same breath as Suzann Pettersen, and if she continues to win and becomes dominant, maybe Annika, Lorena and Yani one day. That day is not today. And it isn’t Sunday either, even if she wins. But Sunday could be the starting line of a journey that will one day see Lexi Thompson in the Hall of Fame. She’s that good.

BIRDIES

Four players tied for low round of the day at 67: Lexi Thompson, In Kyung Kim, Stacy Lewis and Michelle Wie. Lexi, Inky and Stacy rode their 67s into a 1, 2, 3 finish on day 3 while Michelle leapfrogged from 20th to 10th.

Inbee Park and Suzann Pettersen are tied at 8-under as the race for Player of the Year remains too close to call. Will Tutta make a move on Sunday or will Queen Bee hold off the charge?

BOGEY

Unfortunately, Beatriz Recari pulled out sick. Here’s wishing the 3-time LPGA winner gets well soon.

ALL PICS CLICK TO ENLARGE (Pics are from both Round 3 and the Lorena Ochoa Foundation Gala)

LEXI THOMPSON

At the Gala with Jodi Ewart-Shadoff and Jessica Korda

MICHELLE WIE

with Ai Miyazato

PORNANONG PHATLUM

INBEE PARK

PAULA CREAMER

AI MIYAZATO

ANNA NORDQVIST

IN KYUNG KIM

STACY LEWIS

LIZETTE SALAS

SO YEON RYU

with Inbee Park at Gala

THE FOLLOWING PICS ARE FROM THE GALA AND FEATURE PLAYERS SUCH AS PAULA CREAMER, MICHELLE WIE, JESSICA KORDA, BRITTANY LINCICOME, SANDRA GAL, MORGAN PRESSEL…AW HECK, TOO MANY TO NAME ALL OF THEM…JUST ENJOY! AS PER USUAL, CLICK FOR LARGER SIZES 🙂

Pos	Start	Player	ToPar	Thru	Today	R2	R3	R4
	1	1	THOMPSON, Lexi	-13	10:21 AM	72	64	67	203
	2	2	KIM, I.K.	-12	10:21 AM	70	67	67	204
	3	3	LEWIS, Stacy	-11	10:21 AM	72	66	67	205
	4	4	RYU, So Yeon	-10	10:10 AM	68	67	71	206
	T5	T5	NORDQVIST, Anna	-9	10:10 AM	68	67	72	207
	T5	T5	PHATLUM, Pornanong	-9	10:10 AM	66	69	72	207
	T7	T7	PETTERSEN, Suzann	-8	9:59 AM	70	68	70	208
	T7	T7	SALAS, Lizette	-8	9:59 AM	70	67	71	208
	T7	T7	PARK, Inbee	-8	9:59 AM	68	68	72	208
	T10	T10	WIE, Michelle	-7	9:48 AM	69	73	67	209
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	T10	T10	MUNOZ, Azahara	-7	9:48 AM	71	69	69	209
	T12	T12	CIGANDA, Carlota	-6	9:48 AM	72	69	69	210
	T12	T12	YANG, Amy	-6	9:37 AM	67	73	70	210
	T12	T12	ICHER, Karine	-6	9:37 AM	70	68	72	210
	T12	T12	PILLER, Gerina	-6	9:37 AM	71	65	74	210
	T16	T16	LINCICOME, Brittany	-4	9:26 AM	76	67	69	212
	T16	T16	MARTIN, Mo	-4	9:26 AM	73	69	70	212
	T18	T18	LEE, Ilhee	-3	9:26 AM	74	66	73	213
	T18	T18	PRESSEL, Morgan	-3	9:15 AM	73	66	74	213
	T18	T18	SHIN, Jenny	-3	9:15 AM	69	69	75	213
	T21	T21	EWART SHADOFF, Jodi	-2	9:15 AM	75	67	72	214
	T21	T21	CHOI, Chella	-2	9:04 AM	74	68	72	214
	T21	T21	MIYAZATO, Ai	-2	9:04 AM	70	72	72	214
	T21	T21	KORDA, Jessica	-2	9:04 AM	72	68	74	214
	25	25	HEDWALL, Caroline	-1	8:53 AM	73	73	69	215
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	T26	T26	MATTHEW, Catriona	E	8:53 AM	74	71	71	216
	T26	T26	KERR, Cristie	E	8:53 AM	77	67	72	216
	28	28	LANG, Brittany	+1	8:42 AM	71	72	74	217
	T29	T29	STANFORD, Angela	+2	8:42 AM	75	72	71	218
	T29	T29	CREAMER, Paula	+2	8:42 AM	74	67	77	218
	T31	T31	RAMOS, Margarita	+4	8:31 AM	75	72	73	220
	T31	T31	GAL, Sandra	+4	8:31 AM	72	74	74	220
	T33	T33	LLANEZA, Alejandra	+5	8:31 AM	75	73	73	221
	T33	T33	LEE, Meena	+5	8:20 AM	74	72	75	221
	35	35	COLLINS, Taylor	+11	8:20 AM	74	77	76	227
	WD		RECARI, Beatriz	+5		72	77