NAPLES, Florida: Somi Lee decided to change her putting grip to be like Lydia Ko and it paid off in a big way Thursday in the CME Group Tour Championship, where the South Korean opened with an 8-under 64 for a two-shot lead in the chase for a $4 million payoff.
Lee began to pull away when she went down one club to a 5-iron because of the warm conditions and set up an eagle on the par-5 17th. Her only lapse was a long three-putt bogey on the closing hole at Tiburon Golf Club.
Even so, she was two shots clear of former US Women’s Open champion Allizen Corpuz.
Jeeno Thitikul, the No. 1 player and front-runner for LPGA Player of the Year, had six birdies in her round of 67, tied with three other players. Thitikul won the Tour Championship last year, and will win the points-based Player of the Year unless Miyu Yamashita of Japan wins this tournament.
Yamashita, whose two victories this year include the Women’s British Open, was slowed by two bogeys and opened with a 70.
Nelly Korda, trying to avoid a winless year after seven titles a year ago, missed a 3-foot birdie putt on the 17th in a ho-hum round of 71.
Lee was among 29 players who won this year on the LPGA, teaming with Jin Hee Im in the Dow Championship. She was 14th in the Race to CME Globe, a solid year, but she felt she was held back by her putting. That’s when she noticed Ko, the latest LPGA Hall of Fame member.
“I just followed Lydia Ko’s putter grip because she’s a good player and I thought, ‘Why not follow a good player’s putter grip?’ It worked really well,” Lee said.
She tried it last week, made a few tweaks and was rolling at the Tour Championship, taking only 27 putts in the round.
The top 60 reached the season finale, and Race to CME Globe rankings are no longer relevant. Whoever wins the tournament gets $4 million — the richest prize in women’s golf — from the $11 million purse.
Thitikul knows that feeling from last year. What really motivates her is knowing a break is coming.
“I think because we’re going to finish the season,” the Thai star said when asked why she plays so well at Tiburon. “I don’t know, just excited and like we had nothing to worry about. Because this is our last tournament of the year and then we just play like carefree.
“I think it’s the key to be able to hit some good golf.”
She also has a tender left wrist from last week at Pelican Golf Club from hitting shots off the firm turf, and she avoided practice on Tuesday. She said it’s still a little sore, but not enough to bother her. Her annoyance was more from failing to birdie any of the four par 5s.
But she’s in good spirits with the end in sight.
“I know like we’re playing for $4 million check, but to me I think it’s just like almost a bonus for me this kind of year to be able to play here,” she said. “I have been on a really good run for the year, nothing to think about that much.”
Thitikul was in a tie for third with Im, Nasa Hataoka and Sei-young Kim. A pair of major champions, Grace Kim (Evian Championship) and Minjee Lee (Women’s PGA) were in the group at 68.
Lexi Thompson was challenging for the lead early in the day until she stubbed a chip short of the green at the par-5 17th and it ran down a swale. Her next chip hit the cup and rolled 3 feet away and she missed the par putt. She missed a 4-foot par putt on the 18th for a 70.
Thompson played a part-time schedule — 11 times going into the Tour Championship — and is getting married early next year. She still wants to be part of the next Solheim Cup team and doesn’t plan to add to her schedule next year.
Korda had two early bogeys, and while she was bogey-free the final 16 holes, she also missed plenty of good birdie chances.
