PRATTVILLE, Alabama: Defending champion Lexi Thompson shot a 3-under 69 on Friday to take a one-stroke lead into the weekend at the Navistar LPGA Classic.
The 17-year-old Thompson had a 12-under 132 total on the links-style Senator course at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail’s Capitol Hill complex. She matched the tournament record Thursday with a career-best 63.
“I played pretty consistent today,” Thompson said. “I hit a few squirrely iron shots that I wasn’t happy with, but overall I played consistent. My putting has gotten a lot better.
“It’s all about confidence really and just getting up to it and saying to yourself, you’re going to make the putt. That’s all I’m doing really, just getting a line and commit to it.”
Last year, Thompson became the youngest champion in LPGA Tour history at age 16, winning by five strokes. Fifteen-year-old amateur Lydia Ko broke the record last month in the Canadian Women’s Open.
Mindy Kim and Mi Jung Hur were a stroke back. They played in the same group and each shot 65.
Kim and Hur also missed late chances to tie Thompson. Hur missed a 3-foot birdie putt on the par-5 eighth, their 17th hole of the day, and Kim missed a 6-footer on the par-4 ninth.
Kim started the day with five straight birdies and had eight overall, along with a bogey.
“My putter was really hot today, right off the get-go,” Kim said. “I’m just really excited to be in this position. I haven’t been in this position for a while, so hopefully I can play some good golf on the weekend.”
So was Hur, who said it’s been a “long time, no see” as far as her name being on any leaderboard, and she didn’t figure this would be the day to change that. She woke up feeling lousy, still suffering from a cold she got earlier this week after playing in the cold at the Women’s British Open.
But Hur also started the second round with five straight birdies and felt better in a hurry.
“After I made the third birdie, I was feeling much better,” she said. “It was a pretty fantastic round with (Kim). We had a really great round together.”
Dori Carter was two strokes back at 10 under along with Hee Young Park and Lizette Salas. Carter had a 67, and Park and Salas shot 69.
“It wasn’t the best ball-striking day for me, but I saved pars when I needed to and I just rolled in a couple birdies,” Salas said. “Bogey-free round. I just kept steady, didn’t force anything.”
Top-ranked Yani Tseng was 3 under after a 70. Michelle Wie missed the cut by a stroke, shooting a 73 to finish at even par.
Thompson remains on top at Navistar LPGA Classic
Thompson remains on top at Navistar LPGA Classic
US invests in counter-drone tech to protect FIFA World Cup venues
The US will invest $115 million in counter-drone measures to bolster security around the FIFA World Cup and America’s 250th Anniversary celebrations, the Department of Homeland Security said on Monday, the latest sign of governments stepping up drone defenses.
The FIFA World Cup will be a major test of President Donald Trump’s pledge to keep the US secure, with over a million travelers expected to visit for the tournament and billions more watching matches from overseas.
The threat of drone attacks has become a growing concern since the war in Ukraine has demonstrated their lethal capabilities. And recent drone incidents have worried both European and US airports.
“We are entering a new era to defend our air superiority to protect our borders and the interior of the United States,” DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement. Defense companies are developing a range of technologies aimed at countering drones, including tracking software, lasers, microwaves and autonomous machine guns.
The DHS did not specify which technologies it would deploy to World Cup venues. The announcement comes weeks after the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which sits under DHS, said it granted $250 million to 11 states hosting World Cup matches to buy counter-drone technologies.
Last summer, New York Governor Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, called on Trump, a Republican, to bolster federal support for defending against drone attacks.
