McDonald out front at LPGA's first major
Ally McDonald, who has missed the cut in three of her five LPGA events this year, holds the lead after the first round of the tour's first major of 2019.
The 26-year-old Mississippi native shot a 4-under-par 68 on Thursday to move atop the leaderboard at the ANA Inspiration in Rancho Mirage, Calif.
Lexi Thompson, Sweden's Linnea Strom and South Koreans Jin Young Ko and Hyo Joo Kim are one shot back. Jin Young Ko is the current season points leader
A pair of two-time major champions, Lydia Ko of New Zealand -- who won the event in 2016 -- and Cristie Kerr of the United States, are in a pack of 10 players tied for sixth at 2 under.
Defending champion Pernilla Lindberg of Sweden is tied for 42nd at 1 over.
McDonald, who had seven birdies and three bogeys, has earned $611,855 since turning pro in 2016, but she has posted only three top-10 finishes and no wins. Her best result this season was a tie for 29th at the Honda LPGA Thailand.
"I think in this position that I've never been in, it's so easy to get ahead of yourself," said McDonald, who was a two-time All-American at Mississippi State. "For me, I'm just going to take it easy. I know that on the very first day, a great round is awesome, but there is so much more golf left to play. I'm just excited to put a good round together in a major and look forward to teeing it up again tomorrow."
McDonald said of the venue, Mission Hills Country Club's Dinah Shore Tournament Course, "I think No. 1, par-5 scoring was really key. I birdied every par-5. On a major championship golf course, you have to start out playing the par-5s really well. ...
"Then overall I just drove the ball really well. Gave myself a lot of opportunities to make good approach shots into the green. I think that is key is to be consistent. Sometimes you hit the ball above the hole and you have to take a two-putt. I'm just excited after today."
Strom, an LPGA rookie, is familiar with Mission Hills after playing there during the tour's qualifying tournament.
"Since I played good at Q-School here, I just have good memories from here," Strom said. "I reminded myself of that today. I know it's a tough course, but there is some birdies out there. Just stay patient and let them come to you and not get ahead of yourself and I think it's good."
Jin Young Ko, two weeks removed from winning the Bank of Hope Founders Cup, is trying not to get over-amped.
"This is a major, but I don't want to put any pressure on myself for the first major of the year," Ko said. "I don't like pressure on the course. I just like to relax. My goal is happiness, to be a happy golfer on the course.
"I am praying on the course, and hopefully the ball will go straight and I will hit the fairway. That makes me happy. I don't like thinking about the future. Nobody knows about my future or your future, so I'm just trying to have a good finish on the course."
--Field Level Media
