Tag: Baltusrol Golf Club

Nasty rainstorms pushed LPGA players (and our writer) into a nightmare travel situation after the KPMG Women’s PGA

Many players want to forget what happened when they tried to fly back home.

The KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Baltusrol in Springfield, New Jersey, was a fantastic event. Several stars made Sunday charges, including Rose Zhang and Yuka Saso, but it was 20-year-old Ruoning Yin who held the hardware when it was all said and done.

Although the week was a memorable one, many players want to forget all about what happened to them when they tried to fly back home.

More than 1,600 U.S. flights have been canceled and over 5,400 more have been delayed as of Tuesday evening, according to flight-tracking website FlightAware.

United Airlines flights were impacted most heavily, with 471 flights scrapped – 16 percent of its schedule – and more than 1,000 delayed. Newark Liberty International Airport and LaGuardia Airport in New York saw the most cancellations and delays.

The disruptions came as severe weather rolled through the East Coast and Central Plains. Strong weather that moved through the Northeast, especially around New York, was behind many of the cancellations and delays.

This wreaked havoc, forcing several players to ditch their plane tickets for car keys.

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Here’s what several LPGA players faced this week after competing at the 2023 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship:

Numbers behind Ruoning Yin’s dramatic victory at the KPMG Women’s PGA, where she didn’t miss a green on the weekend

Yin’s elite approach play helped guide her to the title.

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The most staggering feat of Ruoning Yin’s historic victory at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship was the 37 consecutive greens she hit to close the championship. It’s the longest streak by any player on the LPGA in 2023. That it came on the weekend of a major championship on a brute of a test like Baltusrol’s Lower Course makes it all the more impressive.

Yin, 20, came into the week leading the LPGA in Strokes Gained: Approach per round in the KPMG Performance Insights, a data platform that is now available to fans and media. At the KPMG, she also led the field in that category, gaining 2.39 strokes per round for the championship. Yin was the only player in the field to gain at least 1.5 strokes gained approach in all four rounds.

“I think, more mature,” said Yin of how she’s grown since joining the tour in 2022. “Like before, I just go straight at the flag every shot, and right now I think I play smart, more smart right now.”

Yin, now the second Chinese player to win a major after Shanshan Feng (2012 Wegmans), closed with a bogey-free 67 on Sunday and notched only six bogeys on the weekend, tied for the fewest of any player in the field along with Stephanie Meadow, who finished third.

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Yin hit 66 of 72 greens for the week, or 92 percent. She hit 44 of 48 greens when hitting her approach from the fairway and ranked fourth off the tee in strokes gained driving for the week.

“For the last couple days, my ball-striking was perfect,” said Yin after clinching the title with a dramatic 12-foot birdie putt on the 72nd hole.

Yin won her first LPGA title in March at the DIO Implant LA Open. She practices out of Tranquilo Golf Course in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, former site of the LPGA’s season-opening Tournament of Champions, and works with swing coach Holton Freeman.

“I could tell immediately when I met her a year and a half ago that she had some special intangibles that are difficult to teach if a person/player doesn’t already have them,” Freeman wrote on Instagram after her first victory.

“Trust and self-belief, executing under pressure, refusing to give in when she is faced with chaos and adversity, etc. Those were all on display yesterday when she made three bogeys in a row to lose the lead, followed by four consecutive birdies to reclaim the lead. A great example and lesson for younger players to learn from.”

Yin’s caddie, Jon Lehman, called his new boss wise beyond her years, saying she plays more like a 35-year-old under pressure. Yin called Lehman in to help her on the greens this week, and after losing more than six strokes to the field putting in rounds two and three, she gained 0.41 putting on Sunday. She mostly struggled with speed control.

Yin rose to No. 5 in the world after becoming only the second woman to win on the Lower Course, joining 1961 U.S. Women’s Open winner Mickey Wright. She heads next to Pebble Beach Golf Links, where she’ll make her second USWO appearance.

Jin Young Ko sets LPGA record for most weeks ranked No. 1

A 13-year-old LPGA mark has fallen.

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A 13-year-old LPGA mark has fallen.

Following her tie for 20th at the 2023 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, Jin Young Ko is ranked No. 1 for a 159th week, breaking the mark held by Lorena Ochoa.

Ko has been No. 1 five different times since April 2019, with her latest stint starting in May. Ochoa reached 158 weeks at No. 1 after she consecutively held the top spot from April 2007 to May 2010.

“It’s an honor people saying with Lorena and me in the same sentence. It makes me happy, but also it makes me humble,” said Ko, who has had Ochoa’s long-time caddie Dave Brooker on her bag for most of her time at world No. 1. “It’s great to honor, to stand with Lorena.”

Time spent at No. 1

  • Jin Young Ko: 159 weeks
  • Lydia Ko: 125 weeks
  • Yani Tseng: 109 weeks
  • Inbee Park: 106 weeks
  • Annika Sorenstam: 61 weeks

Jin Young Ko is one of five Korean players to have obtained the top spot. She has two victories so far in 2023 and 15 in her career, including two majors. Ko also leads the Race to the CME Globe, a season-long points race on the LPGA.

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Ruoning Yin, 20, becomes second Chinese player to win an LPGA major at KPMG Women’s PGA Championship

Ruoning Yin used to tell her mom that if she’d been 10 centimeters taller, she would’ve played basketball rather than golf.

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SPRINGFIELD, N.J. — Ruoning Yin used to tell her mom that if she’d been 10 centimeters taller, she would’ve played basketball rather than golf. She has been a Steph Curry fan for nine years, which is a long time for someone who’s only 20 years old. Yin’s stature in the sports world back home in China surely rocketed overnight as she joined Shanshan Feng as the only Chinese players to win a major championship.

Shanghai’s Yin, a chronic leaderboard watcher, knew standing on the 18th tee at the KPMG Women’s PGA that she held a one-shot lead, and after she watched Yuka Saso birdie the final hole in front of her, Yin knew she needed a birdie of her own to win the title.

“I actually kind of felt that I was going to make it,” said Yin, “and I made it. It’s a very weird feeling.”

Yin, who shot 67 in the final round at Baltusrol’s Lower Course and hit a staggering 36 greens over the weekend, wasn’t even playing golf when Feng became the first Chinese player to win a major at the 2012 Wegmans Championship, now known as the KPMG Women’s PGA. The player known on tour as “Ronnie” was 10 ½ when she first picked up a club, the same year her good friend and landlord, Xiyu Lin, joined the LPGA. Lin had a good chance of her own to win this week and finished with a flood of emotion after a closing bogey left her two shots short.

Lin was standing at the mic talking to the media when Yin drained the winning putt.

“It’s amazing,” said Lin. “She’s young, and she’s so talented. She’s definitely really good at dealing with pressure.”

Yin rents Lin’s second home in Orlando, Florida. Lin joked earlier in the week that she thought about raising the rent after Yin won on the LPGA earlier this season. When Yin was asked after her victory if she thought rent might go up after that $1.5 million winner’s paycheck, Yin said: “Actually, I’m thinking about buying her house right now.”

The interview room erupted in laughter.

While Yin was the one lifting the trophy by day’s end, another 20-year-old in the field, Rose Zhang, certainly generated great buzz on Sunday. The former Stanford star, who won in her professional debut on the LPGA earlier this month, trailed by one stroke on the back nine but ultimately finished three shots back in a share of eighth.

“It was definitely very tense,” said Zhang. “I felt a lot of energy from the crowds.”

Yin turned professional in 2020 and set a record when she won her first three consecutive tournaments on the China LPGA Tour. She earned her LPGA card at 2021 Q-Series.

Since coming to the U.S., Yin said her English has improved significantly and her game is more mature. She used to fire at the pin on every hole and now has a more strategic approach.

She also has a new caddie in Jon Lehman, a veteran Korn Ferry Tour looper who recently reached out to some friends who worked on the LPGA to see what jobs might be available. Lehman’s text came through about 20 minutes after Yin let her previous caddie go. They started out together at the ShopRite LPGA Classic, then Lehman came out to Baltusrol the following week for a preview.

“I kind of had a feeling when I was walking it the first time, this is right up her alley,” said Lehman, “a ball-striker’s course.”

This marked Lehman’s first time caddying in a major championship. He tried to keep his player patient when the putts weren’t falling early in the round. Yin had five three-putts on the week but played Sunday bogey-free.

“He knows the course very well,” said Yin. “Like especially on the greens. He just knows every part of the green.

“We start, I think our first tournament at ShopRite, I just read my greens by myself, and this week he just told me he’s really good at reading. I was like, OK, let’s see. Yeah, he’s amazing.”

Yin joins a list of past champions at Baltusrol that includes Hall of Famers Jack Nicklaus, Phil Mickelson and Mickey Wright. She got goosebumps just listening to her name being mentioned among those greats.

After one week off, Yin returns to action at the U.S. Women’s Open at Pebble Beach, where a women’s major will be contested at the iconic track for the first time. Yin played there once at age 12 during a winter camp. All she remembers is that the rough was thick, and she shot 88.

While Yin was too young to play alongside the trailblazing Feng, she said the 10-time LPGA winner and former No. 1 is the person who has inspired her the most.

“I would say,” said Yin, “she’s definitely the goal that I’m chasing.”

2023 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship prize money payouts for each LPGA player

Check out the prize money payouts at the 2023 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.

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SPRINGFIELD, N.J. — The KPMG Women’s PGA Championship purse has more than doubled in the past two years, rising from $4.5 million in 2021 to $10 million this week at Baltusrol Golf Club. China’s Ruoning Yin took home $1.5 million, one of the few seven-figure checks in the women’s game, for her dramatic victory.

Ireland’s Stephanie Meadow played in the final group on Sunday and finished tied for third, matching her best finish in a major. The $423,070 check was nearly six times what she’d made all season.

Players who missed the cut this week received $4,000 checks to help cover their expenses.

Here are the official prize money payouts for the 2023 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Baltusrol.

Position Player Score Earnings
1 Ruoning Yin -8 $1,500,000
2 Yuka Saso -7 $875,130
T3 Carlota Ciganda -6 $423,070
T3 Anna Nordqvist -6 $423,070
T3 Xiyu Lin -6 $423,070
T3 Megan Khang -6 $423,070
T3 Stephanie Meadow -6 $423,070
T8 Ayaka Furue -5 $214,811
T8 Rose Zhang -5 $214,811
T8 Jenny Shin -5 $214,811
T11 Perrine Delacour -4 $168,170
T11 Nanna Koerstz Madsen -4 $168,170
T11 Leona Maguire -4 $168,170
14 Grace Kim -3 $147,571
T15 Jodi Ewart Shadoff -2 $125,531
T15 Brooke Henderson -2 $125,531
T15 Allisen Corpuz -2 $125,531
T15 Sarah Schmelzel -2 $125,531
T15 Lauren Coughlin -1 $104,451
T20 Hyo Joo Kim -1 $104,451
T20 Minjee Lee -1 $104,451
T20 Linn Grant -1 $104,451
T20 Jin Young Ko -1 $104,451
T24 Ariya Jutanugarn E $86,483
T24 In-gee Chun E $86,483
T24 Marissa Steen E $86,483
T24 Melissa Reid E $86,483
T24 Gabriela Ruffels E $86,483
T24 Mina Harigae E $86,483
T30 Esther Henseleit 1 $68,115
T30 Angel Yin 1 $68,115
T30 Cheyenne Knight 1 $68,115
T30 Na Rin An 1 $68,115
T30 Celine Boutier 1 $68,115
T30 Lee-Anne Pace 1 $68,115
T36 Haeji Kang 2 $56,538
T36 Amy Yang 2 $56,538
T36 Daniela Darquea 2 $56,538
T39 Pornanong Phatlum 3 $45,217
T39 Danielle Kang 3 $45,217
T39 Lindsey Weaver-Wright 3 $45,217
T39 Pajaree Anannarukarn 3 $45,217
T39 Yuna Nishimura 3 $45,217
T39 Madelene Sagstrom 3 $45,217
T39 Ashleigh Buhai 3 $45,217
T39 Celine Borge 3 $45,217
T47 Nasa Hataoka 4 $35,071
T47 Yu Liu 4 $35,071
T47 Lexi Thompson 4 $35,071
T47 Min Lee 4 $35,071
T47 Jeongeun Lee 4 $35,071
T52 Mariah Stackhouse 5 $29,705
T52 Samantha Wagner 5 $29,705
T52 Alison Lee 5 $29,705
T52 Hye Jin Choi 5 $29,705
T52 Emily Kristine Pedersen 5 $29,705
T57 Moriya Jutanugarn 6 $25,395
T57 Lydia Ko 6 $25,395
T57 Linnea Strom 6 $25,395
T57 Gina Kim 6 $25,395
T61 Gemma Dryburgh 7 $22,040
T61 Stephanie Kyriacou 7 $22,040
T61 Maria Fassi 7 $22,040
T61 Albane Valenzuela 7 $22,040
T61 Eun-Hee Ji 7 $22,040
T61 Soo Bin Joo 7 $22,040
T61 Alexa Pano 7 $22,040
T68 Hannah Green 8 $19,644
T68 Lauren Stephenson 8 $19,644
T68 Thidapa Suwannapura 8 $19,644
T71 Morgane Metraux 9 $18,685
T71 Stacy Lewis 9 $18,685
T71 Elizabeth Szokol 9 $18,685
74 Annie Park 10 $18,206
75 Charlotte Thomas 13 $17,987
76 Aditi Ashok 14 $17,759
T77 Matilda Castren 15 $17,422
T77 Sung Hyun Park 15 $17,422
79 Lucy Li 18 $17,089

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Rose Zhang contends in first major as a professional at KPMG Women’s PGA, finishing tied for eighth

Rose Zhang left Baltusrol content with the result but not content with how she played.

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SPRINGFIELD, N.J. — Rose Zhang left Baltusrol content with the result but not content with how she played.

It’s a simple statement but one that reveals so much about the maturity of a 20-year-old who contended in her first major championship as a professional. Zhang pulled within one shot on the back nine Sunday at the KPMG Women’s PGA, but ultimately came up three shots short of another 20-year-old, China’s Ruoning Yin, who drained a 12-footer for birdie on the 72nd hole to become the second player from China to win a major, joining Shanshan Feng.

Zhang, who won her first LPGA event as a professional earlier this month in New Jersey, closed with a 67 and tied for eighth. She earned $214,811, bringing her total earnings in two weeks as a pro to $627,311.

“It’s definitely a different dynamic when you’re a professional versus an amateur,” said Zhang, “and when you’re playing your game, you really have to be precise with your numbers, really understand what your swing is doing, and there is no room for error. Therefore, I’m excited to keep working on my game and make sure that it’s pristine when I go to the U.S. Women’s Open at Pebble.”

Zhang’s veteran caddie, Jason Gilroyed, said his boss played to her B+ game this week: “And still had a chance to win, which is amazing.”

Gilroyed looked back at a sloppy bogey she made on the seventh hole Friday and a sloppy double on the eighth as a stretch that could’ve been a real difference-maker. Sloppy isn’t usually Zhang’s style.

“You have to be on your toes at all times,” said Zhang of this week’s test. “Losing a little bit of focus causes you to have errors, and that’s just something you can’t afford at a major championship.

After a week off, Zhang heads to Pebble Beach Golf Links for the U.S. Women’s Open. She set a new women’s course record at Pebble Beach last year when she shot 9-under 63 in the second round of the 2022 Carmel Cup while playing at Stanford.

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Former Irish teammates Leona Maguire and Stephanie Meadow find themselves in final group together on Sunday at KPMG Women’s PGA

Can an Irishwomen pull it off?

SPRINGFIELD, N.J. — Stephanie Meadow can only imagine the number of drinks that will be flowing at Royal Portrush should an Irishwoman triumph at Baltusrol on Sunday. Meadow trails her childhood friend Leona Maguire by two strokes heading into the final round at the KPMG Women’s PGA.

With the PGA of America moving up tee times due to weather and going off split tees in threesomes, Maguire and Meadow will play together in the final group alongside Jenny Shin, who sits alone in third.

“I’ll put it this way,” said Meadow. “I knew her when she was reading Harry Potter books.”

Maguire, winner of last week’s LPGA Meijer Classic, became the first woman from Ireland to win on the LPGA in 2022. A birdie on the 18th put her at 7 under for the championship. She’s the only player in the field with three consecutive rounds in the 60s at Baltusrol’s Lower Course.

KPMG Women’s PGA: Photos

Maguire reckons she has known Meadow for about 18 years.

“We played on Ulster county teams together and played on Irish teams together,” said Maguire. “We played Curtis Cup together. We played foursomes together. We roomed together.

“I’ve known Steph a long time. We’ve been good friend a long time. We’ve done battle many times before. It’s great to see her playing so well.”

Northern Ireland’s Meadow, a newlywed, ranks 151st in the world and got a boost last week with her season-best T-13 in Michigan. She was there waiting on the 18th green at the Meijer with celebratory champagne for her longtime friend.

Maguire’s Irish caddie, Dermot Byrne, caddied for Shane Lowry at the 2016 PGA at Baltusrol and has been key to her success the past two years.

“I think the biggest thing is he has given me the confidence,” said Maguire. “I think he has believed in me in times where I haven’t believed in myself. He is just a really steady presence out there.

“I think he doesn’t get too excited when things are going well, and he doesn’t get too down when things aren’t. I think we’re quite similar in that regard.”

2023 Women's PGA Championship
Stephanie Meadow chips a shot onto the 3rd green during the third round of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship golf tournament. (Photo: John Jones/USA TODAY Sports)

Shin’s 66 matched the low round of the day and put her in contention for her first LPGA title in eight years. The 30 year old said there was a period of time when she was content with not winning. She was happy enough simply playing decent golf. But after a self-evaluation a few years back, she decided that she wanted more.

“You know, this is my 13th year out here,” said Shin. “I’m sure if you ask any player that’s been out here this long, there’s ups and downs and phases in life, and I think I went through that phase.

“So now, you know, I want to win more than anything.”

World No. 1 Jin Young Ko lurks four shots back and is the only player in the top six who has won a major, two in fact.

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She began the day with three bogeys in the first four holes and then poured in four consecutive birdies on the back nine in what proved to be an unusually up-and-down round.

“Still, I don’t know this golf course,” Ko said with a laugh.

Lee-Anne Pace, a South African who made her first LPGA start to the season at the ShopRite LPGA Classic and played her way into the KPMG with a T-30 finish, sits tied at 4 under with China’s Ruoning Yin, who won her first LPGA title earlier this season at the DIO Implant L.A. Open. Yin hit 17 greens in the first round and 18 on Saturday.

“If my putting can just get online,” said Yin, “I think I have a big chance to win.”

Lauren Coughlin began the week with a 75 but pulled herself into a share of sixth with Ko after rounds of 67-68. She’s made only one bogey in the last 36 holes.

“I just kept telling myself, like, you’re really good at golf,” said Coughlin, who at 30 is still looking for her first LPGA win. “I think I forget that sometimes, and that was something I just kept telling myself all day yesterday and again today if any nerves or anything came up.”

Rookie sensation Rose Zhang eagled the last hole, nestling it up to 5 feet with a 5-wood from 219 yards. Zhang, who made her professional debut in a major this week, sits in a share of 12th, six shots back.

“I felt like my swing was really solid,” said Zhang. “It was way better than the first couple days. Finally getting in the groove.”

KPMG contender Mel Reid hit with one-stroke penalty after marking her ball on the fringe at Baltusrol

Unfortunate error.

SPRINGFIELD, N.J. — Mel Reid came into the third round of the KPMG Women’s PGA one shot behind her Solheim Cup partner Leona Maguire. The momentum of the week, however, quickly unraveled for the Englishwoman after an unusual mistake.

After a pair of bogeys on the first four holes, Reid had an unfortunate mental error on the par-4 fifth at Baltusrol’s Lower Course. The veteran player marked her ball and picked it up on the fringe of the green, resulting in a one-stroke penalty under Rule 9.4b.

The KPMG Women’s PGA Championship Rules Committee stated Reid’s ball came to rest 4 inches from the putting surface on the collar. Reid didn’t realize the ball was not on the putting green until after she had marked, lifted, cleaned and replaced her ball. She then called for a rules official to confirm that her ball was not on the green.

KPMG Women’s PGA: Photos

Reid made bogey on the hole and turned in 4 over. Her 4-under 67 on Friday was the best of the day.

Reid, 35, came into the 2023 season off a medical exemption for a sore wrist and a mental fatigue that had her seriously considering quitting the game to pursue a career in media. Time with her mental coach, Duncan McCarthy, however, helped her hit the restart button, and she came into Baltusrol fresh off four straight top-30 finishes.

Reid posted her best finish in a major, a T-3, at the 2019 KPMG Women’s PGA at Hazeltine National.

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Leona Maguire leads a major for the first time at the KPMG Women’s PGA

Leona Maguire’s Irish village threw a parade when she helped win a Solheim Cup. Imagine what they’d do if she won a major.

SPRINGFIELD, New Jersey — Leona Maguire’s Irish village threw a parade in her honor when she led Europe to a Solheim Cup victory two years ago. The highlight, she said, was that her 96-year-old grandmother, Kathleen, got to ride in the passenger seat beside her, soaking in the scene of well-wishers cheering them on after a prolonged period of strict lockdown.

Imagine what they’d do if she became the first Irish woman to win a major.

Maguire, hot off her second career victory at last week’s Meijer LPGA Classic, leads a major championship for the first time in her career at the KPMG Women’s PGA. The former Duke star shot 3-under 68 on another rainy day in Jersey to pace the field at 5-under 137. Her 2021 Solheim Cup partner at Inverness, Mel Reid, shot 67 to pull into a share of second with rookie Celine Borge of Norway and China’s Xiyu Lin.

Two-time major winner Minjee Lee sits two back at 3 under with Lee-Anne Pace, a 42-year-old who got into the ShopRite LPGA Classic two weeks ago and played her way into this event with a T-30 finish there.

Maguire, who last Sunday credited Padraig Harrington’s help with her short game last summer in helping her win the Meijer, became the first Irishwoman to win on the LPGA last season.

“I think Ireland as a country punches well above our weight when it comes to golf,” said Maguire, “and it’s nice to have the guys looking out for me, Padraig, Paul (McGinley), Shane (Lowry). All of the guys have been very good to me, and very appreciative of all of that.”

She celebrated that victory with her team on Monday at Ruth’s Chris, where she had steak and her favorite side dish, sweet potato casserole. Maguire and her caddie reminisced about that dinner during the worse-than-usual wait times between shots.

“I think the big thing today was staying really patient,” said Maguire, “given that we were in a two, jam-packed in a field that wasn’t really moving. Did a good job at sort of staying — concentrating and sort of warm when I needed to. It kind of kept the momentum going.”

Maguire played in a twosome with Hinako Shibuno on Friday after their third, Austin Ernst, withdrew after the first round. Ernst recently announced her retirement from the LPGA due to a lingering neck injury.

Leona Maguire putts on the 18th green during the second round of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-USA TODAY Sports

A total of 79 players made the cut. Nelly Korda, No. 2, was the biggest name to miss the weekend after rounds of 76-77. Atthaya Thitikul, Jennifer Kupcho and Lilia Vu also went home early. Lexi Thompson birdied four of the last five holes to avoid a similar fate.

Reid told her wife Carly last September that she was going to take a job in the media and quit golf. She’d been dealing with an overuse injury to her right wrist and thought it might be time to walk away. Time with her mental coach Duncan McCarthy, however, helped her hit the restart button after taking a medical leave from the tour.

More: Nelly Korda, Atthaya Thitikul lead list of big names to miss the cut at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship

“I think I had six events to play well to get reshuffled after Founders,” said Reid. “I think I birdied the last at Founders to make the cut on the number, and it’s funny, that was huge for me. Then I finished 27th or 25th or something, which kind of reshuffled me back into stuff, which kind of took a little bit of pressure off.”

Reid and her wife are expecting their first child later this year. That has also increased her hunger to succeed.

The game can, at times, feel like an obsession to the fiery English player. Being constantly switched on, in analyzing mode, left her feeling drained.

“So we’ve done a really good job, not perfect, but kind of when I’m at the golf course, I’m Mel the golfer, very professional, get my work done, very present,” she said. “When I’m at home, I’m present with my friends, with Carly, whatever it is I’m doing, and we’re just trying to separate that.”

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Lexi Thompson will play the weekend at Baltusrol after carding four consecutive birdies late in the day at KPMG Women’s PGA

“I’m like, I just need to fire at pins,” said Thompson. “Trust me, I was trying to do it the whole time.”

SPRINGFIELD, New Jersey – Lexi Thompson came alive late on Friday at the KPMG Women’s PGA, pouring in four birdies over her last five holes to vault inside the cutline at Baltusrol’s Lower Course.

“I’m like, I just need to fire at pins,” said Thompson. “Trust me, I was trying to do it the whole time. Kind of just all clicked coming in. Made some really good putts and really stuck to my game plan coming in.”

Thompson, 28, curled in a 25-footer for birdie on the eighth hole (her 17th) to put an exclamation point on a day that looked headed for the gutter as she was 8 over for the championship through 31 holes.

Thompson, an 11-time winner on the LPGA who last triumphed in 2019, hit only five fairways and 10 greens in her first 18 holes and took 32 putts. She opened with a 76 playing alongside the LPGA’s newest sensation, Rose Zhang, and two-time major winner Minjee Lee.

Friday’s birdie flurry, however, gave Thompson a 1-under 70 in the second round, moving her to 4 over for the tournament, nine shots back of leader Leona Maguire.

Currently No. 9 in the world, Thompson opened the season with a share of third at the Saudi Ladies International. The KPMG is only her fifth LPGA start of the season. She missed the cut in three of those, including last week’s Meijer LPGA Classic.

“Like I said, it’s been a struggle this whole kind of year except for my first event of the year,” said Thompson.

“But I’ve been working probably harder than ever in my whole life on the golf course and when I’m home practicing. Just to be able to come through towards the end and make those birdies, it’s nice to see hard work pay off, even though I’m still at 4 over. I’m taking it. I’m taking the little, small win right now and building it.”

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