CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Rory McIlroy looked every bit like a player who has won twice at the Wells Fargo Championship.

He just didn’t feel like one.

Twice when he was out of position off the tee, he managed to make birdies. He missed a 4-foot birdie putt after his most amazing recovery of all. And late in his round Thursday, he ran off three straight birdies for a share of the lead with Joel Dahmen at 5-under 66, his lowest start in 10 appearances at Quail Hollow.

Walking to the scoring area, he smiled and said, “Managed my game.”

His translation of that?

“Get the most out of your round, turn 70s in 66, like I did today,” he said. “I felt like I hit it like I should have shot 1- or 2-under par. I didn’t feel like it was a round that I deserved to shoot 5 under, but I got the most out of it, which is nice if I’m able to continue to do that sort of stuff.”

He wasn’t complaining. In his first start since tying for 21st at the Masters – his only finish out of the top 10 this year – McIlroy got out of trouble and made enough key putts to keep moving in the right direction. His only bogey came after a drive that bounced into a creek, and there’s no recovering when a ball is in 4 feet of water.

Dahmen, a cancer survivor who tries not to take himself too seriously, played a more steady game. Playing three groups behind the large crowd following McIlroy, he kept bogeys off his card and holed a 15-foot birdie putt on the 18th for his 66.

They were a shot ahead of a group that included Patrick Reed, who is having the opposite year of McIlroy. The former Masters champion has yet to finish in the top 10, and he hopes a bogey-free round like Thursday morning will be a signal that his work on his swing is done and it’s time to start hitting shots.

Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C., was the low Canadian, in a tie for third with Reed, Adam Schenk, Dylan Frittelli and Martin Laird.

Defending champion Jason Day led a large pack at 68.

Ben Silverman of Thornhill, Ont., was tied for 47th at even-par 71. Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford and Adam Svensson of Surrey, B.C., were tied for 83rd at 2 over, David Hearn of Brantford, Ont., and Roger Sloan of Merritt, B.C., were tied for 103rd at 3 over. Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., was 4 over to tie for 116th.

Dahmen tied for 12th at The Players Championship and earned just over $250,000, which made him feel like “the richest man alive.” He decided to grow in a moustache, which he kept for good luck until hitting a ball in the water last week at the team event in New Orleans. So he shaved.

But he’s still playing well enough to think this might be the week he at least gives himself a chance.

“I want to be in the hunt with nine to play. That’s the goal,” he said. “I haven’t really been there yet. I’m good enough to. I should be there. I should have chances by now. I just kind of need to get out of my own way and let it go.”

McIlroy was in the trees on the second hole when he punched out low and let the ball run across the sun-baked, fast fairway and onto the green about 20 feet, setting up a long birdie putt. He got out of minor tree trouble on the par-5 10th to set up a birdie. He was out of position left of the 11th fairway and hit that to 2 feet.

His best shot was from a suspect lie in the right rough, blocked by a tree, facing an elevated green with a back pin. The idea was to dump it in a front bunker and try to get up-and-down for par.

“That’s where I assumed it was going to go, but it came out perfectly, had a little more cut on it than I thought it was going to out of the rough, took a nice couple of hopes and got up there very close,” he said.

Not close enough, for he badly pushed the birdie putt.

“Probably didn’t deserve to make the putt after the tee shot,” he said.

And then in a three-hole stretch, he moved to the top of the leaderboard. It started with a long bunker shot to 6 feet for birdie on the short par-4 14th. His 3-wood on the par-5 15th went over the green and he chipped weakly to 12 feet and made the putt. And then he smashed a driver that bounced off the ridge next to a bunker and down the fairway, leaving a chip 9-iron to 8 feet for a third straight birdie.

Good golf usually goes his way at Quail Hollow.

This is where McIlroy won his first PGA Tour title in 2010, closing with a 62. He lost in a playoff to Rickie Fowler and D.A. Points two years later, and won in 2015.

“I’ve got some great memories here,” he said. “Every time I step onto this golf course, I feel like I have a chance to shoot a good score. I didn’t play my best today. I managed my game well, scrambled well. But it added up to a good number at the end of the day.”

It’s not that Michael Gligic doesn’t care about his results anymore. He’s just learned to keep golf in its proper perspective, helping him relax on the course.

That laid-back approach has helped the Canadian stay near the top of the Web.com Tour’s rankings and close in on his first PGA Tour card. Entering play at this week’s Nashville Golf Open, Gligic is sixth in the regular-season points list, largely thanks to winning the Panama Championship.

“I used to get a little too caught up in what other people were doing, what they were shooting, what I need to shoot at the start of the week to win, or what’s the cut going to be,” said Gligic. “Now I don’t really look at the board. I just go out and play and add them up at the end and see how we did.”

Gligic’s win in Panama on Feb. 10 was a prime example of this new mindset.

He entered the final round tied for seventh, three shots back of third-round leader Ben Taylor. Gligic fired a 5-under 65, including a four-foot putt on the 18th hole, to win.

“I didn’t really have nerves because I didn’t know it was to win, I had no idea where I stood,” said Gligic. “If you watch the video of me making the three- or -four-footer, as soon as it goes in I said to my caddy ‘how did we do?’ because I had no idea.

“That’s where I want to stay. In my own little world and I’ll just go play golf and see where I how I do at the end of the week.”

Gligic is partly inspired by PGA Tour veterans Rory McIlroy and Lee Westwood, who have been open about the benefits of leaving their golf game on the course and being a “human being” in their down time.

“My wife Natasha’s coming down this week and regardless of what happens on Thursday we’re going to go for a nice dinner in one of the coolest cities in the United States being in Nashville,” said Gligic after taking in a practice round at the Nashville Golf & Athletic Club on Tuesday. “Have a beer somewhere, it’ll all be good.”

The top 25 players on the second-tier Web.com Tour’s points list at the end of the season earn PGA Tour cards. Given his strong start to the season, Gligic is already closing in on being mathematically guaranteed a promotion for next season.

Many Canadians on the Web.com Tour skip the RBC RBC Canadian Open in favour of playing on their regular circuit to keep earning points toward a PGA Tour card. Gligic is hoping to be in a strong enough position that he can opt into Canada’s only PGA Tour event.

The RBC Canadian Open is being held at Hamilton Golf and Country Club from June 6-9, right by Gligic’s hometown of Burlington, Ont.

“I’ve put a lot of thought into it and talked to my team and gotten a few opinions and I think we’re going to do it,” Gligic said. “I haven’t gotten a call for an exemption, I haven’t gotten anything official yet, but we’re hoping for it and if I do get the call, I’m planning on being there.

“I’m just hoping I can put a few good weeks together and lock up a PGA Tour card before the RBC Canadian Open.”

Ottawa’s Brad Fritsch, Calgary’s Ryan Yip and Toronto’s Albin Choi are the other Canadians in the field at the Nashville Golf Open.

Golf Canada is proud to celebrate the 66 adoptions that occurred during Adopt a School Week thanks to the efforts of golf enthusiasts and industry partners across the country.

In total, the figure translates to an additional 7,920 students being introduced to the sport through the Future Links, driven by Acura Golf in Schools program. The coast-to-coast campaign was elevated by support from Canadian industry partners—the Provincial Associations, PGA of Canada, the National Golf Course Owners Association (NGCOA), Canadian Society of Club Managers and Canadian Golf Superintendents Association.

A matching program for the first 30 adoptions was made possible by the Canadian Seniors Golf Association, who continue to be a leader in supporting Adopt a School Week. In the campaign’s four years of running, the CSGA has helped to adopt over 100 schools in Canadian communities from coast-to-coast.

Since the program’s inception in 2009, adoptions have accounted for close to 50% of over 3,800 registered schools delivering the curriculum. For Jeff Thompson, Golf Canada’s chief sport officer, that number presents a great opportunity to build community relationships.

“The vision is to help establish a connection between golf facilities and schools in respective communities across Canada through the Golf in Schools program,” said Thompson. “Nurturing these relationships will enhance the delivery of the program and build a connection that will last for many years to come.”

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT GOLF IN SCHOOLS.

All players are expected to play in the spirit of the game by acting with integrity, showing consideration for others and taking care of the course.

Click here to learn more on the Modernized Rules of golf.

OTTAWA – On the second annual National Golf Day, the Canadian golf industry, represented by We Are Golf, is launching a national campaign to encourage Canadians to get involved in the sport. Industry leaders are meeting with Parliamentarians throughout the day, while golf stakeholders are working to spread the word in municipalities nationwide.

“Golf is a sport that brings so many benefits to Canadians – not just through the health aspect, but as a significant economic driver,” said Kathryn Wood, Chair of We Are Golf and COO of Canadian Golf Superintendents Association “Golf in Canada sees $14.3 billion in annual economic impact, and supports over 300,000 jobs – nearly 40% of which are summer students.”

“Our counterparts in the USA are undertaking a similar initiative in Washington, with the goal to broaden participation in the sport across the continent,” added Laurence Applebaum, CEO of Golf Canada, “On National Golf Day, we’re encouraging all Canadians to get involved by playing a round of golf, enjoying family time at the local course, introducing a new player to the game, adopting a school in their community through Golf in Schools, taking a lesson, or making a purchase at their local pro shop.”

#Golf‘s economic impact in Canada ????#WeAreCanadianGolf pic.twitter.com/tWpfhdTCUz

— Golf Canada (@GolfCanada) May 1, 2019

We Are Golf launched the inaugural National Golf Day in 2018 with advocacy meetings in Ottawa, a public junior golf activity on the Parliament Hill lawn, and various golf activities at clubs across Canada. The continuation of National Golf Day in Canada in 2019 will again incorporate meetings by We Are Golf stakeholders with MPs, Senators, and government officials.

“We are looking forward to building upon the success of our 2018 National Golf Day and government advocacy efforts in Ottawa, and hope to continue to bring the positive value of the game of golf to the forefront,” said We Are Golf chair, Kathryn Wood.

LOS ANGELES – Minjee Lee won the Hugel-Air Premia LA Open on Sunday at Wilshire Country Club for her fifth LPGA Tour title, closing with a 3-under 68 for a four-stroke victory.

The 22-year-old Australian was projected to jump from fourth to second in the world ranking Monday after her fourth top-three finish in her last seven starts.

“Coming in, the first half of the year that I’ve had, I’ve been hitting it pretty solid and playing pretty solid,” Lee said. “I felt like it was close. I feel pretty good with this one.”

Lee made a 15-foot birdie putt on the par-3 18th to finish at 14-under 270. She led the last three days, shooting 66-69-67 to take a one-stroke advantage over Nanna Koerstz Madsen into the final round.(backslash)

Lee won a year after tying for seventh in the inaugural event.

“It’s definitely a second-shot golf course,” Lee said. “I feel like my iron play is pretty solid and usually I can be accurate with them. I think it suits me and my game. If my putter is running hot then I have a good chance.”

Sei Young Kim was second. The South Korean birdied Nos. 13-15 to pull within two strokes, but parred 16 and 17 and bogeyed the 18th for a 66.

“This golf course is not easy, even regular tournament,” Kim said. “The greens are really fast. If I miss the wrong side, it’s tough to up-and-down. Even that, I’m very satisfied with my playing. I’m very happy with my score.”

Lee easily held on after Kim’s rally stalled.

“I was just going to carry on playing my own game,” Lee said. “I had a couple birdie opportunities coming in, so I didn’t get rattled up or anything.”

Annie Park (67) and Morgan Pressel (68) tied for third at 9 under.

Koerstz Madsen shot a 76 to finish 13th at 5 under. She was trying to become the first Danish winner in LPGA Tour history.

Canada’s Brooke Henderson followed her win a week earlier with a T10 finish at 6 under par.

AVONDALE, La. – Ryan Palmer had to find a teammate if he was going to get back to New Orleans, one of his favourite PGA Tour stops for reasons ranging from the food to his friendship with Saints coach Sean Payton.

Palmer’s past partner at the Zurich Classic team event, Jordan Spieth, had changed his schedule and was taking the week off, and Palmer knew Jon Rahm’s previous teammate, Wesley Bryan, couldn’t play because of shoulder surgery. So Palmer reached out to Rahm, unsure if a 24-year-old Spaniard wanted anything to do with a Texan nearly two decades his senior.

The odd couple from different continents and generations combined for a 3-under 69 in the alternate-shot final round Sunday to win the tour’s only team event by three strokes over Sergio Garcia and Tommy Fleetwood.

“I shot him a text, hoping he would bite,” Palmer recalled. “When a 42-year-old player is calling him, he’s probably like, ‘Why does he want to play with me?’ But he accepted and what an awesome week.”

The victory was the fourth on the tour for Palmer, but first in nearly a decade. Having last won in 2010 at the Sony Open in Hawaii, Palmer waved and gave a thumbs-up as he walked up the 18th fairway with a throng of fans applauding the impending triumph.

“It was nice playing the last hole with a three-shot lead. That’s for sure,” Palmer said.

Rahm took his third PGA Tour victory – one each in his first three seasons. He finished in the top 10 for the seventh time this year, including a tie for ninth at the Masters a couple weeks earlier.

“When Wesley told me he was having shoulder surgery a few months before the event, I was in no-man’s land,” Rahm recalled.

“I’m really happy I said yes” to Palmer’s proposal to team-up, Rahm continued. “I can say to Jordan and Wesley: ‘Sorry, we already have a partner for next year.”’

Palmer-Rahm finished at 26-under 262 at the TPC Louisiana, which had dried out considerably since heavy rain delayed the first round by more than seven hours and forced many players to play more than 18 holes on Friday and Saturday to get the event back on schedule.

Canada’s David Hearn of Brantford, Ont., finished with a share of 5th alongside Ireland’s Seamus Power. The duo finished at 20 under par, six back of the champions.

Opening the final round tied atop the leaderboard with Scott Stallings and Trey Mullinax, Palmer and Rahm surged to a two-stroke lead in just two holes after Stallings-Mullinax bogeyed the first hole and Rahm nearly holed out from the fringe to set up Palmer’s 1-foot birdie putt on the par-5 second. Palmer and Rahm never lost the lead after that, making birdies on 13 and 14 at virtually the same time Garcia and Fleetwood were making birdies on 17 and 18 – highlighted by Garcia’s 29-foot birdie putt in front of the grandstand on 17.

“Proud of how well we played,” Fleetwood said after he and Garcia’s final-round 68. “Neither of us hardly missed a shot. … To shoot 68 that easy in foursomes is a very, very good day.”

The teams of Kyoung-Hoon Lee-Matt Every and Brian Gay-Rory Sabbatini tied for third, five shots behind. Four teams tied for fifth at 20 under, four more for ninth at 19 under and defending champions Billy Horschel and Scott Piercy were among five teams at 18 under.

The winners each took home $1.05 million, moving Rahm up to nearly $3.1 million this season and Palmer to about $2.3 million.

Three days of sunshine made the greens increasingly “crusty” Palmer said, and faster. A number of players struggled to adjust Sunday, regularly rolling putts past the hole.

Yet Palmer and Rahm handled it well. Palmer made two putts from around 6 feet, one from 7, one from 8 and one from 11.

“What got us going for the most part was a lot of those par putts that Ryan made,” said Rahm, who figured out the greens on the back nine, making a 13-foot birdie putt on 10 and a 24-footer to save par on 15.

“It’s hard when you play slower greens that have been wet for three days and you come to these,” Palmer said. “But what a day to buckle down and make the ones we needed to.”

The Zurich format was best-ball in the first and third rounds, allowing players to be more aggressive. But bad shots held the potential to derail alternate-shot rounds because players had to deal with the lies their teammates left them.

Palmer and Rahm didn’t misfire often, but when one did, the other responded well.

The burly, powerful Rahm slammed his driver into the turf after pulling his tee shot through tree branches on the left side of the fairway and into the waste bunker on 12. But Palmer followed with a 195-yard shot that landed just short of the green, and sank a 6-foot putt two shots later for par.

Rahm’s psyche appeared restored when he bounced a 71-yard chip off the flag on 13 to set up Palmer’s short birdie putt.

Palmer gushed afterward about the 6-foot-2, 220-pound Rahm’s combination of strength and finesse.

“It’s really fun to play with a guy that can not only hit the ball the way he does, but watching his short game,” Palmer said. “I learned so much from watching it – the shots he hits when he’s got a bump-and-run or flop. … He’s got a special art.”

Stallings-Mullinax faded on the back nine, where they bogeyed 11 and 13 and double-bogeyed 16 after Mullinax’s tee shot went into the water. They finished with a 5-over 77 and tied for 13th.

Two-time Masters winner Bubba Watson, playing a three-hours’ drive from his native Bagdad, Florida, appeared primed to make a run with partner J.B. Holmes after they’d birdied the fourth, seventh and eighth holes to move to 20 under. But Watson left an approach shot short on 10, which the tandem bogeyed.

Holmes narrowly missed a birdie putt on 11, and then pulled his drive on 12, forcing Watson to chip back to the fairway while leaning against a tree. They bogeyed that hole and three more to finish 13 shots back.

The Canadian golf industry represented by We Are Golf (formerly the National Allied Golf Association) has officially announced that May 1, 2019 has been tabbed as National Golf Day in Canada.

The date aligns with the We Are Golf initiative spearheaded out of the United States—also set for May 1, 2019—and will bring further attention to the game of golf and its significant community impact within not only Canada, but across North America.

We are Golf is comprised of all the national golf associations within Canada—Golf Canada, the Canadian Society of Club Managers, the Canadian Golf Superintendents Association, the PGA of Canada and the National Golf Course Owners Association Canada.

Planning for National Golf Day is underway with several activities to build upon the success of the inaugural 2018 event which included government advocacy and discussion with MPs in Ottawa, a public junior golf activity on the Parliament Hill lawn and various golf activities at clubs across Canada. The continuation of National Golf Day in Canada in 2019 will again incorporate meetings by We Are Golf stakeholders with MPs and government officials.

“We are looking forward to building upon the success of our 2018 National Golf Day and government advocacy efforts in Ottawa and continue to bring the positive value of the game of golf to the forefront,” said We Are Golf chair, Kathryn Wood. “National Golf Day will be a tremendous catalyst for golf enthusiasts to rally and celebrate what the sport of golf means to them and their community.”

Each member association representing We Are Golf is also encouraging their respective memberships, partners and stakeholders to participate in National Golf Day in their own way to celebrate the significant economic, health, recreational, charitable and tourism benefits that golf drives in communities from coast to coast.

We Are Golf is calling on the entire golf community as well as partner associations and golfers to engage in National Golf Day as a can’t miss event on the Canadian golf calendar.

Golf enthusiasts across Canada are encouraged to get involved in National Golf Day by playing a round of golf, visiting a course or practice facility, enjoying family time at the course, introducing a new player to the game, adopting a school in their community through Golf in Schools, hosting a school golf field trip, taking a lesson, or making a purchase at their local pro shop.

Please visit http://wearegolf.ca/ to learn more, and to access a social media toolkit to promote the day and get involved!

Golf in Canada – A Snapshot:

In Canada, more than five million golfers play close to 60 million rounds annually at nearly 2,300 golf facilities from coast to coast—the most participated sport in this country.

Golf is a significant economic driver generating more than $14.3 billion in economic impact and employing more than 300,000 jobs, nearly 40% of which are summer students. Direct revenues generated by golf courses and their facilities ($5.0 billion) rivals the revenues generated by all other participation sports and recreation facilities combined ($4.8 billion). Golf courses also steward essential greenspace in the community in addition to hosting more than 37,000 charity events that raise more than $533 million annually to support important causes.

The health benefits of moderate-intensity physical activity, burning 850 to 1,500 calories as well as muscle endurance, blood circulation, flexibility and mental health along with respiratory, metabolic and cardiovascular improvements can’t be discounted. Golf as a safe and inclusive family sport is good for our children, instilling etiquette and values such as integrity, honest, fair play and the spirit of camaraderie.

AVONDALE, La. – Jon Rahm and Ryan Palmer shared the lead with Scott Stallings and Trey Mullinax as the Zurich Classic finally got back on schedule.

Rahm and Palmer played 30 holes Saturday in the event delayed by rain for more than seven hours Thursday, finishing off a 7-under 65 in the alternate-shot second round and shooting 64 in best-ball play in the third.

“It’s been 4:30 four nights in a row,” Palmer said. “Dinners at 9 and back up at 4:30. Took its toll on me. Just feeding me sugar and food trying to keep my energy up. Tomorrow we’ll be on a lot of rest. If we’re on tomorrow in alternate shot, we’re going to be hard to beat.”

Rahm carried the team in the third round, with the Spaniard making eight birdies.

“He’s just fun to be around,” Palmer said. “He’s actually a great guy. I’ve enjoyed every second with him. When you’re up close and personal and watching it and see the shots he can hit around the green, you know, his short game is phenomenal. You can learn something from that, too, so I learned a lot. Honor to be a part of it.”

Palmer saved bogey with an 8-footer on the par-3 17th after both players hit into the water, and Rahm made a 15-foot birdie putt on the par-5 18th to match Stallings and Mullinax at 23-under 193.

“That putt Ryan made was probably the most important shot we made so far in the tournament,” Rahm said. “Felt like a birdie, and then to keep tied for the lead, very important.”

Stallings and Mullinax played 27 holes, shooting 70-62.

“We play a lot of practice rounds together,” Stallings said. “We’ve known each other for a few years. Just kind of we played so much together it just kind of made sense. We know each other’s games pretty well.”

Mullinax looked ahead to the final round.

“I really enjoy alternate shot,” Mullinax said. “Scott hits the ball great. Hitting it nice. We’re both putting well. I don’t feel like there is much pressure on us. Just go out and do our thing.”

Brandan Grace and Justin Harding were a stroke back. The South Africans played 32 holes, shooting 68-61.

“I think we played 50 odd holes,” Harding joked. “We certainly moved up the board. It’s just a matter of continuing the momentum throughout the rounds.”

Peter Malnati and Billy Hurley III were 20 under. They shot 66 after finishing the second round Friday.

Sergio Garcia and Tommy Fleetwood were another stroke back with the teams of Joel Dahmen-Brandon Harkins, Austin Cook-Andrew Landry, Hank Lebioda-Curtis Luck, Russell Henley-Ryan Blaum and Russell Knox-Brian Stuard. Brothers Brooks and Chase Koepka topped the group at 18 under along with Henrik Stenson and Graeme McDowell.

Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford, B.C., and American partner Jim Knous were tied for 16th at 17-under par after firing a 65 on Saturday. David Hearn of Brantford, Ont., and Irish partner Seamus Power and Nick Taylor, from Abbotsford, and Scottish partner Martin Laird were tied for 21st at 16 under.

Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., and Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., sat at 35th at 13 under.

LOS ANGELES – Minjee Lee overcame a triple bogey Saturday to take the lead into the final round of the Hugel-Air Premia LA Open.

Lee shot a 4-under 67 to reach 11-under 202 at Wilshire Country Club. She birdied the first two holes before dropping the three strokes on the par-4 third after her second shot clipped a tree branch and her 50-yard third went over the green.

The 22-year-old Australian rallied with birdies on Nos. 5, 6, 10, 14 and 17 – all par 4s – for a one-stroke lead over Denmark’s Nanna Koerstz Madsen.

“Sort of fought my way back to my score today,” Lee said. “After that (triple) I wasn’t super nervous or anything. I just sort of tried to believe in myself and just go out there and make as many birdies as I can, try and hit as many good shots as I can.”

Ranked fourth in the world, Lee won the last of her four LPGA Tour titles in May in Michigan in the LPGA Volvik Championship. She tied for third last week in Hawaii for her third top-three finish of the season.

“Both of us, Nanna and I, we made a lot of birdies today,” Lee said. “I think we sort of fed off each other, which was really nice. Yeah, nice confidence for tomorrow.”

The 24-year-old Koerstz Madsen also shot 67.

“I’m glad to be done,” Koerstz Madsen said. “I got the putter going on the last couple holes, but it was a little bit shaky all day kind of.”

She’s trying to become the first LPGA Tour winner from Denmark

“Do the same thing as the last two days, three days,” Koerstz Madsen said. “Really just focus on my own game. If it’s enough, that’s good and I’m happy with whatever. I mean, I’m already happy with how I’ve been emotionally this week. Just going to enjoy tomorrow I think.”

Inbee Park was 7 under after a 68. The South Korean star has 19 LPGA Tour victories – seven in majors – but is winless in more than year.

“It’s extremely hard to stay patient on these greens,” Park said. “I really feel like I should be 15-under par easily by now. These greens are just so complicated, and you can’t be aggressive or it’s either you leave it a foot short or you’re 5 feet by.”

Top-ranked Jin Young Ko and Morgan Pressel were 6 under. Ko had a 67. She’s the only player with multiple victories this year, taking the Founders Cup in Phoenix and the major ANA Inspiration in Rancho Mirage.

Pressel shot 70. She won the last her two LPGA Tour titles in 2008.

“It’s just tough to be aggressive on a lot of these putts out here, even when you’re uphill,” Pressel said. “You don’t want to be left with a downhiller coming back, especially late in the day. Poa can get a little bit bumpy.”

Brooke Henderson (69) of Smiths Falls, Ont., was tied for 12th at 3 under. Quebec City’s Anne-Catherine Tanguay (73) and Calgary’s Jaclyn Lee (76) were tied for 41st at 1 over.