Lexi Thompson flirts with 59, fires 2nd-best score in LPGA history

Lexi Thompson had that “59” aura surrounding her for much of Friday’s second round of the Pure Silk Bahamas LPGA Classic.

Alas, the seven-time tour winner missed the magic number by two shots, but she did post the second-best score in relation to par, 12-under, in LPGA history.

Just Annika Sorenstam, the only tour player to post a 59, owns a lower score among the women — the 13-under she signed for when she finished with the 59 in the second round of the 2001 Standard Register Ping.

For Thompson, her course-record, second-round 61 in the LPGA’s season opener got her to 15-under for 36 holes and into second place heading into the weekend on the par-73 Ocean Club Golf Course. She will start Saturday one shot off the blistering pace set by Brittany Lincicome, who set an 18-hole tournament-record 64 on Thursday that stood for some 24 hours.

“I was just pin-seeking all day,” Thompson said following her round. “I played my butt off and it showed.”

For sure it did. Thompson’s flawless scorecard boasted 10 birdies, an eagle (on the par-5 11th), and just 22 putts.

With a second-round 65, Lincicome set a new 36-hole tourney scoring record of 129. She carded a double-bogey-6 on No. 14, but an ace on the par-3 12th made up for the error.

Lincicome made her sixth career hole-in-one with a 7-iron from 161 yards.

“When it went in, I was like, do I jump up and down or do I just wave my arms?” Lincicome said after her second round put her at 17-under. “I didn’t feel like I hit the greatest shot, but got away with it and pretty impressive.”