
Lexi Thompson among six at summit for Meijer LPGA Classic finale
Six players, including Lexi Thompson, are tied at the top of the leaderboard after three rounds of the Meijer LPGA Classic in Belmont, Michigan.
Thompson carded a four-under 68, as did co-leaders Nanna Koerstz Madsen of Denmark and Paraguay's Sofia Garcia. Sweden's Madelene Sagstrom tied for the best round of the day on Saturday, carding a five-under 67, while South Korea's Hye-Jin Choi and Spain's Carlota Ciganda each posted a three-under 69 to create the six-player logjam.
"Of course it was a close call last year, but it's fair game tomorrow," said Thompson, who lost to Lilia Vu in a playoff at the Blythefield CC layout in 2024.
"Everybody is going to come out swinging. Good weather tomorrow, so I know birdies will have to be made and I'll have to go pin-seeking. I will hope for the best, go out there and embrace the opportunity, and really love on the fans."
Thompson, who has not won on tour since 2019, recorded seven birdies and three bogeys and finished with birdies on 16 and 18.
Sagstrom dazzled the crowd, producing eagles on the fourth and sixth holes, sandwiched around a birdie on the fifth. The 2025 LPGA Match Play winner, who holed out from the fairway on the sixth, got to 12 under with a birdie at 14, but bogeyed the par-4 16th hole to drop to 11 under.
Sagstrom will be paired with Thompson and Koerstz Madsen in the final threesome of the day on Sunday.
Australia's Karis Davidson is two strokes behind at nine under, while four players - including Megan Khang - are tied at eight under.
Wei-Ling Hsu of Chinese Taipei tied Sagstrom for the low round of the day and is tied for 12th at 7-under par.
enduring a fourth missed cut in a row on tour following Friday's second round.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


RTÉ News
2 days ago
- RTÉ News
Girls in Green well beaten by classy USA in Denver
USA 4-0 Republic of Ireland The heat, altitude and relentless energy of an excellent USA side proved too much for the Republic of Ireland in Denver, as they slumped to a 4-0 friendly defeat in the early hours of Friday morning. Emma Hayes rested most of her European-based stars, with the exception of Chelsea defender Naomi Girma. Instead she gave some of the NWSL's brightest talents the opportinity to shine - and they gleefully took it. Houston Dash defender Avery Patterson headed home the opener after 18 minutes, with Sam Coffey doubling the Americans' lead right on the stroke of half-time. Rose Lavelle put the result beyond doubt early in the second half before Alyssa Thompson placed the cherry on top with a super individual effort. It was a chastening night at the office for Ireland. They must dust themselves down now and head for Cincinnati, where they face the world No 1-ranked side again on Sunday. Shorn of Denise O'Sullivan and Megan Campbell in the build-up, head coach Carla Ward knew this was going to be a massive challenge. Ireland had travelled without Katie McCabe, Aoife Mannion, Heather Payne and Leanne Kiernan; they could not afford to lose more quality. It was tough going from the off. Courtney Brosnan - named captain on the occasion of her 50th cap - denied Thompson with a brilliant point-blank stop, and clawed a low Claire Hutton effort around the post moments later. Thompson was a menace down the left, attacking with huge purpose and pace. A goal felt inevitable but when it came on 18 minutes, it was avoidable. Ireland switched off from a corner that was played short to Lavelle. She swung in a fine cross that Patterson powered home with a downward header. Ireland struggled to enjoy anything resembling decent possession as the USA swarmed all over them. Anna Patten, Caitlin Hayes and Jessie Stapelton all produced moments of courageous defending, but collectively the visitors couldn't stem the tide. Having survied a few close calls, the second goal eventually arrived in first-half stoppage time when Coffey glided beyond a couple of defenders and forced home a smart left-footed strike. Two down at the break, there was realistically no way back for Ireland. They'd have hoped to restrict their vaunted opponents more effectively and perhaps pinch a goal back, but neither happened. If anything, it was the hosts who went up a level. Lavelle finished off a sweeping move from close range seven minutes into the second half to make it three, and Thompson made it four with 63 minutes on the clock when she ghosted beyond Stapleton, surged towards the area and curled home a peach of a goal via the inside of the post. Hayes emptied her bench, each sub hungry to make their mark. San Diego-born attacker Erin Healy did come on to make her Ireland debut in the closing stages, but she barely touched the ball. Emily Sonnett and Olivia Moultrie - who hit the bar with a rasper - both went close as the USA hunted more goals. In the end they had to settle for 4-0, though they will no doubt relish the chance to inflict more pain on the Irish in the rematch this weekend. USA: Claudia Dickey; Naomi Girma (Capt), Avery Patterson, Lilly Reale, Emily Sonnett; Claire Hutton, Rose Lavelle, Sam Coffey; Alyssa Thompson, Ally Sentnor, Michelle Cooper


The Irish Sun
6 days ago
- The Irish Sun
Galway survive Down's late surge to seal All-Ireland quarter-final spot in five-goal classic
After nerve-shredding finishes against Mayo, Dublin, Derry and Armagh, Galway had already been involved in their share of high octane, high drama ties before surviving another against Down in the Marshes. Forward trio Shane Walsh, Rob Finnerty and Matthew Thompson scored 1-18 between them as the Tribesmen left with a two-point victory. 2 The Tribesmen ousted Down in a cracking clash to seal a last-eight place 2 There were five goals in the thrilling clash at Pairc Esler But only after weathering a stirring fightback from the Mourne men inspired by Odhran Murdock. Winning manager Padraic Joyce said afterwards: "Very happy that we got through. "Great game of football, up and down the pitch the whole time. It was error-ridden, a lot of turnovers, a lot of good play. "We probably started the game poorly enough but then second half of the first half, we pulled away and got a 10-point cushion at half-time after Shane got the goal. read more on gaa "Came out after half-time and we let them get back into the game with two two-pointers. "The game then was topsy-turvy in the second half, tit for tat, back and over. We looked in a bit of bother in the second half when they got back to two or three points. "In fairness to our experienced lads, Peter Cooke made a massive difference when he came on the pitch. Tomo Culhane got a great goal, Daniel O'Flaherty two points. "Our bench has made a massive impact in the last couple of games, as it did today. Most read in GAA Football "Johnny Heaney came on after a head injury for Cillian McDaid, and he handled the ball three or four times and minded the ball really, really well. "A lot of aspects we'd be really happy with, obviously a lot of aspects we wouldn't be happy with and the amount of scores we conceded. But it was that kind of game, it was going to be open. 'Just in time for Father's Day' - Dublin GAA legends welcome the birth of precious baby daughter "People are saying we don't play for 70 minutes. I think we got a good performance there for the full 70 minutes overall. "We know where we are, we're happy enough to be there. We've work to do. We just can't perform like that next week whoever we are playing in the quarter-finals. If we concede that kind of score, we're going to be in trouble." A crucial eight-minute spell at the end of the first half pushed a wind-assisted Galway lead of 1-7 to 1-6 out to 1-16 to 1-6 at the hooter. Walsh buried past Down's excellent 'keeper Ronan Burns on 22 minutes and kicked a couple from outside the 40-metre arc, as did Thompson and Finnerty. Odhran Murdock and Danny Magill were on target with two points apiece for the home side, while Murdock also set John McGeough away for their opening goal on 14 minutes. Down were a side transformed after the break with Daniel Guinness and Miceal Rooney two-pointers inside 90 seconds getting their support more involved. Galway steadied themselves with Thompson, Finnerty and Matthew Tierney points for a 1-20 to 1-13 advantage on 49 minutes before another Down surge followed as Galway's kickout came under intense pressure. A second Guinness two-pointer and sub Caolan Mooney's impact cut it back to two before Galway's bench began to influence matters. Peter Cooke and Daniel O'Flaherty found the target, while Walsh converted a terrific two-point free prior to his injury-enforced withdrawal. Galway's 1-24 to 1-19 lead appeared too much for Down to reel in, but Murdock had other ideas and ignited a rally with Down's second goal to cut the deficit to just two on 65 minutes. Sub Tomo Culhane's green flag two minutes later was the key moment for the Tribesmen and finally saw off Down's resurgence. And though Ryan Magill netted the game's fifth at the other end soon after, a relieving Céin D'Arcy point confirmed Galway's victory and a quarter-final date with Meath, Monaghan or Tyrone. Down boss Conor Laverty was upset after the game. He said: "Bad feeling in the stomach now. "We knew that taking any team in the country to Newry, we felt we had an opportunity to win it. We definitely didn't think that today was going to be our last day in the championship. "I came here today with a massive belief that these players could perform at this level and that this is the standard that we want to be play at. "What we did talk to the players about, do you want to be coming here today to Páirc Esler playing in front of 14,000 people? What would you rather be playing? 'I came to a league match here against Clare one year and there wasn't 150 people at it. Playing against teams in the Tailteann Cup, there were only a couple of hundred people at them, and that's nothing against the Tailteann Cup because it was a stepping stone. "That's where this group of young Down players with a serious mindset and a serious desire to be competing at the top table.' Galway: C Flaherty; J McGrath, S Fitzgerald, L Silke; D McHugh, S Kelly, C Hernon; P Conroy, J Maher; C D'Arcy 0-1, M Thompson 0-5 1tp, C McDaid 0-2; R Finnerty 0-6 1tp 1f, S Walsh 1-7 1tp 2tpf, M Tierney 0-2. Subs: P Cooke 0-1 for Conroy 47, D O'Flaherty 0-2 for Hernon 56, J Heaney for McDaid temp 61-69, T Culhane 1-0 for Walsh 62, J Daly for Maher 67. Down: R Burns; P McCarthy, P Fegen, C Doherty 0-1; R Magill 1-0, P Laverty, M Rooney 0-2 tp; D Guinness 0-4 2tp, R McEvoy 0-2 tp; D Magill 0-2, O Murdock 1-2, A Crimmins 0-1 f; J Guinness 0-1, P Havern 0-2 2f, J McGeough 1-1. Subs: E Brannigan 0-1 for McCarthy temp 21-26 & HT, C Mooney 0-2 for McGeough 53, O Savage for Doherty 58, C McCrickard for Crimmins 62, F Murdock for Rooney 66. REFEREE: D O'Mahoney.


The Irish Sun
21-06-2025
- The Irish Sun
Ciaran Thompson pays tribute to ‘brilliant' Donegal GAA teammate for ‘absolutely unbelievable' heroics against Mayo
CIARÁN THOMPSON hailed Ciarán Moore for kicking his winner against Mayo. Moore's Advertisement 2 Ciaran Thompson paid tribute to Ciaran Moore Credit: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile 2 Ciaran Moore kicked the winning score for Donegal against Mayo Credit: Seb Daly/Sportsfile A draw would have been good enough for Jim McGuinness' men to finish second in Group 1. The winning score made no difference to them in that regard but it does mean they go into tomorrow's All-Ireland SFC preliminary quarter-final at home to Louth with the momentum of being on the back of two victories. And Thompson lauded flying wing-back Moore, 22, for bombing forward for the victory. The Donegal star told SunSport: 'He's brilliant, he has serious legs, absolutely unbelievable. Advertisement Read More on GAA 'Coming from the half-back line there into the half-forward line, just to compose yourself then and stick it over was savage. Fair play to him. 'We always knew it was going to be a tight battle against Mayo, it always is. Mayo went ahead but we dug deep to bring it back level and we got one or two ahead. 'They brought it back level and it was just nice to kick the winner then at the end with the last kick of the game.' Thompson knows Donegal's home comforts are vital. They were in danger of finishing third when David McBrien's second-half goal put Mayo in front — that might have meant a trip to Kerry or Dublin this weekend. Advertisement Most read in Sport Daire Ó Baoill's two-pointer and scores from Michael Murphy and Shane O'Donnell eased fears of that happening and while Fergal Boland thought he had kept the Connacht giants in the hunt for Sam with a late leveller, Moore had the final, decisive say. Donegal have only lost one game in league and Championship football at Ballybofey's MacCumhaill Park under McGuinness and Thompson is happy to be at home against the Leinster champs tomorrow. 'Just in time for Father's Day' - Dublin GAA legends welcome the birth of precious baby daughter He added: 'We were always expecting that from Mayo. We knew they were going to come back and the goal was a bit of a sucker-punch. 'It was just massive to win and get a home draw.' Advertisement