Alexis Thompson comes back from three down

after five holes to advance in Jones/Doherty

Defending Ione D. Jones/Doherty Women's Amateur champion Isabelle Lendl breezed to a 5 and 4 victory over Elizabeth Breza, but Alexis Thompson of Coral Springs needed some late heroics to advance in the first round of match play at Coral Ridge Country Club.
Thompson, who turns 14 on February 10, fell three holes down after five holes before pulling out a one-hole victory over Tama Caldabaugh. Thompson two-putted from 30 feet on the last hole and Caldabaugh's 10-foot putt to send the match to the 19th hole lipped out.
"I played really bad on the front nine," said Thompson, who was four over par after six holes. "I was missing fairways, missing greens, missing putts. It just was not good at all. I just kept thinking I had to make some birdies to get my momentum and confidence back."
Weston's Diane Lang, who won the U.S. Senior Women's Amateur for the third time in four years in the fall, lost 2 and 1 to Marilyn Hardy. Lang was 3 up after 12 holes but bogeyed every hole coming in.
Lendl, 17, whose sisters Daniela and Marika also advanced to today's second round, was 4 up after the first eight holes."I am really happy with the way everything is shaping up with my game," said Lendl, the daughter of tennis great Ivan Lendl.