The Ladies' Major Is... Well, Inspirational

If you have not been watching the ANA Inspiration, the LPGA's first primary of the 12 months, you want to observe it nowadays. It's uncommon which you see such an extraordinary leaderboard. I don't even recognise what storyline first of all.

Lexi Thompson is on pinnacle by herself, however it took a birdie-birdie-par-eagle finish to finally escape of the percent via a unmarried stroke.

I suppose I could begin with In Gee Chun, remaining year's US Women's Open champ, who hasn't been able to play for a month due to a returned injury. She was most effective capable of make complete swings for six days earlier than the event and envisioned herself at maybe 85%, however now she's simply one shot off the lead.

How about Lydia Ko, who's never performed properly right here being just a shot lower back?

Perhaps I have to mention Ai Miyazato, whose 1/3-vicinity finish at the Kia Classic remaining week reputedly wasn't simply success in the end. After a long warfare along with her sport that noticed her drop properly out of the Top100 on the Rolex Rankings, she changed the loft of her putter closing week and all of sudden found her sport again. She's simply shots off the lead.

Or perhaps Michelle Wie, posting her first sub-70 spherical of the yr to get into the mix.

Or Suzann Pettersen, again near the pinnacle after 3 runner-usa Rancho Mirage.

There are 15 gamers within three pictures of every different on the leaderboard, and it's a wild blend of foremost winners, in no way-before winners and former winners you can have written off. Here's the Top15:

• -10 Lexi Thompson
• -9 Ariya Jutanugarn, Lydia Ko, In Gee Chun
• -8 Charley Hull, Ai Miyazato
• -7 Caroline Masson, Michelle Wie, Sung Hyun Park, Suzann Pettersen, Lee-Anne Pace
• -6 Pernilla Lindberg, Hyo Joo Kim, Gerina Pillar, Catriona Matthew

And just behind them lurk players like Stacy Lewis. Depending on the weather and how much harder the greens get, this leaderboard could turn topsy-turvy very quickly.

GC is supposed to begin final round coverage around 5pm ET today, before the Shell Houston Open finishes up on NBC. But this is shaping up to be a really good finish, and a great warm-up for the Masters next week. You should think twice before you miss it!