With tears in her eyes, Lexi Thompson leaves the U.S. Women’s Open
Lancaster, PennsylvaniaIn the U.S. Women’s Open, Lexi Thompson made what may have been her last stroke, a 3-inch bogey putt, and stood off to the side of the ninth green. Up until she started walking toward the scoring room, it was exactly like every other round.
Over the cheers, one fan cried, “We’ll miss you, Lexi.”
Her final round score of 78 on Thursday, four consecutive bogeys around the turn on Friday that ended any chance of making the cut, and a 75 for a 13-over-par total are not how she wanted to go out.
And a part of her wished she had kept her pronouncement earlier in the week that this would be her final year of a full schedule at age 29 to herself.
At Pine Needles, Thompson made her Women’s Open debut in 2007 at the age of twelve. One thing that arose from that was what she would say to her 12-year-old self.
She began to speak with emotion when she remarked, “I would advise you to probably just enjoy life.” “Just remember to be thankful for everything in your life. Just by being here, enjoy every moment you get to have.”
She choked on her words, stopped abruptly, turned to face the Lancaster, and said, harshly whispering, “I knew I shouldn’t have done this.”
She resisted that and was given a box of tissues.
This week was going to be significant. We just want to be with my family, friends, and the number of fans that showed up this week,” she remarked. That is our desired growth trajectory for the game of golf. I hope it keeps going that way in every tournament, whether or not I’m teeing it up.”
Thompson expressed satisfaction with her decision to move away, but it was unclear what exactly she meant by that. She intends to continue playing throughout the year. Her greatest dream is to play this fall on a seventh Solheim Cup team.
Barring a better showing at the U.S. Women’s Open, Thompson would not be exempt the following year. She hasn’t won in almost five years.
If a player demonstrates exceptional achievement, like Rose Zhang did a year ago or Michelle Wie did in 2006 before she joined the LPGA Tour and placed in the top five at two majors, the USGA may provide a special exemption, but it has historically only granted them to prior champions from the previous 20 years.
