It has been a career season for Lexi Thompson. At world No. 4 she is the highest ranked American in the Rolex Rankings, and in 11 starts this season on the LPGA Tour, she has a victory and four runner-up finishes.
The second major of the LPGA season, the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, tees off this week and Thompson raised eyebrows when she declined all media appearances.
At first the theory was that she was sick of talking about the controversial rules violation that cost her the ANA Inspiration, the first major of the year, back in late March. However, it was later revealed that she had a more personal reason: an intense emotional toll resulting from her mother’s recent diagnosis of uterine cancer.
Bullets
- Lexi Thompson is currently the betting favorite to win the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship this week at Olympia Fields near Chicago. Thompson finished runner-up at the first major of the LPGA season, squandering a late lead after an extremely controversial rules violation cost her four strokes. She lost in a playoff to current world #1 Se Yeon Ryu.
- Thompson declined all interview requests this week leading into the tournament, in addition to passing on appearances at tournament press conferences.
- Thompson’s agent, Bobby Kreusler, informed media that Lexi’s refusal to make media appearances was due to emotional distress from a family health issue. Her mother is currently being treated for uterine cancer.
- The 22-year-old Thompson has won a major championship before, taking the 2014 Kraft Nabisco Championship. Known as one of the longest hitters on the LPGA Tour, Thompson currently ranks third in driving distance. She also leads the LPGA Tour in scoring average, and has finished in the top 10 in 55% of her tournaments this season.
Quotable
“It has been devastating news to the whole Thompson family.”
–Bobby Kreusler, Lexi Thompson’s agent
