727 days. That is how long it had been since Lexi Thompson had carded a sub-70 round in a major championship, and she finally did so again at the KMPG Women’s PGA Championship.
The American, who announced her retirement shortly before the US Women’s Open, had struggled in the sport’s biggest events in recent times.
Six missed cuts in her last seven since a T2 finish at this very event two years ago. Her best finish since was a T47, which also came at the Women’s PGA Championship 12 months ago.
The last few weeks have been different, though. She was runner-up at the Meijer LPGA Classic on the LPGA Tour last week, and now leads at Sahalee Country Club in Washington.
A lot has changed in a short space of time, but the 29-year-old doesn’t believe that the improvements in her game in recent weeks have had anything to do with her retirement.
“I kind of clicked onto something with my golf swing just trying to simplify things out there and visualize my shots and be more comfortable,” Thompson explained.
“I don’t think that has to do with announcing what I did. It’s just a matter of being comfortable out there, playing free-swing Lexi I guess. Just enjoying being out there every step of the way.”
Thompson started the day brilliantly, making birdie at each of her opening three holes. Three more birdies, along with a pair of bogeys on the back nine, would see her shoot a 4-under-par round of 68 at Sahalee to lead the field.
Would she still walk away from the sport if she was to win her second major (and her first since the 2014 Kraft Nabisco Championship) this week? It’s a question that she was asked following her opening round in Sammamish on Thursday.
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“I’m just taking it one day at a time. I made my announcement. I’m very content with it,” Thompson said.
“Golf is a crazy game, so I’m not going to look too far ahead. Just taking it one day at a time and see where it takes me.”
New caddie, new Lexi Thompson at the Women’s PGA?
Following her disappointment of missing the cut at the US Women’s Open, Thompson made the change to a new caddie, and it has certainly worked.
Mark Wallington is the new looper for the 29-year-old, and the Englishman seems to have helped Thompson relax and enjoy her game a little more in recent weeks.
“I’m very grateful. Mark has helped me out dramatically,” she said.
“He’s so positive out there. Even when I make a bogey or bad shot he’s like, all right, let’s just gets get it back in position and you’ve got this. I think that’s what I need.
“I can get a little bit too hard on myself sometimes and I need that person by my side to pick me up when I’m down. He’s great and we have a good time out there and he keeps me smiling, so I’m enjoying him.”
Who is Thompson’s new bag man, though? Well, he has been on the bag for some of the game’s best over the years.
He has caddied for the likes of Charley Hull, Emily Kristine Pedersen and Sophie Gustafson as they played for Europe at the Solheim Cup.
Wallington has also been on the bag of New Zealander Lydia Ko, before taking up the reigns as Thompson’s caddie ahead of the Meijer LPGA Classic just last week.
“I’ve known him for a very long time and we’ve always had a very great friendship. We get along so well; just never have worked together,” Lexi explained.
“I’ve always considered him one of my great friends out here that I go to, and vice versa. We always have a good laugh with each other and really look for each other in a friendship when needed.”
Now have your say
What did you make of her opening round on Thursday? Could Lexi Thompson do the unthinkable and win the Women’s PGA Championship? If she does, will she think about her retirement? Let us know your thoughts with a post on X, formerly Twitter!
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