The PGA TOUR will tee it up at TPC Summerlin tomorrow for the Shriners Children’s Open, with the addition of LPGA Tour superstar Lexi Thompson making history as she becomes the seventh women to play on the men’s premier tour. After two days of practice in Las Vegas, the eleven-time LPGA Tour champion said she is ready go on tomorrow, likening the week, and the nerves, to that of a major championship.
“I’m sure there will be some nerves. Definitely. If you don’t have nerves, you don’t care. They’ll just show how much I love the game and how much I appreciate this opportunity,” Thompson said at the end of the day Wednesday. “Course set-up-wise it’s obviously very long, but I get to hit driver on basically every hole, which is nice. Usually, I get to do that more at major championships, so to be able to come out here, kind of free swing with the driver, have a few mid to long irons into the greens, definitely more major feel.”
On Tuesday and Wednesday, several of the players who will be competing with Thompson this week expressed admiration for the major champion, especially regarding her ball striking. Shriners Children’s Open defending champions Tom Kim even shared his worry about competing with Thompson, who is one of the longest drivers on the LPGA Tour.
“Well, you know, she hits the ball very far. If I play with her, I would be worried,” Kim laughed before adding, “I've never really been able to see (the women) firsthand. I've watched women's golf outside the ropes, but never been able to see them inside the ropes. For someone as great as her, just to be able to see the way she plays, the way she goes around the golf course would be pretty cool.”
PGA TOUR player Ben Griffin, who finished T2 at last week’s Sanderson Farms Championship, was also impressed with Thompson’s game after playing a nine-hole practice round with her on Tuesday. Griffin even believed she had a good chance to make the cut this week to become the first woman to do so on the PGA Tour since 1945.
“Yeah, I thought she was striping it. She was hitting it closer than us on a few holes, which is to be expected,” Griffin said. “She has a ton of talent, and she can handle it out there… she played awesome today, and I think she can really compete this week and have a good chance at least making the weekend. It'll be fun to watch.”
PGA TOUR veteran Luke List recalled competing with Thompson at the QBE Shootout, calling her “obviously one of the top American women of our generation.” But more than that, he sees Thompson as an incredible roll model to girls and golfers everywhere, including his young daughter.
“You know, (female representation in golf) it's everything. I think that there is much room for growth in the women's game, and continued in our game, too. But for them, just having that opportunity to -- on the biggest stage -- to show their skills, even her just teeing it up is a success with whatever she shoots,” List said. “I know she'll handle it well. Just crossing those barriers is really important and I think that just the tournament being progressive and giving her the opportunity is really cool.”
Inspiring young girls and the children of Shriners Hospitals, many of whom are in attendance at the tournament, is the biggest goal for Thompson this week, she said. The 28-year-old is even carrying around a new bag this week that is covered in good luck messages and drawings from several of the children in attendance. PGA golfer Michael Kim, who played 18-holes with Thompson on Tuesday, knows she will achieve this goal and that her spotlight will do wonders for growing the game.
“I think it's great. The fall series might need a couple more stars, and Lexi being out here definitely brings more attention to her and the PGA TOUR,” Michael Kim said. “There's going to be, I'm sure, lots of little girls out here following her, and it's great for the game of golf for sure.”
Thompson tees off from the first tee on Thursday at 1:19 p.m., and from the 10th tee on Friday at 8:29 a.m. She will play alongside Kevin Roy and Trevor Werbylo during the first two rounds.
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