NAPLES, Fla. — After not being able to play due to the U.S. Women’s Open being the same week a year ago, Lexi Thompson will be returning to Tiburón Golf Club at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort in a couple of weeks.
Thompson will play in the QBE Shootout, Greg Norman’s event, for the fifth time. She is paired with two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson.
Watson was an unofficial cheerleader at the Solheim Cup.
“At Solheim that was really the first time I really got hang out with Bubba,” Thompson said. “I’ve never seen him play in person, and it will be so much fun.
“I love team events, but to be paired up with Bubba, really looking forward to just being around him. He was great with us at Solheim. Seemed just like a genuine guy. To be able to stay there the whole week and help us out and just to be there to support Team USA meant world to us.”
New LPGA Commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan’s theme during her national media availability on Friday was that women’s golf has an opportunity to carry forward the momentum it has built.
“Whenever, however we can showcase our athletes, we think we’re going to grow from that,” Marcoux Samaan said. “She’s wildly talented, and I think by people seeing that in the environment that they’re used to seeing makes a big difference.”
Norman, the founder and host of the Shootout, also has championed having Thompson in the tournament and what she brings to it. Annika Sorenstam was the first woman to play in the Shootout back in 2006, playing with Fred Couples.
Thompson played with Bryson DeChambeau in 2016, Tony Finau in 2017 and 2018 and Sean O’Hair in 2019. Her best finish was a tie for fourth with Finau.
Happy with direction
Thompson hit some good putts that didn’t fall Sunday, but still shot a 68 and finished eighth at 16 under.
“I played some great golf, especially towards the end,” she said. “I’ve put in a lot of hard work, working with Martin Hall out there and just putting in the hours and the practice.
“Especially on the mental side as well. I feel like I was in a much better place, especially coming towards the end of the year just mentally. I just had more of a good time out there and I had some good, consistent finishes. Just going to take that into 2022.”
Lucky No. 13
Both Megan Khang and In Gee Chun made eagles in Sunday’s final round, and neither were on par-5s. Both were on the par-4 13th.
“It was awesome,” said Khang, who is in her fourth tournament with new caddie Jack Fulghum. “I mean, I was a little frustrated with myself. I hit a really good shot into 12, the hole before, and missed a shorter putt for birdie.
“So Jack was right up there with the tee ball saying like, ‘Hey, chin up. We still got plenty of holes.’ And sure enough, like drive down the fairway and perfect little soft 8-iron into the wind. I didn’t see it go in, but I knew it was on a great line and I saw the crowd’s reaction, so it was awesome to see.”
Khang started joking with Fulghum.
“‘Oh, I can’t make a three-footer but I can make 130 yards,’” she said.
Korda’s season goes on
Nelly Korda won’t have to dwell too long on her final round Sunday. She will be playing with her former tennis star father, Petr, in the PNC Championship, Dec. 17-19 in Orlando.
That’s the event formerly known as the Father/Son Challenge, and has been changed over the years, with now 20 major champions playing with a family member.
“I’m playing the PNC event with my dad in December so I’m not going to get much time off,” she said. “I told him that I’m going to sacrifice my off-season for him so he better be practicing. He’s carrying the team.”
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