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GOLF ITEMS I ENJOY
Lexi goes on an amusement ride.
One of the primary characters in pro golf since joining the LPGA Tour over ten years ago is Lexi Thompson. She is well-liked, gifted, lively, and prosperous. On some of the largest platforms in golf, she has also experienced some incredibly devastating outcomes. She’s now one of the more intriguing characters in the game because to this combination.
When she declared at the U.S. Women’s Open that this would be her last full-time season on the LPGA Tour, it was reasonable if unexpected. She claimed that living and acting in front of an audience hasn’t always been easy, especially during difficult times. Now is the moment to discover what the outside world looks like.
However, Thompson had her greatest round of golf in months in her subsequent competition following the revelation, fighting for four days to qualify for a playoff and finish T2. She then maneuvered her way into contention through 54 holes at this week’s KPMG Women’s PGA, starting Sunday’s final round just four back. She has been reluctant to acknowledge the connection between the announcement and the good performance, but it’s difficult to ignore it—especially after she spoke of “swinging free” as if something had been taken off her game.
But on Sunday, reality quickly sank in. Thompson doubled the fourth hole and bogeyed the first and second holes. She doubled 8 and bogeyed 7. She unexpectedly found herself over a dozen shots adrift after being eight over par through eight holes.
However, Thompson did an incredible thing: he flicked a switch. To the delight of the sizable throng gathering around the clubhouse, she stuffed her tee shot at the par-3 9th hole to four feet. At the par-5 eleventh hole, she proceeded to make another birdie. At hole twelve, she had another close approach and tapped in for her third birdie. She made another at No. 13 after hitting it to eight feet. And at number fifteen, she struck out from the rough. By the time she got to No. 18, her chances of even making the cut had long since passed, but she still had a shot for a minor win: a birdie at the final par-5 would put her back into the tournament’s red digits and guarantee a place in the top 10. The spectators in the grandstands went crazy when she trickled her putt into the center of the hole, leaving her chip around 14 feet short. The ending was both exhilarating and frustrating. It was difficult not to ponder the possibilities.
After the round, a few reporters were able to speak with Thompson. She expressed a complicated range of feelings, asking how to square eight over eight with six under on your previous ten.
She said, “That’s the magic question.” “That’s a better question; I don’t know what was going on on the front nine.”
All in all, she concluded, the week had gone well.
“I believe that today’s positives exceed its negatives, simply because I persevered and never gave up,” the woman stated. “We’re just going to build on that, really.”
Would she change her mind and decide to retire? She had been vague about her plans over the past week, stating things like “one day at a time” and “see where it takes me.” On Sunday, she expressed her satisfaction at seeing her game come together, considering how diligent she had been over her vacation weeks. Even though Thompson stated she had nothing more to show, she still sounded like a golfer who had a point or two to make.
She said, “It was fun,” but then stopped herself. Golf for major championships isn’t really enjoyable. “The golf course was in excellent condition, the week was fantastic overall, the fans were entertaining, and the challenging layout of the course was mentally taxing.”
It wasn’t fun at all. gratifying, demanding, fulfilling, or rewarding? All of those were submitted. Riding the rollercoaster of golf and making a birdie in the end? That’s my kind of golf.
WINNERS
Who emerged victorious this week?
Amy Yang won the KPMG Women’s PGA in a commanding victory on Sunday. She led by two shots going into the final round, increased that lead to seven halfway through the back nine, and won by three strokes overall. More than a dozen players rushed the green to congratulate Yang on her maiden major victory in her 75th start, a scene I wrote about behind the 18th green. (I discussed the scene’s relevance in this post.)
In a playoff match, Scottie Scheffler defeated Tom Kim to win the Travelers Championship. The demonstrators storming the green was the visually striking aspect of their win. The most amazing thing was that Scheffler continues moving up the historical ladder with six wins already this season, including the Masters and the Players.
It took Tyrrell Hatton six strokes to win LIV’s Nashville event; it was his first victory in three years. His major eligibility will be intriguing to follow going forward; he qualified for the Masters the following year by finishing in tie for ninth place, but he is one of LIV’s most gifted players without a major exemption.
At the KLM Open in the Netherlands, Guido Migliozzi secured his fourth DP World Tour victory. After trailing by three shots early in the round, he rallied to force a playoff, which he won with back-to-back birdies. With the victory, he moves up to No. 122 in the world and secures a spot in the Open Championship.
NOT SUCCESSFUL
however, the next best thing.
Tom Kim had an eventful week. He began his eighth consecutive PGA Tour round, celebrated his 22nd birthday with some pizza with Scottie Scheffler (Scheffler turned 28 on the same day), and birdied the 18th hole to cap off a 62-65-65-66 week that forced a playoff.
Kim remarked, “I think I’ve learned a lot this year.” “I’ve learned a lot about trying not to classify things. No amount of wins or losses on the PGA Tour will alter who I am. I am who I am. This week, he will start at the Rocket Mortgage in Detroit for the ninth time in a row.
Three noteworthy runners-up were the KPMG: Miyu Yamashita, who maneuvered her way into Japan’s final Olympic spot, Lina Vu, who demonstrated that her injury recovery is genuine, and Jin Young Ko, who recorded her best major finish since 2020.
And after winning the U.S. Open, Bryson DeChambeau looked like the biggest star of the show with a T3 finish on LIV.
QUICK HITTERS
U.S. Brief open follow-ups.
I was curious as to why, on the 72nd hole of the U.S. Open, Mathieu Pavon ended up ahead of Brett DeChambeau; he provided an explanation here.
Pinehurst received high marks; the championship round attracted the most viewers for the East Coast U.S. Open since 2013. See more over here.
Talk about Rory McIlroy’s putting was prevalent, especially after his 18-hole miss.It was harder than anyone realized, according to Padraig Harrington and Jon Rahm.
