LAS VEGAS — Although a number of intriguing storylines pop off the page at the 2023 Shriners Children’s Open, all eyes will be on Lexi Thompson when she tees off Thursday at TPC Summerlin as part of a group with Kevin Roy and Trevor Werbylo, making her the seventh women to play on the PGA Tour.
Thompson’s exemption caused at least one Tour player (Peter Malnati) to say the move might have been a reach by tournament organizers (see full Malnati comments below), but Thompson calmly brushed the episode aside when she met with media members Tuesday.
“No reaction. I knew some comments were going to happen with anything. Like I said, I’m out here playing of course with the men, but I want to leave a message just to the kids that I’m following my dreams and to go after what you want with a positive mindset and don’t let anybody’s comments or reaction get in the way of that,” Thompson said. “But it’s all good. I mean, I expected it, so… ”
Here’s what other PGA Tour players have said about the 11-time LPGA winner teeing it up this week with the men.
Luke List: 'I know she really moves the needle'
I’ve played with Lexi one time before in the Shark Shootout in Naples, and she’s obviously one of the top American women of our generation.
To see her compete, always seems like she’s maybe struggled a little bit as of recent but had a Hall of Fame career. I know she really moves the needle with young girls and that’s phenomenal.
Any chance for her to play with the guys and show her stuff, I think she’ll have a great week.
… You know, 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 without (considering) whatever she shoots.
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.
Michael Kim: 'Spices up the fall series a little bit'
She’s hitting it great. This course is probably a little longer than what she’s used to, but I thought she’s hitting it really well, and she’s going to have a good chance heading into this week.
I think her iron game was definitely a surprise to me. She’s naturally going to have a little bit longer in, but she was hitting it close … so it’ll be fun to see how it goes.
Probably helps being at elevation, ball is going to fly a little further, and again, it’s going to be really fun and exciting to have her on this side. It spices up the Fall Series a little bit. Hopefully, it brings more attention to it, and I think it’s good for growing the game. Really excited for her, and it’s going to be fun to watch. …
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. I think it’s great. 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.
Ben Griffin: 'She can definitely handle this golf course'
I thought she was striping it (during a practice round she played with Griffin). She was hitting it closer than us on a few holes, which is to be expected. She has a ton of talent, and she can handle it out there. It’s a little different out here being a little firmer, a little different conditions, but I think she’s adjusting well, and she played awesome today, and I think she can really compete this week and have a good chance at at least making the weekend. It’ll be fun to watch …
The only tough part is the distance side, just having a little bit longer and us being able to reach maybe the par 5s and the drivable par 4. So we’ll see how the course is set up. But honestly, her game is very good. She’s not that far behind us off the tee. It was probably 20 yards on average, which makes obviously a difference. You can look at the stats and see that, but she can definitely handle this golf course.
It’s awesome for growing the game. We’ve seen in the past I think she’s the seventh LPGA player to play on the PGA Tour. It’ll be just cool. There’s a ton of growth in the game already in these last few years through COVID, and this only helps everything, and it’ll be inspirational for the kids to look up to someone like Lexi and make them believe that they can do it one day, too.
It’s cool. It’s a fun sport because it brings in anyone from wherever you are, whether it’s gender or whatever, this sport isn’t necessarily limited to one certain person. It’s awesome to see that inclusion, to have her here, and it’s going to be fun.
Taylor Montgomery: 'I think it's cool'
I think it’s cool. I haven’t seen her play but I played a lot with her brother, Curtis. Curtis Thompson and I are really good buddies. That’s one crazy dude, Curtis. I can only imagine what Lexi is like.
Peter Malnati: 'Distance won’t be a problem.'
Obviously, I know that Lexi at times has been one of the top players on the LPGA Tour, and she’s obviously very athletic. Distance won’t be a problem. She’ll hit it far enough.
My gut reaction when I saw that was like the tournament reaching to try to get – just trying to drum up interest. I think I understand that, if that is the case.
I don’t think we’re going to need to resort to gimmicks to drum up interest. I shouldn’t have said that. I don’t know that having Lexi play is a gimmick, but I don’t think the tournaments are going to have to go to those kind of lengths to drum up interest and get storylines that they can sell because I think these events are actually going to have a lot of meaning.
Like I said, change is hard for everyone at every level, so I assume if you’re a host organization of a tournament, if you’re the Century Club here in Jackson, if you’re Sanderson Farms, you just don’t know right now for sure what you have anymore because the fall is completely reimagined.
I’m pretty sure that the fall is going to be a blockbuster hit. I think it’s going to be very successful. But these tournaments, they don’t know yet.
Tom Kim: 'If I play with her, I would be worried'
You know, she hits the ball very far. If I play with her, I would be worried.
You know, obviously, I’m not the longest hitter of the golf ball, so making sure – I’ve never really been able to see them 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.
