Lexi Thompson is one of the biggest names in women’s golf, with a professional career spanning almost 15 years. During her time in the paid ranks, Thompson has won 11 times on the LPGA Tour and claimed the 2014 Kraft Nabisco Championship (now the Chevron Championship) - an achievement which made her the second-youngest-ever Major winner at the time.
Thompson has also worked alongside a number of caddies since turning pro in 2010, including her brothers Curtis and Nicholas - and her father, Scott. Curtis is now a professional golfer himself, however, and therefore no longer has time to caddie for his sister.
From a non-family point of view, Kevin McAlpine, Jack Fulghum and Paul Drummond have also fulfilled looper duties - with the latter, a 26-year-old local part-time caddie, carrying Thompson's bag at the 2021 AIG Women's Open after being introduced by Lexi's mother via Scottish artist Graeme Baxter.
Fulghum - who was succeeded by Drummond - caddied for Thompson from December 2020 until the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. Fulghum suffered from intense heat stroke during the opening round of the Olympics, leaving Thompson to deal with several other caddies over the course of the tournament. Post-event, Thompson confirmed that the pair were not working together anymore. She said: “I think we’ve kind of separated ways for now."
Thompson had also used Bryson DeChambeau's former long-time caddie Tim Tucker for a week in December 2020, though this didn't materialise into anything long-lasting and her search for a 12th LPGA Tour title continued.
Who Is Lexi Thompson's Caddie?
And, despite enjoying a brief spell with Colton Heisey through the end of 2023 and start of 2024, the Floridian has once again opted to switch loopers as she nears the end of her full-time pro career.
At the US Women's Open in May, Thompson confirmed she would be retiring from a full-time professional golf schedule at the end of the 2024 season. Two weeks later, at the 2024 Meijer LPGA Classic in June, she hired long-time friend Mark Wallington as her new caddie.
Thompson finished T2 at that event and went on to lead the first round of the KPMG Women's PGA Championship the following week before finishing T9. Prior to the Solheim Cup, the 29-year-old achieved three more top-20 results - including a T8 at the Dow Championship - and did not miss a cut.
Discussing why she hired Wallington and how they began working together, Thompson said: "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.
"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.
"So I was like, you know what? This sounds great. Let’s just work together and see how it does. No matter what, we’ll always have that friendship and bond. That will never leave us.
Lexi Thompson leads the @KPMGWomensPGA thanks to opportunistic scoring and positive support from her new caddie, Mark Wallington. 🫡 @TheAmyRogers pic.twitter.com/lywoE54dXAJune 21, 2024
"It ended up working out. He’s amazing out there for me. He’s very positive, and that’s what I need out there.”
Wallington's own story is a fascinating one. He is from Warrington in England and used to play professional Rugby League for Warrington Wolves alongside his day job in the air-conditioning industry. However, after a horrific leg injury back in 2005 which could have seen his leg amputated, Wallington began life with his second love in 2007.
He travelled to the Madeira Open in Porto Santo and ultimately ended up briefly caddying for Welsh former Ladies European Tour golfer, Breanne Loucks.
Fast forward a few years, and Wallington was on the bag of Swede Sophie Gustafson for the 14th Ladies European Tour victory of her career at the 2010 European Ladies Golf Cup, claimed alongside Anna Nordqvist.
That was only a one-off, though, until Gustafson split with her regular caddie and ended up employing Wallington full-time. The pair spent the entire 2011 campaign together and the Englishman was on the bag at the Solheim Cup in Ireland, too, where Europe beat the USA 15-13 thanks to Gustafson's 100% record from four matches.
Visa issues prevented him from reuniting with Gustafson for the 2012 term, with Wallington moving on to Caroline Hedwall's bag instead. He later went on to caddie for Charley Hull and Emily Kristine Pedersen at the 2013 and 2017 Solheim Cup, also teaming up with Lydia Ko during 2014. His other bosses have included Carlota Ciganda, Carly Booth, Alice Hewson, and Maria Fassi.
Throughout his varied time on tour, Wallington has become friends with Thompson, and the caddie - who is in his early 50s - will hope to be the man at the icon's side as she closes out her full-time pro career.
