Lexi Thompson in action during Round 2 of the Shriners Children’s Open
This past weekend Lexi Thompson became just the seventh woman to compete in a PGA Tour event when she teed off in the Shriners Children’s Open in Las Vegas. As is the case whenever a woman competes in a men’s event, there was the added pressure of representing not just herself but all women golfers.
Thompson came the closest to making the cut since Babe Zaharias became the first and only woman to do so in 1945. She was right around cutline on the back nine on Friday but two late bogies cost her the chance of playing on the weekend.
Still, she finished the week at even par for 36 holes. Her second round 69 made her just the second woman to break 70 in a men’s event. Michelle Wie West shot a 68 on two occasions at the Sony Open.
On Thursday, Thompson smacked her opening drive over 300 yards, outdriving one of her two playing partners. On the 4th hole, she outdrove them both. For the two days, she averaged 301 yards off the tee, good enough to be ranked 116th for the week. She drove it straight too, hitting 20 of 28 fairways.
In the process, she impressed those she played with. “We were kind of rooting for her the last few holes to maybe make a birdie or two to make the cut,” Trevor Werbylo, who played with Thompson, said. “She was great, her game was great, and the crowd was awesome.”
In fact, the crowds were some of the biggest at TPC Summerlin. So big that USA Today reported that Michael Kim, who played a practice round with Thompson, believes that more invites will be issued to Thompson and other LPGA players.
Of course, the biggest benefit of Thompson playing in a PGA Tour event is unquantifiable. It is the spotlight she brought to the women’s game; it is the people who wouldn’t otherwise watch a woman play professional golf having their eyes opened to the quality of their golf; and it is the little girls who watched Thompson take on the boys who now want to do the same.
Sebastian Riemann, a fan, tweeted out that “Watching Lexi Thompson on the @PGATOUR is fantastic. My daughter is hooked to the tv! I hope she has a good week. What a great advert for professionalism.”
Watching lexi Thompson on the @PGATOUR is fantastic. My daughter is hooked to the tv! I hope she has a good week. What a great advert for professionalism
— Sebastian Riemann (@surbiton2012) October 12, 2023
This is why despite the critics who contend that she had no chance of winning, or that she took away a spot from a male golfer who is trying to make a living, or that this is no more than a publicity stunt, giving a woman golfer the chance to compete against the men matters.
To be sure, this doesn’t mean that women should generally be given spots in men’s events. It is not a call for men and women to compete against each other as a rule.But seeing the likes of Thompson, Michelle Wie and Annika Sorenstam play with the men serves a larger goal – that of growing the game and inspiring the next generation.
“Just seeing the amount of kids that were out there screaming, “Lexi Lexi, go Lexi!” it makes me tear up sometimes,” Thompson said, “because that’s what I play for, to inspire these kids.”
Week-152 – Oct. 16, 2023
Photo – SB Nation