Lexi Thompson scheduled to become 7th woman to play in PGA Tour event
Lexi Thompson is set to join elite company. The 11-time LPGA event winner has accepted an invitation to play in the PGA Tour‘s Shriners Children’s Open, scheduled for Oct. 12-15.
Thompson becomes just the seventh woman to play in a PGA Tour event. She joins names like Michele Wie West, Suzy Whaley, Annika Sorenstam, Shirley Spork and Babe Didrikson Zaharias. Brittany Lincicome was the last woman to participate in a PGA Tour event, playing in the Barbasol Championship in 2018.
“I’m hopeful that my ability to play with the men next week at the Shriners Children’s Open sends a great message to the young women that you can chase your dream regardless of how hard it is,” Thompson said in a statement, per ESPN. “I’m grateful to Shriners Children’s for this opportunity to spend the week alongside these inspirational kids.”
Thompson has been accomplishing big things throughout her golf career. In 2007, she became the youngest player to qualify for the U.S. Women’s Championship at age 12. Four years later, at age 16, she became the youngest player to win an LPGA Tour event, claiming the Navistar LPGA Classic in 2011.
In total, Thompson has claimed 11 victories on the LPGA Tour, winning one major championship, as well. In 2014, she won the Chevron Championship. She’s also had runner-up finishes in the U.S. Women’s Open, Women’s PGA Championship and Evian Championship.
Thompson’s last victory on the LPGA Tour came in 2019 at the ShopRite LPGA Classic.
“We are thrilled to welcome Lexi to the 2023 tournament,” said Patrick Lindsey, executive director of the Shriners Children’s Open. “We are eager to have Lexi on the course and continue to break through barriers.”
PGA Tour’s Justin Thomas blasts golf writer
PGA Tour star Justin Thomas has apparently heard enough from golf writer Alan Shipnuk. The two-time major championship winner lashed out at the scribe for his comments made about Rory McIlroy.
An excerpt slamming McIlroy from Shipnuk’s new book, LIV and Let Die, leaked. The words did not paint the PGA Tour star in the brightest of lights.
“F*** Rory,” wrote Shipnuck, who reportedly received the quote from a Team Europe teammate of McIlroy. “I’m so sick of hearing how he’s some kind of hero who is saving golf. He’s bought and paid for like everybody else, it’s just that his money is coming from the other side… That he is being held up as some kind of savior on Twitter and by all the fanboys with their shitty podcasts tells you how little people really understand what’s going on.”
Thomas could not hold back after learning of the comment. He took to X to respond, bashing Shipnuk’s style.
“I’d like to speak on behalf of a lot of Tour players and say we’re sick of @AlanShipnuck doing what he does,” Thomas wrote on X. “Bring positivity and good stories to help grow the game of golf, not try and make money bashing guys, earning zero trust, with a lot of incorrect information. Ridiculous.”