USA TODAY International Edition
Thompson in foursome vying for sweep
Awards, bonus money on line in LPGA season finale
NAPLES, Fla. – Lexi Thompson was on the tee at 6:45 a.m. Tuesday. It was the only way the LPGA tour’s top American could squeeze in 18 holes before the onslaught of off-the-course obligations. After lunch, she met with the print media followed by a TV sit-down interview. At 3 she took part in a tournament photo call. From 4 to 6 she was scheduled to shoot a commercial for the LPGA before attending the pro-am party.
The CME Group Tour Championship isn’t a major, but enough is on the line in South Florida to make it feel like one. With one strong week, Thompson could end a tumultuous 2017 in epic fashion, sweeping the Rolex Player of the Year, Vare Trophy (lowest scoring average) and $1 million CME Globe bonus.
Several others could say the same. It’s a wide-open race with four players in position to claim POY honors with a victory: So Yeon Ryu, Shanshan Feng, Sung Hyun Park and Thompson. All four, plus Brooke Henderson, would take the million-dollar bonus with a win. The top 12 in the CME points race have a mathematical chance.
In the Vare Trophy race, Thompson (69.147) holds a 0.112 lead over Park. The powerful rookie must best Thompson by nine strokes to edge her out (10 strokes if Thompson reaches 10 under or more).
With the once-prodigious Lydia Ko stuck in a winless drought, four players have tried on No. 1 since the Kiwi was overtaken on June 11. The last time the LPGA experienced such turnover at the top was in 2010 after Lorena Ochoa retired midseason.
Park, who spent one week on top of the world this month, has a chance to join Nancy Lopez (1978) as the only players to win Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year in the same season
Ryu realized a goal when she became No. 1 for the first time on June 26. She stayed there for 19 weeks but didn’t win a tournament. She is now more motivated than ever to take back that top spot, if only her body will cooperate.
Ryu suffered an injury to her right shoulder in Malaysia. She was limited to short-game practice in the days leading up this event and played only four holes Tuesday before retiring to the putting green.
“What I’m more motivated is when I get back to No. 1, I really want to be like well-deserved No. 1,” Ryu said. “Like being in contention, pick up the trophy more often. I really want to be stronger next time I become No. 1.”
While Thompson leads the CME Race to the Globe, she hasn’t allowed herself to think about how she might spend the extra $1 million. The winner’s share this weekend is $500,000.
Thompson’s consistency this season can be traced back to last winter, when she toiled over her short game. She has used the same Bettinardi Queen Bee putter all season and kept her eyes open on the greens (both new developments). In putts per greens in regulation, Thompson rose from 49th in 2016 to eighth this season. In sand saves she jumped from 100th to first, something she also credits to improved putting.
“I made a lot more clutch putts that I needed to make,” said Thompson, who won twice and finished second five times.