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U.S. WOMEN'S OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPJuly 7, 2015Lexi ThompsonLANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA MIKE TROSTEL: It's my pleasure to welcome Lexi Thompson into the media center. Lexi is playing in her 9th U.S. Women's Open. At age 20, hard to believe already your 9th. Top 15 finishes in four of the last five Women's Opens, including a 7th place finish in 2014 at Pinehurst. Lexi, a really consistent start to the year, no wins, but already six top 10 finishes this year, including both major championships. How do you feel about your game coming into this week? LEXI THOMPSON: I feel pretty good about my game coming into this week. Like you said, I've had some very consistent finishes already this year. But I've been working on the mental side of the game, trying to stay positive out there, even when I have a bad shot, bad round, just trying to stay positive and go to the next one. I think that's what helped me out the first. Q. You're 6th in greens in regulation, 9th in driving distance. Those are obviously some strengths in your game. How do you feel that translates to here at Lancaster? LEXI THOMPSON: I didn't even know those stats, but thank you. I think those will definitely help out here. The rough is up pretty thick out there, so just keeping it in the fairway. And then the greens are somewhat big, but you have to keep it on the right side of the hole. And it's all about placement. But really getting in the fairway is the first part of it, because this course is pretty long. So I definitely think length will take advantage on a few of those holes out there. Q. What are some holes in particular you think might be holes to watch for some of the spectators out there, either holes that could yield some birdies, some short par 4s or some holes that could be difficult, like 18 that's quite long? LEXI THOMPSON: Yeah, I would say birdie holes, if they move 16 up to make drivable, will definitely be a crowd pleaser to go out there and watch that one. I think that will have some definitely interesting scores on that one. Hard holes, 18. 18 is a good finishing hole. It's long. They can move the tee up a little bit on that one about 20, 30 yards, but from the back tee I had driver, 4-iron in yesterday. So it's a good hole. Q. We had a few other players saying they hit 3-wood in there. So it's a long one. LEXI THOMPSON: Yeah. Q. Given your length and the condition of the golf course, long already, and now longer because of the water, is that helping your confidence, do you feel like it's suited to a power game this week, to a long hitter? LEXI THOMPSON: This course is definitely set up pretty long out there, especially with all the tees back right now. And with the little bit of rain we've gotten the last two days, it's playing pretty soft, so not a lot of roll out on the driver. Length definitely will help on a few of those holes. Like I said earlier, you have to keep it in the fairway because the rough is up I don't know how many inches, but at least three or four inches, and it's thick. So keep it straight. Q. Did you watch the U.S. women win the World Cup last Sunday? And if so, does that factor in as you're preparing for the Solheim Cup later this year? LEXI THOMPSON: I actually didn't watch. I know they won, obviously. I was keeping track. It's great. It's great to see just teams like that represent the USA, and wear red, white and blue, and just represent as they did with so much passion. I think that definitely helps the U.S. Team in the Solheim Cup coming up. Even though we're going over to Germany, we know we have to bring our "A" game. To be a team and bring that passion together and be able to support each other is what team events are all about. MIKE TROSTEL: In major championships, a little different obviously than the week-to-week events, coming to a course like Lancaster, that you don't see on a year-to-year basis like some other courses, how does your preparation change for these events as opposed to some of the others? LEXI THOMPSON: I would say major championships, in general, there's a lot more prep work. Like coming here to Lancaster Country Club, this is my first time playing this golf course. So there's a lot more prep work, a lot more chipping and putting around the greens and getting lines off the tee shots. I would say it's a lot more mental preparation, too, than any other week. It's a lot longer because there's so much more practice involved. Yeah, I think that's just the main difference between Major Championship weeks and regular weeks. Q. In the last 12 majors, seven players have won one each, including yourself, and Inbee Park has won five. What is it that stands out in her game and her mental makeup that enables her to play well in the majors? LEXI THOMPSON: I've gotten to play with Inbee Park a lot, especially recently we've gotten paired up quite a bit together, and it's incredible to watch her game. She's an amazing ball-striker, but she chips and rolls it incredible. I think that's why she's performed so well, and especially in major championships. She hits it straight. And I mean, she's just good all around. And her mental side of the game, even when she's playing bad or playing bad or good, it's still the whole same attitude on the golf course. You can't tell it if she's playing really good or really bad, which is hardly ever. She's great to play with, just her demeanor out on the golf course and the tempo of her swing and everything. MIKE TROSTEL: Seems like the fans have been supportive. We had other players in here and saying for a Monday, yesterday, at a U.S. Open -- LEXI THOMPSON: It's incredible. Q. Talk about some of the support you've felt from the community the first couple of days here? LEXI THOMPSON: It's been amazing. I never expected that many people out here on a Monday. There was even people out here on Sunday at 3:00. I was out here chipping and putting. People were swarming in. It's great to see that many people out here. I think during this week we'll get the biggest crowds we've ever had. But it's great to see just the whole community come out and support us and everybody in town. That means so much to us that they come out to support us every day this week. Q. What is your shot shape from the driver standpoint? And the second question, on Nos. 10 and 15, how are you going to play those and how did you play them so far this week? LEXI THOMPSON: Good question. Q. Thank you. LEXI THOMPSON: My shot shape of my driver is a draw. I hit probably a ten-yard draw with my driver. So on those holes I've practiced a lot just a hold off driver straight to about a five-yard cut. So I'll usually hit that on No. 10 and 15. Because it's a little bit softer, 15, I can actually probably hit a straight one. I hit a straight one out today just left of the bunker and it didn't go through. I definitely have to hold them off on those two holes. Q. 12, with the downhill par-3 with the swirling wind, do you find you need club selection a little different than what you might think? For instance, I've seen people played it shorter than it actually is? LEXI THOMPSON: 12 is the downhill one over the creek? Q. Have you found any problems clubbing, getting the right distance there? LEXI THOMPSON: Not too bad, no. I've gotten the distance pretty well on that hole. Obviously it plays downhill, so the ball does go further just with the air time it gets. But I haven't really found that the ball is going too far on that hole. But you don't want to miss short. So you have to make sure you get the club right. Even if it is long, you can pull off the bunker shot. Q. Have you been able to get out and see Lancaster County at all from where you're staying, going to any special restaurants or Oregon Dairy or anything special? LEXI THOMPSON: I haven't yet. I've only been here two days. We rent a house this week, so we're literally a few minutes away, so it's really nice. But I haven't gotten much time to go out and sight see a little bit, but hopefully I will. MIKE TROSTEL: With that, Lexi Thompson, 1:36 off the 10th tee on Thursday. Best of luck this week. LEXI THOMPSON: Thank you. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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