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THE EVIAN CHAMPIONSHIP

September 12, 2017

Lexi Thompson

Evian-les-Bains, France

THE MODERATOR: Ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to the media center. We are here with world No. 2 Lexi Thompson. Lexi went up to world No. 2 after winning this past Saturday at the Indy Women in Tech Championship. Her best finish here at Evian is a runner-up finish in 2015. Lexi, welcome to France. It's a little different here than Indianapolis, than where we were last week. Before we move on to Evian, I want to take a look back. That was quite an event at Indianapolis, and from the looks of it, you're driving the pace car, kissing the bricks, dumping the milk; it was a very different victory.

LEXI THOMPSON: Yeah, it definitely was. It was a memory that I'll never forget, but just all the tradition behind winning and everything, first woman to kiss the bricks. It was such an amazing experience. It was a great week, amazing event, especially for the first year for the event. It was very well-run and a lot of fans out there supporting it. That's what we wanted to see, so I'm very happy I got a win there.

THE MODERATOR: You won at Indianapolis on Saturday, you said you got a flight over here on Sunday, arrived yesterday, so you've had nine holes yesterday, nine holes today; what are your thoughts so far on the golf course here at Evian?

LEXI THOMPSON: Yeah, well, the course is in great shape. I played nine yesterday afternoon and nine this morning, a little drizzle rain, a little bit different weather conditions than last week. But the course is in great shape for us. I know they changed a few of the greens, but they aren't really dramatic changes, so obviously still very slopey greens, but yeah, hopefully we'll just get some good weather for us this week, but it's playing pretty soft, so a little bit longer than usual.

THE MODERATOR: How do you handle this quick turnaround? We were in Indianapolis just two days ago, and now we're here in very different weather conditions playing. How do you manage that as you try to maintain your play throughout the whole season?

LEXI THOMPSON: Yeah, it's definitely tough. Even though it's only a six-hour time difference, it's hard to get used to. I think I slept for like 11 hours last night. I've never slept that long, in a while. It is definitely hard to get used to the time change and just a lot of travel and having to play golf the next day, but it's something I'm kind of used to. I've done the travel since I was 15 years old going out of the country and everything, so I'm pretty used to it. But I'm just happy to be here. It's always great coming back to France.

Q. This has been an unusual year for you as a whole; describe the year in general and how you're feeling right now.
LEXI THOMPSON: Yeah, it's definitely been a crazy up-and-down year. Definitely a lot of emotions behind it. I think I've just learned overall just how strong I am, going through the whole year and things that have happened. But I think that's what helped, knowing my mom is back to being healthy. I think that's helped me out a lot, and just being with her when I do go home. I basically see her every day and get to spend time with her. So it's always nice. But yeah, it's been a great year, but there's a few things that have happened, but I've just become stronger because of it.

Q. And you've moved up to No. 2 in the world again; do you remember a time when you first wanted to be the best player in the world, at what age you first started dreaming of that?
LEXI THOMPSON: I would say when I decided that I wanted to turn professional, which was when I was like 12 years old, when I wanted to play out on the LPGA TOUR, just wanted to compete against the best in the world and play the best golf courses. I think we all want to be the best player in the world, but we're all just trying to do our best out here and working hard on our games, and that's all we can do, and see where that takes us.

Q. When you say you were shy, I take it when you were 12 you weren't running around telling people you were going to be the best in the world?
LEXI THOMPSON: No. 12 was just when I made it to my first U.S. Women's Open, and I just realized that was always a dream of mine. I saw a lot of my role models there playing in that field that week, and I knew that's what I wanted to do, so I worked those next few years and just practiced so much to be able to turn professional. I knew that my talent was on that level. Obviously I knew I had to keep on continuing to work hard because the players have amazing talent out here.

Q. When did you tell your brothers that you were going to be the best in the world?
LEXI THOMPSON: I don't know, I think it was something that I wanted to keep to myself. I think that's what all of us girls out here want to be, No. 1 in the world. But it's not something that we can't put on our minds and put that pressure on ourselves. We've just got to work on your games and just let it go once we get to tournaments and show that the hard work pays off.

Q. How did that shyness manifest itself when you were a small kid? What kind of things did you do?
LEXI THOMPSON: Well, I was never really like a shy child. I started golfing when I was young, and then always played against older age divisions at a young age, and I think that's what helped me get the experience to come out here at 15 when I turned professional. It's something that I've just always had in me. I've always been a very determined person, even in other sports, as well, and I've always wanted to work hard for it and know that my hard work paid off.

Q. You mentioned the changes to the golf course; we've heard some words of those. Tell us your thoughts on some of those updates that you've seen out there in your 18 holes.
LEXI THOMPSON: Yeah, well, I think they're good changes. A few of those greens needed to be a little flattened out just so they weren't so severe. Like 15, they didn't make the drop-off on the left so severe, so now if you just hit it past that front left pin, it'll just roll off into a little valley in the green instead of like 20 yards off the green. But they're definitely good changes I think that needed to be done.

But like I said, the course is in great shape for us. The greens are rolling really well. But this is probably the most wind that I've actually played in out here in France, so it should be interesting if that wind keeps up.

Q. Another big question here is Ai Miyazato. She's said this is going to be her last time playing on the LPGA Tour. What are your memories of Ai and seeing her out on the golf course?
LEXI THOMPSON: Yeah, I just saw her, and she's the nicest person in the world. The Tour is definitely going to miss her. I've played a lot of golf with her, and she's not only a great player, obviously, what she's done for the game, but just her whole attitude and demeanor, she's so nice so every single person, always has a smile on her face. You never know when she plays bad or good. I think she did wonders for the Tour, and everybody is going to miss her.

Q. With a lot of year-end accolades on the line for you, what's your schedule like for the rest of the year? Will you add any events as things get tighter?
LEXI THOMPSON: Well, obviously playing this week, but other than that, I only have a few more events left. I'm taking a good amount of time off for the rest of the year. Obviously playing CME being the last one, and haven't finalized my schedule for Asia yet, but probably going to play two. Not too many.

Q. I think I read that you got up to 122 when you were driving the Corvette. What's the fastest that you've ever driven a car, your own Corvette?
LEXI THOMPSON: That was it.

Q. Prior to that, though, had you ever gotten anywhere close?
LEXI THOMPSON: No, I haven't gotten close to 122, so that was nice. It's like, how high can I get it. I'm like, I want to go over 120, but I did, just a little. I haven't driven my Corvette that speed, so it was nice to feel that on the track.

Q. Red Bull, of course, is big into auto racing. Any talk of getting you into a Formula 1 car?
LEXI THOMPSON: I don't know about being in a Formula 1 car, but I know I'm going to a Formula 1 race coming up here in about a month, so I'm super excited to go watch that. I've only been to a Daytona 500, but yeah, I love driving fast, so that'll be fun and exciting to watch.

Q. Three out of four top 10s for you, two top 5s here. What is it about this place that brings good golf out of you?
LEXI THOMPSON: I think it's a great layout. You definitely have to hit it straight out here. I do hit a lot of drivers, especially the way it's playing now with a few of those into the wind holes. You need to get it as far down as you can because you're going to have some mid to long irons in. But the key to out here, some of these holes are pretty tree-lined and tight, so you just have to hit it straight. But I definitely think it's a ball-striking golf course, especially to a few of the tucked pins that they can put out there.

Q. Obviously a beautiful setting, as well; what do you like about France?
LEXI THOMPSON: Yeah, it really is. It's absolutely beautiful here. You know, the weather doesn't show it right now, but basically every hole you see a view of Lake Geneva, and staying in town, you just walk into town for dinner and everything. It's just a peaceful week and very relaxing. I think that's what we enjoy most about it.

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