	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

U.S. WOMEN'S OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

May 29, 2018

Lexi Thompson

Shoal Creek, Alabama

THE MODERATOR: Thanks, Lexi, for joining us. Good morning everyone, welcome to a digital version here of the 2018 U.S. Women's Open Championship Press Conference.

We're very happy to introduce this morning USGA Champion Lexi Thompson, who won the 2008 U.S. Girl's Juniors at Hartford Golf Club.

Lexi is currently the 3rd ranked player in the world. Lexi, I know you were able to get out and play yesterday. What did you think overall about the golf course and how it fit your game?

LEXI THOMPSON: Yeah, I was able to get out and play yesterday. Played about the first, five, six holes in the rain. Got to see the full course, which was nice. But yeah, it's a great layout. I love the golf course.

Definitely is a little wet in some parts but I'm sure the golf staff is doing as much as they can with the weather that's been thrown at them the last few months and with the rain now.

THE MODERATOR: Yes, and just remind everyone we will have that transcript in the Media Center.

Lexi, you're no stranger to the rain from Florida. What does that do to your routine and kind what are you doing today?

LEXI THOMPSON: Yeah. Unfortunately we've had a good amount of tournaments so far we've been dealing with rain, rain delays and cancel days and everything like that.

It is unfortunate but the weather, we can't control it. But, you know, like today is full day off. I've already gotten a workout in and basically make sure I'm relaxed because this is a very long week.

I played 18 yesterday. Hopefully get to play 9 tomorrow. It's a very long mentally and physically long week. So, you have to make sure you just relax until game days.

I'll probably just chill-out today and maybe go out see a movie or something like that but not too much going on here.

THE MODERATOR: With that we're going to open it up to questions. Anyone have any questions for Lexi?

Q. Lexi, in 123 years the USGA has never played a championship under lift, clean and place. A, do you think they'll make an exception this week and B, how do you play in conditions like this with it down?
LEXI THOMPSON: Yeah. Honestly, I would think that they would have to play the ball up. I played it yesterday and it was pretty wet in some spots and some of the fairways are a little bare in some spots.

So, I think it will be a little unfair if they don't, but, you never know. I mean if they don't, everybody has to play it down and it is what it is but it's their choice. It is -- the rain has not helped that situation so I guess come Thursday we'll see, though.

THE MODERATOR: Other questions for Lexi.

Q. You mentioned all the rain that this course and area has gotten in the last few months. I know they told you guys when you checked in basically they've had some difficulty with the course because of just all the weather conditions.
What did you think when you saw it yesterday and adding this to it, how tough is that going to be no matter whether they play lift, clean and place or not?

LEXI THOMPSON: Yeah. I mean I've heard it coming into the event they struggled with a little bit of weather and some of the fairways were tarped coming in just to keep them healthy and ready for us coming in. This rain does not help at all.

You know, few parts of the fairways are a little muddy and a little patchy in some spots. Like I said, there's not much you can do about it. It is the weather.

They've done the best they can with the golf course by tarping the fairways and, you know, taking care of the run-off as much as possible. There's tarps all around the greens so we don't beat them up too much because when it is wet out we're taking big divots. Even around the greens, it's hard not to.

They're trying to get it in the best shape they can and I'm sure they'll do the best of it come Sunday.

Q. Somebody like you who hits down on the golf ball so much and takes divots, is it more of a disadvantage, does it affect you anyway that you sort of attack the course in the way that you normally play?
LEXI THOMPSON: Well, I would hope they probably play it up because I don't want anybody in the divots I'm about to take in the fairways. Yeah. I wouldn't say it's any advantage or disadvantage with how deep I am on some of my iron shots.

But, yeah, like I said, it's not something I really think about hitting an iron shot I need to get steep on this one or need to pick it. If it is going to be pretty wet out, hopefully I'm not in many like casual water or anything like that. But, I don't know. We'll see.

Q. I have two questions. The first one just is how much of an advantage is your length this week given the conditions and, you know, the set-up of the course?
LEXI THOMPSON: Yeah. I would say definitely is an advantage to be longer. I had played the full 18 yesterday. The course is playing very long. I didn't have many -- I mean I had maybe two to three wedges but besides that it was all mid irons you know and a few of the par-3s were long irons as well. So, it's playing pretty long.

I don't know how they'll change it or keep it that same way coming Thursday. We'll see. Being longer is definitely an advantage for you. You have to keep it in the fairway because the rough isn't super thick, but with bermuda it goes straight to the bottom of it.

Q. And then my second question is, you played in this championship as an amateur. What would it have been like for you to have had a day like this as an amateur, you know, already a lot of nerves coming into this week for younger players, but what do you think that would have been like for you to deal with?
LEXI THOMPSON: You mean if we have a full day off like this?

Q. Yeah, yeah, without getting to see the course, you know, and you qualify and never been there and then all of a sudden you lose a whole day. Would you have been freaking out?
LEXI THOMPSON: Yeah, I probably would have been a little bit -- if I had a full 18 already in it wouldn't have been as much of a freak-out but, yeah, I would definitely be a little anxious because I was younger, I was super-excited to tee it up and like ready and nervous and -- but yeah, losing a day of practice and not really I guess seeing the golf course or playing in the Championship before, it would be a lot different, but now it's like all right, I already played a full 18 I'm ready to go.

THE MODERATOR: Any other questions for Lexi? All right. Lexi, thanks for calling in like this and thanks to everyone for joining us. We'll have more emails coming around with the status of the course and what it will be this afternoon and tomorrow.

We do have Inbee Parks scheduled to join us at 11:00 a.m. on this same conference line. We will talk to everyone then.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297