CME GROUP TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP

November 20, 2021

Lexi Thompson

Tiburon Golf Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Here with Lexi Thompson after a 4-under par 68 in the third round of the CME Group Tour Championship. A strong day overall for you. Bogey-free 4-under on the opening nine. Take us through the start and how you kind of got your footing underneath you today.

LEXI THOMPSON: Yeah, well I had a good start. Birdied No. 1, so that's always helpful. But the next few holes are definitely par holes, especially with how windy it was today, so keeping it in play and making sure you get those pars on those few holes and take advantage of the few shorter holes coming in.

Played good on the front nine. Overall the whole day made some good putts, especially on the front nine. Was just rolling it a lot better today. So we'll see where that goes into tomorrow. Hopefully we'll get some great weather. Maybe a little less wind, but we'll see.

Q. How much did the wind affect play out there and how did you have to adjust?

LEXI THOMPSON: It was a lot windier today than the other days. I mean, yesterday was windy as well, but today was definitely a little bit more.

So it's all about controlling your ball flight, taking a little bit more club and not swinging as hard. Getting it in the fairway out here is key, especially on a few holes out there. Just giving yourself an iron shot into these greens.

Q. We'll see what happens in the next 20 minutes, but you look at this board and what's at stake tomorrow, and what's that like for you? Seems like there is eight, nine, ten people all within about two shots.

LEXI THOMPSON: Yeah, it's a pretty stacked leaderboard. I haven't really taken a good look at it. I'm just going to go out tomorrow and focus on my game and how I've been playing. I know I've put in the hard work, so I'm just going to go out there, have a good time, embrace the moment and just focus on my game and my emotions.

That's all I can control.

Q. When do you start paying attention, do you think?

LEXI THOMPSON: Yeah, I mean, I usually don't. I'll have my caddie look if needed. If I'm on a roll and I feel like I'm close I'll have him maybe look on 17 because that could be an eagle-birdie opportunity there.

So for my sake I don't look at leaderboards at all. I like to go out there just --

Q. Really?

LEXI THOMPSON: No. I like to go out there and just focus on me. That's all I can do. I can't focus on what they're doing because that will just --

Q. What if you accidentally look up and see one? Do you cover your eyes?

LEXI THOMPSON: I mean, if I accidently do I do, but I don't let it get to me. I just go out there and focus on my game.

Q. Last one. You talked about birdieing No. 1. With that wind, how did that play for you today shot-wise, and how does it normally play for you, for example?

LEXI THOMPSON: Yeah, it was into off the left pretty hard. I got a drive going up the right center, which is key to be able to go for that green in that angle.

I had 217 front and I smoked a 3-wood and got it to like the front right center and ended up two-putting.

Normally it's usually a three-shot hole because that wind is always into, but I was lucky enough to get it to the right side of that fairway and being able to go for it.

Q. Was it not into you today?

LEXI THOMPSON: It was into, yeah, yeah, yeah, but usually -- sometimes I usually hit 3-wood off the tee as well but this year I been just hitting driver, so...

Q. How similar does this week feel to 2018?

LEXI THOMPSON: To 2018? I think overall -- I mean, this tournament feels, I mean, the same if not better each and every year we come here. The hospitality is amazing. Course is always in great shape for us.

I don't think there is one year where it's struggling. It's always in tip-top shape. We got a lot more fans out today, which is great to see, so hopefully even more. But it's the same every year. It's just great. It's just an amazing event and atmosphere for us.

Q. And you've made a number of changes. New putting coach, swing coach, mental coach. How validating of your process would a win be tomorrow?

LEXI THOMPSON: Yeah, I mean, I think being an athlete you always want to be on the top of your game and how you feel personally as well.

For me, what I was doing wasn't working, so I'm all up for change and trying different things to improve on myself or my golf game.

I'll be the first one to rule it out as well. But I'm always looking for improvement on and off the golf course. I've just been putting in the work.

Yeah, I'm just happy to see it show, but it would mean the world me to get a win. I'm just going to take it one shot at a time, and whatever happens, happens. I know I'm doing the best I can.

Q. What that is meant to you to have your full family out this week to watch?

LEXI THOMPSON: It's been amazing. My dad drove up this morning. He was out watching my brother Curtis play at RSM this past week. Great to have him here, and to be able to be with my mom and my dog the whole week, it's been so relaxing.

She's been cooking every night and just feels like I'm at home. That's what's is amazing about this event. I get the support from the fans and my family out here.

Q. What is she going to cook tonight?

LEXI THOMPSON: I don't know. That's a great question. We're running out of food at the house, so we might go out tonight. I don't know. We'll see.

Q. Just the emotions of 17 and 18, you get the birdie there and I don't know what happened on the drive on 18.

LEXI THOMPSON: Yeah, I actually hit a great drive on 18. It's just with this wind and it firming up, you know, I hit the tee shot and I was like, I'll just ease off it, and it came off even hotter than I ever hit a 3-wood. It ended up rolling just in the water. Hit a great shot and an amazing putt; just didn't break.

Happens. But it's firming up out there, so I just didn't play for it.

Q. You've said the last two weeks how much you enjoyed being able to drive to a tournament.

LEXI THOMPSON: Uh-huh.

Q. Do you just like driving or do you hate flying?

LEXI THOMPSON: I love driving. I mean, I don't mind flying but I absolutely love driving. And last week it was four, five hours and this one is only two.

So it's just easy events to get to and takes the emotions of being in airports and making flights. Takes that out of the equation.

Q. Last one I have. You talked about the leaderboards. You might have Will, if you're in it, take a peek at 17 and let you know. Do you soak it went in and forget or does that change your approach down the stretch?

LEXI THOMPSON: I would say more having him know it, know here I'm at on the leaderboard and be like, Let's just go for this pin or maybe like let's not.

Q. Subtle hints?

LEXI THOMPSON: Kind of code and not be so up front with me with where I'm at. I don't play any differently. I play aggressive golf and I don't change my swing regardless, or game plan.

Q. 68 today; in the mix again. What have you found has been the key to playing so well here?

LEXI THOMPSON: I think honestly keeping it in the fairway. There are some really tough tee shots (wind) those hole with pars and running and taking advantage of a few of the shorter holes out there.

But the course in this great shape for us. When it gets this windy pars are good on a few of those holes, so I think that's key. I'm sure it'll be windy again tomorrow. It's Florida weather for us.

We'll see how it goes.

Q. Coming off a disappointing loss last week, how do you put that behind you and get back to playing good golf again this week?

LEXI THOMPSON: Yeah, it was an unfortunate loss, but I took the positives from it. I believe my game is in a good spot. I played some amazing golf last week, made some great putts.

I took it into this week and continue to work hard on my few practice days here. If I let last week get to me it'll just tumble into this week. I didn't want that to happen because I absolutely love it here and I embrace the moment of being here.

Q. What did you think it's going to take tomorrow?

LEXI THOMPSON: Well, that's weather depending. If it gets this windy, still you have to shoot under par.

But taking one shot at a time, focus on my mindset, and my goals going into tomorrow and just have a good time out there. I'm absolutely loving playing this golf course and just being here in general.

So just going to focus on doing my pre-shot routine and visualizing golf shots and see where that takes me.