KPMG WOMEN'S PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

June 24, 2022

Lexi Thompson

Congressional Country Club (Blue Course)

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Here with Lexi Thompson. Second round of the KPMG Women's PGA Championship with a round of 67. Hole 17 looked like fun. (Laughing). Tell us about what happened there for you.

LEXI THOMPSON: It definitely was. I hit a great drive down there and got it down to the flat. I had about 102 in, and I took one more club extra to control the spin.

I had spun back a good amount of shots. So I tried to take one more and chip it, and I ended up spinning it back. It was still really going fast with the spin, but ended up going in. I just went off the crowd because we can't see anything from down there.

THE MODERATOR: What was the club you used?

LEXI THOMPSON: I used my 50-degree, which is like my 115 club.

THE MODERATOR: We heard the roar up here. We didn't see what happened. Then we saw it on the TV. How cool is it to hear the roars again? We haven't heard them in a while.

LEXI THOMPSON: It's amazing. The more people the better. I love playing in front of big crowds. It just shows how much the women's game is growing, and this kind of venue, the amount of people it brings out, so hopefully we get a lot more people out for the weekend as well.

THE MODERATOR: Absolutely. Overall, it was a solid day for you. Round of 67. What was the difference -- I mean, weather aside -- from yesterday to today? Yesterday was still a solid round, 2-over. Today multiple strokes under par. What was the strength of your game today?

LEXI THOMPSON: It's a great question. Obviously, holing it out helps. I got lucky. I was playing in the afternoon yesterday, so I didn't have to deal with the weather like some of the girls did in the morning, so I was very lucky on that end.

I hit it amazing yesterday. I just stroked it well too. Just nothing went in. I knew if I just didn't let that bother me, which I didn't. I walked off the golf course and thought I really don't feel like I shot 2-over. You have days like that.

I just took that coming into today and said, okay, if I hit it that good again and just get a few putts to drop, I just have to stay patient. That's what I did. That's golf for you.

Q. Lexi, even the longest players yesterday were talking about it played really long. Did you find that to be the case, and do you like it when it plays long?

LEXI THOMPSON: Yeah. Coming into the practice rounds, I played Monday. That was the windier day, and I felt like I played every hole on the front nine into the wind. It was brutal. It was 4-irons, 2-irons for me.

I'm not mad about it. I like it. I like when golf courses play longer. I think it's a challenge, which majors should be.

With the rain, of course, it played softer. You can definitely fire at some more pins, but they didn't move, except for today they moved a few tees up today. I think two or three. They didn't move any up yesterday besides maybe five, six yards on the actual same tee box.

It was all a matter of just getting those pars on a few of those tougher holds and getting in the fairway.

Q. You've moved up 44 spots from yesterday. Obviously, In Gee still has to go out, but how comfortable are you with your position right now going into the weekend?

LEXI THOMPSON: I'm comfortable, for sure. Today went really well. Like I said, the first day I played great too.

I just came into today with a positive attitude and same going into the weekend if I go out and play like I did today, just solid and committing to my shots in the process of my routine. We'll just see where that takes me. You never know.

Q. We were just talking. We heard that you had a divot land somewhere on 16. Can you kind of tell us what happened there?

LEXI THOMPSON: Yeah. The third shot on that par-5, I hit it amazing. It came off the face, and I was, like, oh, that's right at it. My divot, I watched it go in slow motion right down my shirt. I don't know how it's possible, but it did.

I'm, like, everybody probably thought I hit a bad shot or something. No, the divot just stuck right down my shirt. Yeah, happens, I guess. Makes for a good laugh now.

THE MODERATOR: One of the best golf stories I've heard in a while.

Q. You've been playing in these majors since you were a teenager. How has the way you approach them changed over the years?

LEXI THOMPSON: I think my mental approach just towards the game in general over this last year has changed. I've been playing golf for so long it seems like, but I would say I was so -- focus isn't the right word, but just hard on myself in majors. Like, I have to do this well and this well.

Now I'm just going into every week like, you know, I know I've put in the hard work. I know I've put in the hours back at home. Just a matter of coming out here and just trusting the process, knowing I put in the hard work. And if it happens, amazing. If it doesn't, there's not much else I can do.

I know I'm putting in the work, and that's really all I can do about it. I go into every event withal same mental attitude. I want to win, and that's always my goal.

Majors aren't any different. Maybe a little bit more prep work, but over the years just a little easier on myself.

Q. You said that happened more just over the last year. What led to that, that change in thought?

LEXI THOMPSON: Honestly, just realizing being hard on myself wasn't getting me anywhere. It's bad to say my 11th year out, I finally realized it, but I've learned it over the years. It's hard for me.

Growing up with two older brothers, playing older age divisions, I never dealt with just being average. I never wanted to be, and I always wanted to be better each and every time I woke up and went to the golf course. I always had a mission in mind, which I still do.

If I have a bad day, it's not the end of the world. Still a blessing just to be even out here. I've had a few things happen in my life recently, and it's like -- I'm just grateful to be out here.

Q. What did you know about Congressional before you came here? Did you watch Rory win here by chance? What was the anticipation like of getting here?

LEXI THOMPSON: It's really bad to say, I didn't watch him win. (Laughing). I don't watch much golf in general. To say, I have enough of it on my own.

My dad and my brothers have been out here, so they had told me when there was trees how just amazing the golf course was, but it was tree-lined. They haven't seen it either when they cleared it out.

I knew the history behind it. Just an amazing venue, which is great that KPMG and PGA of America we're playing these such special venues. I think it shows wonder for the direction that the woman's game is going.

I didn't know much about the golf course in general. I knew they just took out all the trees. Once I got here, I'm, like, if this place was tree-lined (Laughing) -- but it's just an amazing experience to be out here. It's in perfect condition for us, and it's hard. That's how it should be.

Q. You did a nice job of putting yourself in the hunt last weekend in Michigan. You're right in the mix here. Do all the components of your game really feel strong right now, and maybe since when have you felt this good about the game?

LEXI THOMPSON: I would say maybe since the end of last year. I started working with Martin Hall around that time. Maybe a little bit earlier. Just working on a few things on my golf swing. Obviously with my putting as well.

I've put in a lot of hours. A lot of hard work. I have a putting green in my house that I do a few hours a night sometimes. The work is not lacking. That's for sure.

I would say since the end of last year my game has always felt in a good spot. It's all a matter of going out there and believing in it.

THE MODERATOR: Great round today. See you tomorrow.