DOW GREAT LAKES BAY INVITATIONAL

July 18, 2023

Brooke Henderson

Lexi Thompson

Midland Country Club

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Welcome Brooke Henderson and Lexi Thompson to the media center. Welcome to the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational. Top of mind for everybody is how this partnership came about this year. Who reached out to who, and how excited are you guys to be playing together?

BROOKE HENDERSON: I've always thought Lexi was super cool, so this is really fun for me to get to play with her this week. It's actually been a couple of years we talked about it. Our dads talked about it a little bit.

LEXI THOMPSON: Maybe more than we did.

BROOKE HENDERSON: We had other partners and stuff, but this year seemed like a great year, so here we are.

THE MODERATOR: Did she reach out to her, Lexi, or did you reach out to her?

LEXI THOMPSON: It wasn't our dads' doing. It was a mutual happening for the last few years, and it kind of work out this year. We've had partners in the past, and I played with Brooke a bunch individually, but I'm excited to team up with her this week and have some fun.

THE MODERATOR: I was going on ask that. I'm sure you've been in the same group together tons of times before, but now you get to sort of lean into each other and play with each other. How is that different for you both?

LEXI THOMPSON: We have played with each other a bunch in the same group, but being able to play some team golf, I think golf needs that a lot more.

Fans really enjoy that as well, but to be able to team up with her and feed off each other's energy and see how it goes out there and just have some fun, it will be great. She's an amazing player, obviously, so happy to be by her side as a partner.

THE MODERATOR: Brooke, maybe you can answer this one. How do your guys' games compliment each other? What are your strengths versus her strengths, and how do you compliment each other out there on the course?

BROOKE HENDERSON: Yeah, I think we're similar in a lot of ways. Ball-striking is definitely a big strength for both of us. Lexi definitely hits it a lot further than I do, which is nice to have a partner that does that.

I think the thing with alternate shot, you really have to ham-and-egg it sometimes, and hopefully if one of us needs the other one to bail us out, we can step up to the plate there.

I think it's just kind of finding the right energy and momentum, and I think that's really fun about team play. I haven't had a lot of opportunity to play in a lot of team events, so that's why I love this event here.

Yeah, you know, just trying to get the right energy, trying to chase some birdies and see what happens.

THE MODERATOR: Ham-and-egging is a phrase we hear a lot. Lexi, you have played in a lot of team events. Solheim Cup is coming up this year. How will you use this experience to prepare for that big upcoming event this year?

LEXI THOMPSON: I think team golf is so much fun. I've gotten to do it as a junior and amateur golfer as well, and it just brings out I feel a whole different atmosphere and energy on the golf course and whole different side of the player as well.

I really thoroughly enjoy especially when I'm representing my country. There's nothing like it.

But to be able to pair up with Brooke, I know she hasn't been able to get that opportunity of playing team golf as much, and that's why she loves this event so much.

Dow does a great job with it, but I think it will definitely help even though Brooke won't be on Solheim, but it's the same.

You're paired up with somebody. You see how their games are and just try to relate it to somebody else's. Personality-wise as well. That's a big part of it.

THE MODERATOR: Last question for Brooke. Are you using this opportunity to sort of prepare for Evian next year where you will be the defending champ? How is your game this week going into that major?

BROOKE HENDERSON: I'm really excited to go back to Evian next year. Being a defending champion is always really cool, especially at a major championship.

Looking forward to the opportunity to going back there, and I feel like this is a great way to lead into it. Kind of get the game in great shape and talked about the momentum and energy and hopefully finding some of that here this week and taking it into France and then at the British Open in a few weeks after that.

It's a great stretch of golf coming up, and this is a great way to kickstart it.

THE MODERATOR: Questions?

Q. How many times have each of you played this event in the past, and what have you learned from it going into this year?

BROOKE HENDERSON: This will be my third time. Different partners each time. Liz Sharp in 2019, which was a lot of fun. I think we finished fifth, which was cool. Then In-gee Chun two years ago, and then now I'm excited to have Lexi this year.

LEXI THOMPSON: I've played in it however many years it's been here. It's just a very special event.

I think any opportunity you're able to play team golf, golf being such an individual sport, we don't get this opportunity very often. It's always different, and you learn each other's game.

It's more enjoyable and not so cutthroat, but at the same time we want to go out there and win and make birdies and have an exciting round.

It's not a matter of learning, but I guess enjoying the energy that gets brought up out in this tournament.

Q. We just spoke with Jane Park and Paula Creamer, and Jane talked a lot about her daughter Grace and how the golf players on tour have been supportive of her family. Can you talk about what is your observations on that?

BROOKE HENDERSON: Yeah, I think we all love Pete, Jane, and Grace and just trying to support them any way we can out here on tour.

It's really fun for us to see all three of them out here this week because we definitely have missed Jane the last few years. This is the first event I've seen Grace in a long time, so it's really exciting for me to see that.

Hopefully just things keep getting better for all of them.

LEXI THOMPSON: They're an amazing family in general. I think everybody out here loves Jane and Pete, especially now Grace as well. We're all one big family, and anybody that we can help out each other and especially in that way and make a difference to their family, we're always there for them.

I was at their charity event a few weeks ago, wherever that was, and it's such a special night. We want to help out in any way that we can because we all love their family.

Q. Ladies, you broke another record, at least the LPGA. You busted done another barrier at Pebble Beach. That's another one of those golf courses. I said, you know, the women have never played there. I thought that over the years, and you're there. I'm, like, that must have really been awesome to play such a great golf course on an important stage, wasn't it?

BROOKE HENDERSON: Yeah, absolutely. I think it's great for the women's game to get to play these incredible venues, and I think it helps our game so much in terms of more media attention, more fans came out.

And I think a lot more people watched the coverage, one, just because it was Pebble Beach, and two, they got to see great golf.

It's really exciting for us, and we look forward to more exciting venues in the future.

Q. Talking about breaking down barriers, do you think if they ever had a doubles tournament either with the PGA Champions or the PGA TOUR, I bet that would not only -- that would really bring an extra spring to the game of golf. I mean, it would probably raise a lot of money, don't you think?

LEXI THOMPSON: I think so for sure. We have the team event towards the end of the year in December, the Grand Thornton. That's exciting for the women's game and men's game. I think fans absolutely love that to get a mixed tournament and a team format as well.

Getting to see the guys play and be right next to them and pair up with each other, it's different, it's fun, and I think fans will absolutely enjoy it. I think more events like that will come.

Q. One final question. Will Solheim coming up, I know with the big loss a couple of years ago when we were there, I know that you really have got to be pumped up to do something about that. You haven't played a lot of golf up to this point of the year. Playing this event and playing up in Europe, I think that's going to give you a ton of points, a lot of momentum as you go into that tournament and turn things around?

LEXI THOMPSON: Yeah. I mean, like you said, I haven't played too much golf leading up to this, but any time I can represent my country it's my No. 1 goal to be on that team.

It brings out a whole other side of this my game just because I know I'm representing my country, and I have teammates by my side.

Every time I tee it up, I'm not only playing for myself, I feel like I'm representing my country. I do the best I can, and that's all I can do.