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U.S. GIRLS' JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP

July 27, 2008

Lexi Thompson

WEST HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT

THE MODERATOR: I'd like to introduce the 2008 U.S. Girls' Junior Champion, Alexis Thompson. How does that feel right now with the trophy and everything?
ALEXIS THOMPSON: Yeah, it feels great. I mean, just playing every day, it's been such a long week. Just coming out with first place means a lot. Really great.
THE MODERATOR: Pretty nice names on this trophy. Don't know if you had a chance to look at them, but names like Hall of Famer, Mickey Wright, JoAnne Carner, Amy Alcott.
ALEXIS THOMPSON: Yeah, that's pretty amazing.
THE MODERATOR: I'm sure you've idolized some of these players.
ALEXIS THOMPSON: Yeah, I saw Julieta Granada on the bottom. I was just like staring at it. That means a lot.

Q. You've obviously done a lot now in the last year and a half, two years. Is this the biggest?
ALEXIS THOMPSON: Yeah, definitely. Yeah, definitely. Winning this is like tops definitely.

Q. Your distance off the tee today played a major role.
ALEXIS THOMPSON: Yeah, it definitely helped a lot, especially when it got really windy on the last few holes. Pretty much every hole played into the wind.
So I was just like thinking: Tempo and just put it on the fairway and you'll probably be good.

Q. Especially those last few holes?
ALEXIS THOMPSON: Yeah, I was thinking like pars would probably win when it got really windy at the end.
I was just like, Okay, don't go for any stupid pins or anything, don't make any stupid mistakes (laughter).

Q. What did you hit on the 10th hole in the afternoon, when you hit it in the trees, punched out?
ALEXIS THOMPSON: My third shot?

Q. Yes.
ALEXIS THOMPSON: A 7-wood.

Q. And how far did you have?
ALEXIS THOMPSON: I think I had like 220.

Q. They told me 197, but playing 220.
ALEXIS THOMPSON: It was playing 220, yeah.

Q. How good a shot was that, considering you were only two up at that time? You were coming off the disappointment at 9 when you didn't make the birdie there.
ALEXIS THOMPSON: Yeah, no, it was -- I was in those trees another day. I think I made bogey. But, yeah, that meant a lot. I mean, that was a really good shot. I was just thinking like, Go for the gap. If it draws good... If it doesn't, you'd have a little chip shot.

Q. Was that your best shot of the week?
ALEXIS THOMPSON: Yeah, yeah, probably. And maybe one day I hit No. 9 green in two. Hit it pin-high to like 35 feet.
Yeah, both of those are up there.

Q. Were you thinking of having to pitch out, and she's right there?
ALEXIS THOMPSON: Yeah, it meant a lot more. Yeah, definitely. Because I knew she was either going to make a par or birdie. I mean, she hits pretty much like every green.
Yeah, that did really mean a lot. That saved me on that hole, that shot.

Q. You talked yesterday about your putting not being up to snuff. Seemed like today you putted pretty well. You made that bomb on No. 6. You birdied the hole in the morning as well.
ALEXIS THOMPSON: Yeah. My putting was really good like in the morning and half the afternoon. Then I started leaving them all short again, yeah. I was like Oh, great (laughter).

Q. Were you getting more nervous towards the end?
ALEXIS THOMPSON: No, not really. I think these putts are fast and I then I go and leave them like 6 feet short, some like 12 feet. Not that great.

Q. Where is this trophy going in the house?
ALEXIS THOMPSON: In my trophy room. No, it's like a dining room, but we make it like a crystal trophy room sort of thing.

Q. I know Nick has accomplished a lot in golf, but he never won a USGA championship. How good is this going to feel in the family when you come home with the biggest prize, a national championship trophy?
ALEXIS THOMPSON: Yeah, that will be really awesome. Yeah, I mean, just like winning, this is huge. This is a USGA event, it's really big in my calendar. Coming home with the trophy means a lot.

Q. Nice to be something that Nick hasn't done, win a national championship? Nick never did this.
ALEXIS THOMPSON: Yeah, I mean, it's pretty nice. But it's not a competition between me and him, so...

Q. How nervous did you feel starting out the day?
ALEXIS THOMPSON: I was only like pretty much nervous like on the first tee shot. That's pretty much it. Like once I get past that, I'm like good, yeah. Hole No. 1 was not like my whole tee shot day, I went left and right. Not a good tee shot day for No. 1.

Q. You tailed a little bit early, but then took control on the back nine, which you said earlier in the week you felt more comfortable on. Did you feel in control for most of the day, do you think?
ALEXIS THOMPSON: Sort of. I mean, not really. I was just like trying to make pars, some birdies, just keep on hitting the greens.
But, like, when I was two up going into my second 18, I felt really good 'cause having a lead helps a lot going into the last 18.
But you never know with match play; anything can happen.

Q. When she got it to one down, were you like, Oh, no, what am I doing here?
ALEXIS THOMPSON: Yeah, I mean, I saw her putting like between 18. I saw people like helping her, whatever, like a friend I think. And then she goes and makes like all of 'em, like No. 1, 2, 3. I'm like, Oh, God. She putted okay in the first match. But I heard she putts really good. So I was like, Okay, it's not great. But, like, she went into the second match and putted really good. It was like, Oh, yeah.

Q. How do you think winning this is going to change your golf life? A lot of people, this is a life-changing experience, winning a national championship.
ALEXIS THOMPSON: Yeah, I mean, that's what my dad said: If you win this, it's life-changing. Yeah, winning this is probably definitely going to be life-changing. Coming back here next year, it will be like, I can win it again. Hopefully do really well.

Q. Do you think it will be different in junior events now, announcing your name on the tee as girls' junior champion? When you play with your other peers, do you think it will be different?
ALEXIS THOMPSON: No, not really. I mean, people just know me. It's not going to be really different.

Q. Different for you, though?
ALEXIS THOMPSON: No, not really. I mean, I don't really care if I'm like known known. I'm going to be the same person. It's just I won a golf tournament.

Q. But winning this golf tournament, does this give you more confidence? Do you feel like by having won an event this prestigious, this big, it will boost you in some way?
ALEXIS THOMPSON: Yeah, I definitely do. I mean, winning this is really great. My summer's gone really good so far. I've got like a couple six and a couple fours and I've won two times. So, yeah, my summer is pretty good and I'm feeling really confident going into the Am and the Westfield, any other golf tournaments.

Q. So you have Canon Cup, the Amateur and then Westfield in three consecutive weeks.
ALEXIS THOMPSON: Yeah.

Q. I know tomorrow is supposed to be a practice day. Are you going to take tomorrow off?
ALEXIS THOMPSON: No.

Q. You're going to go practice tomorrow?
ALEXIS THOMPSON: Uh-huh. I'm going to go do the practice round.

Q. Looking at the Am, do you feel a small fish in a big pond or do you think, I can hold my own because I won a national championship already?
ALEXIS THOMPSON: Yeah, I mean, I feel like I can do good in whatever I try to do good in. I mean, I've got to do my best in every golf tournament. And if I don't, I mean, it's just one day or golf tournament or whatever, and I've got many more to come, many years to come.

Q. Got any gals that you know you're going to play with in the Canon Cup? How many gals are on the team?
ALEXIS THOMPSON: 10 girls and 10 guys on both sides.

Q. Do you know who you're going to play with?
ALEXIS THOMPSON: Yeah, I pretty much know everybody on both teams.

Q. Have they done the pairings yet for foursomes or four-ball?
ALEXIS THOMPSON: I don't think so. I don't think they give it to us till the day before.

Q. It's like Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, three days?
ALEXIS THOMPSON: I think so. Yeah, I think like one day is a 36 one, and one day you play 18, caddie for somebody else.

Q. Really?
ALEXIS THOMPSON: Yeah.

Q. Caddie for the girls or the boys?
ALEXIS THOMPSON: I think you can caddie for either. I mean, I caddied for a guy last year, for David Sanders.

Q. I asked Karen the same thing about you. Was there something in particular that impressed you at all about her in your match?
ALEXIS THOMPSON: Yeah, I mean, well, she's a good putter. And, I mean, that driver, she never miss-hits it. She hits it straight every time. Pretty amazing. It's like, Go drop it in the fairway, that's okay, I'll give you that. Just go drop it (laughter). That's what really impressed me.
I mean, she hit it pretty much straight every time. I came short on a few holes. It was straight at the pin every single time. When she reached it, it was like 10 feet.

Q. Coolest one moment of the week, one particular moment that really sticks out for you?
ALEXIS THOMPSON: Well, I mean, I would say like the putt that I had to win, which wasn't very cool because it was not an easy putt. But, yeah, that's not the putt I want for the win. Left to righter, fast, not my favorite.
I guess I would have to say for today was No. 10, that third shot. It was like amazing. I was like holding my finish. I didn't want it to stop (laughter). But that was like the best shot, I think.

Q. Did you hear from Curtis or Nicholas last night at all?
ALEXIS THOMPSON: I think he called my dad and just talked to my dad. My dad said he said good luck.

Q. Didn't hear Curtis in the background again?
ALEXIS THOMPSON: No. Well, I did actually, but I don't remember what he said. I don't know, he was like mimicking like my mom for some reason. I don't know. He was being a goofball.

Q. What did you do for lunch?
ALEXIS THOMPSON: Lunch? I had lasagna and some fries.

Q. Did you stay in the clubhouse?
ALEXIS THOMPSON: Yeah. I mean, I stayed in there for like 10 minutes. I didn't want to eat too much because I didn't want to get to the first tee and be, Oh, God.

Q. Take a nap or something?
ALEXIS THOMPSON: Yeah, I know, seriously.

Q. Do they play the matches in the morning, all day, for the Canon Cup?
ALEXIS THOMPSON: I think the first day, it's like alternate shot, best ball.

Q. There's two sets of matches every day?
ALEXIS THOMPSON: Yeah. Well, there's two sets of matches the one day, then you play one match the second day, then caddie the next.

Q. There's two matches every day?
ALEXIS THOMPSON: The last day you just play one-on-one with somebody.

Q. Singles?
ALEXIS THOMPSON: Yeah, yeah. 18 holes, yeah.
THE MODERATOR: Thank you very much, Alexis. Congratulations. We'll see you in Oregon.

End of FastScripts

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