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KIA CLASSICMarch 21, 2012Lexi ThompsonCARLSBAD, CALIFORNIA THE MODERATOR: We'd like to welcome Lexi Thompson into the interview room. Thanks for joining us today. This is your first time playing at this event at Kia. Can you just give me your initial thoughts on La Costa and the golf course out there over the last few days? LEXI THOMPSON: Yeah, La Costa is a great golf course. It's in amazing shape for us, and the greens are pretty small, rough is pretty deep, so you just have to keep it straight and place the ball on the green. THE MODERATOR: Already had a couple of events so far this year for you. Last week you played in Phoenix. Can you just give me some thoughts on your game so far this year, and anything you're working on lately? LEXI THOMPSON: Yeah, I'm really happy with where my game's at. My first three events went well. I played pretty consistent. Last week I struggled a bit, but the last day was tough conditions. I'm just focusing on keeping it simple and keep on improving my game. Q. Is there anything specific that you've been working on? Is there one particular area of your game that you feel like you've been trying to focus more than the others or overall just kind of everything? LEXI THOMPSON: Yeah, when I'm home I've been working on a lot of short game, putting a lot, doing my putting drills. But the specific thing I'm working on my ball striking is just posture, keeping my posture good and a good set‑up. Q. You've been playing out here for so long, it doesn't seem like you're a rookie. But this is your official rookie season, and there's been a lot of attention already on you. How are you handling all of that and everybody kind of talking about your rookie season and expectations of Rookie of the Year talk or different things like that? How are you handling all of that? LEXI THOMPSON: Yeah, it's great. The media is focusing on it being my rookie year, but I have my own expectations for myself, so I'm just going to focus on my goals and what I want to improve on my game. Q. I know there's been one change so far for you this year. You do have a caddie now, a full‑time caddie. What difference does that make for you? And I know you and your dad had worked together for so long, but what are you hoping to get out of this now by having a full‑time caddie? LEXI THOMPSON: Yeah, well, Greg knows pretty much every golf course, and knows it really well. He has a lot of experience, so hopefully it will help me out in the long run, and hopefully he'll be on my bag for a while. It's great to just have a good personality match too. That's really important. Q. I was just curious, with the amount of ladies from Korea, are you going to learn Korean so you can chat with your playing partners? LEXI THOMPSON:  It's always an option. They have the language training now, so it will always be there. But there are a lot of Korean players, and they're great and really consistent. The best in the world. Q. Do you know about So Yeon Ryu who is from Korea? She is a rookie this year. LEXI THOMPSON: Yeah, I actually saw her yesterday at rookie orientation. I know she's an amazing player. Q. Both of you won events on the LPGA Tour last year. Is it a little funny to be talking to each other? Like you're rookies, but you're already pretty accomplished having won an LPGA event. LEXI THOMPSON: Yeah, it's definitely a little different, but we're out here just trying to do our best every week and trying to compete against the best in the world. So it takes a lot to win out here and we both know that. Q. I was just curious. Maybe give me the Reader's Digest condensed version of your progression from starting golf to today? LEXI THOMPSON: Well, when I started, I started when I was 5 years old. I have two older brothers. Just growing up around them it's always made me really competitive. It just made me so much better of a player. So I've definitely progressed throughout my years, just in my attitude, too. That's what I've been focusing on a lot. Q. Are you better than your brothers now? LEXI THOMPSON: It's close. I play from a tee up, but it's definitely intense matches every time we all play together. Q. How about just playing at La Costa? For someone so young, does the La Costa name still have a mystique to it? Do you embrace that tradition of all the stuff that's gone on before here? LEXI THOMPSON: I know it's a very memorable golf course, so I'm honored to be playing here. It's in really great shape for us, and I'm looking forward to playing the next four days. I just got done with my nine hole Pro‑Am and got to play yesterday, so got a few looks at it. Q. How's it playing? What do you think? LEXI THOMPSON: In the morning it's totally different, plays a lot longer. But it got pretty windy yesterday so I had some mid to long irons in. So it all depends on the wind and what time you play. Q. And the LPGA seems to be on an upswing of late. Why is that? Why do you think there is such a grand swell of support for the golf and the tournament TOUR these days? LEXI THOMPSON: The LPGA is doing great. They've added a few events. We're getting a lot more supporters and sponsors. It's great to see all the fans out to support us and watch. Q. How did winning last year maybe help you reset or evaluate your goals for what you want to accomplish this full season on the Tour? LEXI THOMPSON: Winning helped me out a lot just to get that confidence and learning from earlier in that year, just struggling, I learned so much from it. To get that win, gave me a lot more confidence in knowing that I can do it. So I definitely know what to do. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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