Lexi Thompson gets a place on the LPGA Tour after her stellar victory at Navistar Classic
Alexis Thompson, better known as Lexi Thompson, has finally come out victorious in what appeared to be a tirelessly long battle for a permanent membership on the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) of America. LPGA Tour commissioner, Mike Whan announced
on Friday, September 30, that Thompson will be accorded with a permanent membership on the tour following her historic win last month.
Thompson’s victory on the tour last month sparked a huge uproar among the tour members, many of whom suggested that the rules must not be bypassed for a single player. There were, however, other members who backed Thompson’s bid for a permanent membership.
The 16-year-old player does not otherwise qualify to be part of the tour as members have to be 18-year-old at the time of filing their case. Thompson went over to file her petition for the same on Thursday, September 29, and was extended membership the very
next day.
Whan said, “I've seen her at press conferences. I've seen her when she played well, I've seen her when she hasn't played too well. I've seen her at pro-am parties. I've seen her when fans are coming up to her when it's maybe not the best time.”
Thompson comes from a family of golfers and two of her brothers and her father have played the sport all their lives. Thompson’s brothers are both professional golfers while the elder one also plays on the PGA Tour. The six-foot-tall Thompson was on a vacation
in California when she was given the surprise about her inclusion on the tour and later expressed her gratitude for the tour members and Whan.
While speaking in a conference call, she said, “It's been amazing. It's always been my dream to play on the tour full time. I've been waiting for this moment, knowing I'm going to play full time next year. I'm looking forward to it.”
Whan insists that the decision did not bear as much importance to the one he made in June this year, when he allowed Thompson to compete in the qualifying rounds. She not only won the qualifying round by ten shots but went over to post her first tour victory
at Navistar Classic in Alabama, where she cleared the top-45 players in the world by a whooping five shots.
Whan spoke highly of Thompson who has done well both on tourneys and while staying back at home. He commends the player for her prudence in press conferences even at the tender age of 16. Whan also revealed that he has around 50 applications pending, where
teenage players have requested to participate in the qualifying school and only Thompson had the strongest of resumes to get into one.
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