From The Golf ChannelWEST HARTFORD, Conn. – Alexis Thompson defeated Karen Chung, 5 and 4, to claim U.S. Girls’ Junior on Sunday at Hartford Golf Club, becoming the second-youngest winner in the event’s 60-year history.At 13 years, 5 months and 17 days, Thompson is only two months older than 1999 champion Aree Song Wongluekiet, who was 13 years, 3 months, 7 days. Chung, also 13, would have been nine days older than Wongluekiet.This was also the first time two 13-year-olds had met in the championship.The long-hitting Thompson, who last year was the youngest-ever qualifier for the U.S. Women’s Open and youngest quarterfinalist in U.S. Women’s Amateur history, used her superior length to eventually wear down Chung, a first-time U.S. Girls’ Junior participant competing in her first match-play competition.Keep reading....
WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – Alexis Thompson defeated Karen Chung, 5 and 4, to claim U.S. Girls’ Junior on Sunday at Hartford Golf Club, becoming the second-youngest winner in the event’s 60-year history.At 13 years, 5 months and 17 days, Thompson is only two months older than 1999 champion Aree Song Wongluekiet, who was 13 years, 3 months, 7 days. Chung, also 13, would have been nine days older than Wongluekiet.This was also the first time two 13-year-olds had met in the championship.The long-hitting Thompson, who last year was the youngest-ever qualifier for the U.S. Women’s Open and youngest quarterfinalist in U.S. Women’s Amateur history, used her superior length to eventually wear down Chung, a first-time U.S. Girls’ Junior participant competing in her first match-play competition.
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From The Miami HeraldBY JEFF SHAINjshain@MiamiHerald.comEDINA, Minn. --She is still only 13 years old. Playing what even LPGA pros consider their toughest course of the year.Lexi Thompson doesn''t want to hear it.''''Not really,'''' the Coral Springs marvel said after missing last week''s U.S. Women''s Open cut, rolling her eyes for emphasis.No, Thompson came to Interlachen Country Club with a purpose of seeing what an Open weekend felt like. And when it didn''t pan out, she was as unhappy as any other teenage girl would be to discover her mother took away her Myspace access.Learning experience? Small steps? Not for Thompson.''''Go ahead and try. She doesn''t listen,'''' her father, Scott, said with a hint of exasperation.Both of Lexi''s seasoned playing partners, he added, saw similar good-effort encouragement fall rather flat.''''I definitely expected a lot more this year,'''' Thompson said.That is the drive Thompson possesses. Coaches across various sports will tell you it is better in the long run to teach an athlete with fire how to control it than to motivate one whose flame is low.Keep reading....
EDINA, Minn. --
She is still only 13 years old. Playing what even LPGA pros consider their toughest course of the year.Lexi Thompson doesn''t want to hear it.''''Not really,'''' the Coral Springs marvel said after missing last week''s U.S. Women''s Open cut, rolling her eyes for emphasis.No, Thompson came to Interlachen Country Club with a purpose of seeing what an Open weekend felt like. And when it didn''t pan out, she was as unhappy as any other teenage girl would be to discover her mother took away her Myspace access.Learning experience? Small steps? Not for Thompson.''''Go ahead and try. She doesn''t listen,'''' her father, Scott, said with a hint of exasperation.Both of Lexi''s seasoned playing partners, he added, saw similar good-effort encouragement fall rather flat.''''I definitely expected a lot more this year,'''' Thompson said.That is the drive Thompson possesses. Coaches across various sports will tell you it is better in the long run to teach an athlete with fire how to control it than to motivate one whose flame is low.
From uswomensopen.comBy Erica Goodman, USGAEdina, Minn. – A sparkling list of youthful competitors are making their mark this week at Interlachen Country Club.The college heading in the Players’ Guide might say ‘In high school,’ but this group of young guns have enjoyed an accelerated graduation this week at the 2008 U.S. Women’s Open. Translated it means they have survived the 36-hole cut and get to play the weekend in golf’s biggest women’s championship. Or in other words, two of the 27 teenagers are moving on."It’s nice being young for a change," smiled Tiffany Lua, who at 17 is one of the older participants in American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) events. "In all the junior tournaments, I feel old."Lua made the cut Saturday morning by finishing the final three second-round holes that she did not complete due to Friday’s weather delay. She had rounds of 72-75."Anything can happen in three holes," she said, "but I knew I just had to keep steady and trust it."In 2007 at Pine Needles in Southern Pines, N.C., Lua missed the cut by two strokes. Now she sits tied with Lorena Ochoa, the No. 1-ranked golfer in the world.Also making the cut was 15-year-old Jessica Korda, a two-time junior champion in her native Czech Republic. "It hasn’t really hit me yet," said Korda about her accomplishment. "The course is so much tougher today. The roughs are thicker."Keep reading....
Edina, Minn. – A sparkling list of youthful competitors are making their mark this week at Interlachen Country Club.The college heading in the Players’ Guide might say ‘In high school,’ but this group of young guns have enjoyed an accelerated graduation this week at the 2008 U.S. Women’s Open. Translated it means they have survived the 36-hole cut and get to play the weekend in golf’s biggest women’s championship. Or in other words, two of the 27 teenagers are moving on."It’s nice being young for a change," smiled Tiffany Lua, who at 17 is one of the older participants in American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) events. "In all the junior tournaments, I feel old."Lua made the cut Saturday morning by finishing the final three second-round holes that she did not complete due to Friday’s weather delay. She had rounds of 72-75."Anything can happen in three holes," she said, "but I knew I just had to keep steady and trust it."In 2007 at Pine Needles in Southern Pines, N.C., Lua missed the cut by two strokes. Now she sits tied with Lorena Ochoa, the No. 1-ranked golfer in the world.Also making the cut was 15-year-old Jessica Korda, a two-time junior champion in her native Czech Republic. "It hasn’t really hit me yet," said Korda about her accomplishment. "The course is so much tougher today. The roughs are thicker."
From The Star BulletinEDINA, Minn. » This time, Alexis Thompson is just one of the girls.The youngest player to ever qualify for the U.S. Women''s Open at age 12 last year, Thompson has returned with 5 more inches on her now 5-foot-8 frame. She has full-fledged status as a teenager, one of 28 players at Interlachen 19 or younger, including all three participants from Hawaii (Michelle Wie, Kimberly Kim and Cyd Okino).Sure, Thompson is still the youngest of them all, but it''s not as if she''s the only one who can''t yet vote. She has already played this tournament, unlike this year''s 40 first-time participants.Keep reading....
EDINA, Minn. » This time, Alexis Thompson is just one of the girls.The youngest player to ever qualify for the U.S. Women''s Open at age 12 last year, Thompson has returned with 5 more inches on her now 5-foot-8 frame. She has full-fledged status as a teenager, one of 28 players at Interlachen 19 or younger, including all three participants from Hawaii (Michelle Wie, Kimberly Kim and Cyd Okino).Sure, Thompson is still the youngest of them all, but it''s not as if she''s the only one who can''t yet vote. She has already played this tournament, unlike this year''s 40 first-time participants.
From USA TodayBy Steve DiMeglio, USA TODAYEDINA, Minn. — At 12 years and 4 months old, Alexis Thompson was a smiling, 5-foot-3 whirlwind of fun at last year''s U.S. Women''s Open, where she became the youngest player in the event''s history.Since then, she''s grown up — literally and figuratively.As she played a practice round Monday at Interlachen Country Club in preparation for this week''s 63rd Open, her strides along the hilly, rolling terrain were longer than just 12 months ago, thanks to a 5-inch growth spurt. The extra inches in height have her beaming, as they are a big reason she''s added 20 yards to her drives and now averages about 260 yards off the tee (which is longer than some of the pros this week). She''s hitting all of her irons longer, too, and has the strength to produce more quality shots out of the rough.Keep reading....
By Steve DiMeglio, USA TODAY
EDINA, Minn. — At 12 years and 4 months old, Alexis Thompson was a smiling, 5-foot-3 whirlwind of fun at last year''s U.S. Women''s Open, where she became the youngest player in the event''s history.Since then, she''s grown up — literally and figuratively.As she played a practice round Monday at Interlachen Country Club in preparation for this week''s 63rd Open, her strides along the hilly, rolling terrain were longer than just 12 months ago, thanks to a 5-inch growth spurt. The extra inches in height have her beaming, as they are a big reason she''s added 20 yards to her drives and now averages about 260 yards off the tee (which is longer than some of the pros this week). She''s hitting all of her irons longer, too, and has the strength to produce more quality shots out of the rough.
EDINA, Minn. — At 12 years and 4 months old, Alexis Thompson was a smiling, 5-foot-3 whirlwind of fun at last year''s U.S. Women''s Open, where she became the youngest player in the event''s history.
Since then, she''s grown up — literally and figuratively.
As she played a practice round Monday at Interlachen Country Club in preparation for this week''s 63rd Open, her strides along the hilly, rolling terrain were longer than just 12 months ago, thanks to a 5-inch growth spurt. The extra inches in height have her beaming, as they are a big reason she''s added 20 yards to her drives and now averages about 260 yards off the tee (which is longer than some of the pros this week). She''s hitting all of her irons longer, too, and has the strength to produce more quality shots out of the rough.
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From The Miami HeraldHOBE SOUND --Though the putt already was on its way, Coral Springs teenager Lexi Thompson anxiously began fanning the air with her putter, as if to generate enough breeze to nudge her ball all the way to the hole.Maybe it worked. Thompson''s ball had just enough momentum to fall into the hole, finishing Monday''s U.S. Women''s Open qualifier with a par and a sigh of relief.As it turned out, Thompson, 13, had a bigger cushion than she thought. An even-par 72 in the afternoon at Loblolly Golf Club gave her the third of six spots available from the 36-hole test.Keep reading....
HOBE SOUND --
Though the putt already was on its way, Coral Springs teenager Lexi Thompson anxiously began fanning the air with her putter, as if to generate enough breeze to nudge her ball all the way to the hole.Maybe it worked. Thompson''s ball had just enough momentum to fall into the hole, finishing Monday''s U.S. Women''s Open qualifier with a par and a sigh of relief.As it turned out, Thompson, 13, had a bigger cushion than she thought. An even-par 72 in the afternoon at Loblolly Golf Club gave her the third of six spots available from the 36-hole test.