Tag: Shriners Children’s Open

Nichols: Here’s why I changed my mind about Lexi Thompson competing on the PGA Tour

There’s a resolve inside Thompson that’s undeniable, even if she’s reluctant to let the world in on her pain.

My initial thought last week on Lexi Thompson playing against the men: This is a bad idea.

Quickly followed by, why now?

Given that Thompson is in the midst of a four-year winning slump on the LPGA and only recently began to find some form, why in the world would she step into a potential cauldron of criticism by taking up a spot in a PGA Tour event? Furthermore, if she struggles at the Shriners Children’s Open in Las Vegas, why risk tearing apart the confidence she’s built up since the Solheim Cup?

One week later, however, after several conversations with folks far wiser and more experienced, I’ve come to view Thompson’s decision in a different light.

I’ve since concluded that the reward for Thompson and golf is greater than the risk.

For starters, this is nothing like Annika Sorenstam’s appearance at The Colonial 20 years ago. At that time, Sorenstam was the best player in the women’s game. She wanted to test herself and push herself beyond anything she’d ever experienced. And while that was her personal goal, Sorenstam carried the weight of the tour and women’s golf on her shoulders. The sports world literally stopped to see how she fared.

There was great risk in Sorenstam’s decision to play, and even though she didn’t make the cut, it paid off handsomely. The Swede left Texas an even bigger force in women’s sport.

Thompson is far from a dominant figure on the LPGA, but she is the most well-known and most popular U.S. player, as much for her triumphs as her crushing defeats. If Thompson doesn’t play up to her standards at the Shriners, the LPGA won’t take a hit.

The 28-year-old isn’t expected to become the first player since Babe Zaharias in 1945 to make a cut on the PGA Tour. If she does, however, it will be her most well-known accomplishment – far more than winning a major.

Thompson is often praised for her resiliency. No modern player has experienced more heartbreaking losses. The four-stroke penalty fiasco at the ANA Inspiration in 2017 and the 2021 back-nine collapse at the U.S. Women’s Open at Olympic were the most painful to witness.

The untimely shank on the 18th on Friday at the Solheim Cup – coupled with the media debacle that followed – harkened back to those fragile times.

But there’s a resolve inside Thompson that’s undeniable, even if she’s reluctant to let the world in on her pain.

Lexi Thompson of the United States hits from the bunker on the 18th hole during the final round of the 76th U.S. Women’s Open Championship at The Olympic Club on June 06, 2021, in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

Not long before the U.S. team left for Spain, captain Stacy Lewis told Thompson that she wouldn’t be playing foursomes in the Solheim Cup.

“I think she could have taken that a number of ways,” said assistant captain Angela Stanford, “and instead she was a great teammate. … She put her head down and worked.”

Thompson wasn’t gifted that opening shot on Friday foursomes. She had to prove herself on site that week to Lewis, and the captain responded to what she saw.

Thompson’s 3-1-0 record was a personal victory and a sign of good play to come.

Since the Solheim, she’s posted a pair of top-10 finishes that include four rounds in the 60s. While she’s still not inside the top 60 to qualify for the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship, she has moved to within striking distance at No. 82.

While there are many women in the world playing better golf this season, it’s hard to believe that any woman other than Thompson should tee it up against the men. Few women have the physical aspects of Thompson – the spin, the strength, the length. Even fewer, however, would benefit at all from competing on the PGA Tour at this stage in their careers. The risk simply isn’t worth it.

Even though she hasn’t won a major championship in nearly 10 years, Thompson is battled-tested when it comes to disappointment. Most players on the LPGA haven’t come close to experiencing the amount of scrutiny Thompson has faced.

She’s also been in the spotlight since the age of 12 and on the LPGA more than a decade. If it’s a tough week in Vegas, the outcome won’t define her.

Perhaps the biggest element that shifted my thinking should’ve been the most obvious: the kids.

Lexi Thompson of Team United States signs autographs for fans during a practice round ahead of the start of The Solheim Cup at Inverness Club on September 02, 2021, in Toledo, Ohio. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

Thompson is, without question, one of the best on tour when it comes to fan interaction. It could be the absolute worst day of her career – as it seemed to be in Rancho Mirage six years ago – and she’d still stand there with tear-stained cheeks and sign autographs with a smile on her face.

For a kid, watching a woman compete in a man’s world hits differently. Maybe a little girl sticks with golf even when she’s the only girl because of Thompson. Maybe a little boy invites a girl to play in his group because he watched a woman play on the PGA Tour.

Maybe Thompson’s presence brings in more fans and raises more money for Shriners patients all over the country.

No matter what happens on Thursday in Vegas, Thompson will give kids of all ages and abilities a day to remember.

And that’s a win.

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Check out Lexi Thompson’s souped-up dressing room at the 2023 Shriners Children’s Open

While Thompson has enjoyed the comforts of the unique setup, the real winner has been her dog, Leo.

LAS VEGAS — When Lexi Thompson found out she’d been granted a sponsor exemption into the 2023 Shriners Children’s Open, she had no intention of heaping demands on the tournament’s organizers. In fact, the LPGA star simply wanted to fit in, to be one of the gang.

But since she’s set to become the first female to play on the PGA Tour since Brittany Lincicome did so at the 2018 Barbasol Championship, those behind the scenes at the TPC Summerlin event wanted to make sure Thompson felt comfortable in her surroundings.

So just a few yards behind the driving range sits a substantial RV, one that gives Thompson plenty of room to relax and prepare for the day’s action.

The 11-time LPGA winner admitted this week it was more than she expected.

More: Lexi Thompson’s career in photos | These are the 7 women to play on the PGA Tour

“It’s amazing. I mean, I open it up and there’s a bed in there. There were some La-Z-Boys. I’m like, all right if you can’t find me, I’m gonna be in here just relaxing,” Thompson told Golfweek. “I was definitely surprised.”

Thompson isn’t one to typically lounge in the dressing room anyway. She’s known more for getting in and out quickly, so even though she’s appreciative of the special setup, she certainly didn’t need it.

Organizers of the 2023 Shriners Children’s Open provided Lexi Thompson with a souped-up RV to serve as a dressing room at TPC Summerlin. (Contributed photo)

“She rarely spends any time in the dressing room,” said Brett Falkoff, who represents Thompson as well as others like Bryson DeChambeau. “I mean, a lot of times she puts her shoes on in the car. But it really is a great setup for her.”

While Thompson and parents Scott and Judy have enjoyed the comforts of the unique setup, the real winner has been Lexi’s dog, Leo.

“My dog is in there living the life this week,” she said with a smile.

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Check the yardage book: TPC Summerlin for the PGA Tour’s 2023 Shriners Children’s Open

StrackaLine offers a hole-by-hole course guide for TPC Summerlin and the 2023 Shriners Children’s Open.

TPC Summerlin in Las Vegas, site of the PGA Tour’s 2023 Shriners Children’s Open, was designed by Bobby Weed and opened in 1991. Two-time major winner Fuzzy Zoeller provided input.

TPC Summerlin ranks No. 3 in Nevada on Golfweek’s Best ranking of top private layouts in each state. It will play to 7,255 yards with a par of 71 for the Shriners Children’s Open. Tom Kim returns to Las Vegas as the defending champion.

Thanks to yardage books provided by StrackaLine – the maker of detailed yardage books for thousands of courses around the world – we can see exactly the challenges the players face this week. Check out the maps of each hole below.

Defending his Shriners title is one thing, but will Tom Kim have to defend South Korea? Maybe

While he’s feeling some extra juice this week as a former champ, it will likely pale in comparison to future pressure.

LAS VEGAS — Sure, there’s a little added pressure for Tom Kim this week as he prepares for his first defense of a PGA Tour title, something he couldn’t do while injured during the 2023 Wyndham Championship.

Kim was all smiles during a media session Tuesday at the Shriners Children’s Open at TPC Summerlin, reminiscing about last year’s scintillating performance when he became the second youngest player to win twice on the PGA Tour since Ralph Guldahl in 1932, the first since Tiger Woods in 1996 to win twice before turning 21, and just the second winner on Tour since Lee Trevino in 1974 to play 72 holes without recording a bogey.

But while he’s feeling some extra juice this week as a former champ, it will pale in comparison to the pressure he’ll face when he plays in the Olympics and/or the Asian Games.

Less than two weeks ago, Si Woo Kim and Sungjae Im helped their native South Korea win the gold medal in golf. That gave the PGA Tour pros an exemption from the two-year mandatory military service that the country requires.

All able-bodied males are obligated to serve between 18 and 21 months in the military once they turn 19. They can postpone the date of their service but without a significant cultural justification, like an Olympic medal, service is mandatory.

That means Kim, who hails from Seoul and is now 21, will need to pull off a similar feat or he’ll be forced into military duty.

“That’s a great question,” Kim said when asked about his status on Tuesday. “We’ll know more in the future.”

He hasn’t played since the Tour Championship, but it has been a banner year for the phenom, one that’s seen Kim post top-25 finishes in each of his last five starts, including a T-2 at the Open at Royal Liverpool. But that still won’t be enough to get him out of the obligation.

And while some have come back from active duty to compete on the PGA Tour, some struggled after the time away. Seung Yul-Noh and Sang-Moon Bae are two Korean golfers who won on Tour but haven’t been able to regain their form after taking two years away from competition.

“So obviously those medals help. I think it depends on which medal. As I’m aware, with them having achieving gold they have exemptions for the military,” Kim said. “Asian Games looks like it is gold, but I think from the Olympics, from what I’m aware, a medal should take care of it.”

For now, Kim is simply vying to become only the second player to win the Shriners in consecutive years. Jim Furyk holds the distinction of being the only player to win the event in back-to-back seasons when he did so in 1998 and then again in 1999.

And according to the oddsmakers, many of whom work just a few miles east of Summerlin on the Vegas Strip, Kim is the favorite to win again, edging out Ludvig Aberg. While Kim can certainly muster a defense, it’s unlikely he’ll navigate the course without a bogey again as he did last year. Aside from Kim, only J.T. Poston has played an entire four rounds without a blip in the last half-century when he did so at the 2019 Wyndham.

“It’s definitely not an expectation to have this week,” Kim said. “It’s so easy to set them so high because I didn’t make a single bogey, 24 birdies, and you kind of have a feeling where you need to do it again.

“Bogeys happen. I can’t try to not make a bogey.”

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Lexi Thompson says making cut at PGA Tour’s Shriners would be at the ‘top of my accomplishments’

While the preparation might be the same, this is no ordinary tournament. And she knows it.

LAS VEGAS — As she might in advance of any other tournament, Lexi Thompson walked TPC Summerlin on Tuesday with her parents, Scott and Judy, following along closely. The 11-time LPGA winner tried a myriad of shots, including two approaches on the par-5 16th hole – one in which she played it safe in three shots, another in which she tried a driver off the deck that cleared a lake but rolled through the green into a bunker.

But while the preparation might be the same, this is no ordinary tournament.

And she knows it.

Thompson, who played a practice round Tuesday with Michael Kim and Ben Griffin, will become the seventh woman to compete in a PGA Tour event when she tees off Thursday at the 2023 Shriners Children’s Open. She was as caught off-guard by the sponsor exemption as anyone, telling media members that she found out just nine days ago during the final round of the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship.

But while she’s won a major and has been in the public eye for more than a decade and a half, Thompson said she’d consider a chance to play the weekend at the Shriners as her crowning achievement.

“Definitely at the top. Definitely at the top of my accomplishments. It’s been an honor just to get this invite, but one step, one shot at a time,” Thompson said Tuesday. “That would be an amazing feeling.”

Although it may have seemed an inopportune time to get this call a few months ago, Thompson has seen an uptick in her performances in recent weeks, something she attributes to a small swing change in advance of the Solheim Cup.

More: Lexi Thompson photos | These are the 7 women to play on the PGA Tour

Thompson missed five cuts in a row over the summer and looked like she might be a liability for Team USA when she made the 12-player squad based on her Rolex Ranking. But she undoubtedly found something in September, and it was enough for captain Stacy Lewis to ask Thompson to hit the first tee shot in Spain and anchor her singles lineup Sunday.

After a fifth-place showing at the Volunteers of America last week outside of Dallas, Thompson said she feels comfortable with her game as the big day approaches, although she wouldn’t let on to what she was doing wrong.

“I can’t say,” she said with a wide smile. “No, it was something very simple, but I feel like as golfers and athletes we kind of have our tendencies of always going back to certain things. Even when we are struggling, we always have tendencies of what our swing goes to. Just really focusing in on this one thing, and it’s gotten me a lot better on track with my swing plane. Just really dialed into that the week before Solheim and I probably hit hundreds of golf balls every day until I got it down.

“Because I wanted to go to Solheim and play my best golf, because representing your country, that’s what I live for.”

When she’s playing the average LPGA event, Thompson only gets a few chances per round to pull out her driver, but she’ll need it more often this week on a par-71 course that plays to 7,255 yards.

Typically, Thompson plays with five wedges in her bag and leaves her 5-iron home, she said Tuesday. This week the 5-iron is in play, and her driver will get a workout.

“Yeah, it’s nice to come here and hit a lot of drivers, of course. You know, the last few weeks I didn’t hit too many drivers, but you still have to hit the golf shots on the LPGA Tour. It’s just I don’t get to take advantage of sometimes my length on a few of those holes,” Thompson said. “Here, it’s driver on every hole, and I definitely like that. Fire away and swing, get the most distance I can on a few of those holes.”

Griffin, who lost in a playoff at last week’s Sanderson Farms Championship, said he was impressed with Thompson’s game and won’t be surprised at all if she’s still around after the cut.

“I thought she was striping it. She was hitting it closer than us on a few holes, which is to be expected. She has a ton of talent, and she can handle it out there,” he said. “It’s a little different out here being a little firmer, a little different conditions, but I think she’s adjusting well, and she played awesome today, and I think she can really compete this week and have a good chance at at least making the weekend. It’ll be fun to watch.”

While the odds are firmly against her making the cut, Thompson insisted she’s not feeling any additional pressure this week. She’s played golf with men as long as she can remember, often with her two brothers, Nicholas and Curtis.

“I think it’s just since I’ve been under the microscope I guess since I was 12 years old, just being used to it. Just believing in yourself and not listening to outside expectations or any people that judge you,” she said. “You know what you’re capable of, and all you have to do is believe in the work that you put in and go out there and trust the process. That’s all I’ve done throughout my whole career. Turning pro at a young age was a big step, doing this.

“Really you just have to go out and do what you love.”

Beth Ann Nichols contributed to this report.

2023 Shriners Children’s Open Thursday tee times

Everything you need to know for the first round in Las Vegas.

History will be made this week in Las Vegas as the PGA Tour (plus one) heads to Sin City for its annual stop in America’s playground.

Lexi Thompson will become just the seventh woman to compete alongside the men this week at TPC Summerlin, the par 71 and 7,255-yard course designed by Bobby Weed and Fuzzy Zoeller.

Tom Kim is back to defend his title in the third of seven FedEx Cup fall events against a field of 132 players which features eight of the world’s top-50 players, as well as rising star Ludvig Aberg, Rookie of the Year candidate Eric Cole and more players looking to solidify their status for 2024.

Here’s everything you need to know for Thursday’s opening round of the 2023 Shriners Children’s Open. All times Eastern.

Thursday tee times

1st tee

Tee time Players
9:50 a.m. Patrick Rodgers, Zecheng Dou, MJ Daffue
10:01 a.m. Ryan Moore, Mark Hubbard, Aaron Rai
10:12 a.m. Russell Knox, James Hahn, Christiaan Bezuidenhout
10:23 a.m. Chez Reavie, Jim Herman, Tyler Duncan
10:34 a.m. Lucas Herbert, Robert Streb, Andrew Landry
10:45 a.m. Emiliano Grillo, Nico Echavarria, Chad Ramey
10:56 a.m. Richy Werenski, Lanto Griffin, Brandt Snedeker
11:07 a.m. Nate Lashley, C.T. Pan, Peter Malnati
11:18 a.m. Jimmy Walker, Brian Stuard, Ben Martin
11:29 a.m. Ludvig Aberg, Carl Yuan, Nicolai Hojgaard
11:40 a.m. Augusto Núñez, Brandon Matthews, Isaiah Salinda
2:40 p.m. Patton Kizzire, Jason Dufner, Callum Tarren
2:51 p.m. Adam Long, Beau Hossler, Will Gordon
3:02 p.m. Kevin Tway, Sam Stevens, Vince Whaley
3:13 p.m. Luke List, Nick Taylor, Tom Kim
3:24 p.m. Vincent Norrman, Tom Hoge, Adam Schenk
3:35 p.m. Erik van Rooyen, Cameron Champ, Martin Laird
3:46 p.m. Henrik Norlander, Hayden Buckley, Tyson Alexander
3:57 p.m. Michael Kim, S.H. Kim, Kevin Yu
4:08 p.m. Matt NeSmith, Andrew Novak, Max McGreevy
4:19 p.m. Kevin Roy, Trevor Werbylo, Lexi Thompson
4:30 p.m. Scott Harrington, Brent Grant, Tim Widing

10th tee

Tee time Players
9:50 a.m. Robby Shelton, Austin Eckroat, Harrison Endycott
10:01 a.m. Joseph Bramlett, Ben Griffin, Austin Smotherman
10:12 a.m. Justin Suh, Taylor Montgomery, Harry Hall
10:23 a.m. Akshay Bhatia, J.T. Poston, Eric Cole
10:34 a.m. Si Woo Kim, Cam Davis, Scott Stallings
10:45 a.m. Nick Hardy, Adam Svensson, Andrew Putnam
10:56 a.m. Charley Hoffman, Zac Blair, Alex Smalley
11:07 a.m. Chesson Hadley, Taylor Pendrith, Ben Taylor
11:18 a.m. Sam Ryder, David Lipsky, Davis Thompson
11:29 a.m. Austin Cook, Tommy Gainey, Matthias Schwab
11:40 a.m. Trevor Cone, Kyle Westmoreland, Vijay Srinivasan
2:40 p.m. Scott Piercy, Alex Noren, Doug Ghim
2:51 p.m. Kevin Streelman, Carson Young, Paul Haley II
3:02 p.m. Nick Watney, Doc Redman, Greyson Sigg
3:13 p.m. Matt Wallace, K.H. Lee, J.J. Spaun
3:24 p.m. Garrick Higgo, Stewart Cink, Joel Dahmen
3:35 p.m. Davis Riley, Ryan Brehm, Webb Simpson
3:46 p.m. Dylan Frittelli, Ryan Armour, Kramer Hickok
3:57 p.m. Ryan Palmer, Adam Hadwin, Justin Lower
4:08 p.m. Troy Merritt, Kelly Kraft, Matti Schmid
4:19 p.m. Nicholas Lindheim, Tano Goya, Yuxin Lin
4:30 p.m. Michael Gligic, Peter Kuest, Craig Hocknull

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Lexi Thompson’s odds for the 2023 Shriners Children’s Open, including 9/1 for Top-40 finish

Thompson is the seventh woman to play on the PGA Tour.

Lexi Thompson is making history this week as the seventh woman to tee it up alongside the men at a PGA Tour event. The last to do so was Brittany Lincicome at the 2018 Barbasol Championship. She shot rounds of 78-71 and missed the cut.

Thompson will play in the Shriners Children’s Open at TPC Summerlin in Las Vegas. The course measures just over 7,200, so distance shouldn’t be too big of a problem for one of the LPGA’s longest hitters (Thompson averages over 270 off the tee).

The 25th-ranked woman in the world has found her game over her last three starts, finishing T-19 at the Kroger Queen City Championship, T-8 at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship and solo fifth at last week’s The Ascendant LPGA.

If you’re interested in our picks for the Shriners, you can find them here, including Ludvig Aberg at 12/1.

Now, here are Thompson’s odds for several finishing positions.

Finish position Odds $100 would pay out…
Win 2,500 to 1(+250000) $250,100
Top 5 400 to 1 (+40000) $40,100
Top 10 150 to 1 (+15000) $15,100
Top 20 45 to 1 (+4500) $4,600
Top 30 18 to 1 (+1800) $1,900
Top 40 9 to 1 (+900) $1,000

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2023 Shriners Children’s Open odds, course history and picks to win

Aberg has finished T-10 and T-2 in his last two starts.

The PGA Tour is back in Las Vegas this week for the 2023 Shriners Children’s Open at TPC Summerlin.

The defending champion Tom Kim returns to Sin City hoping to go back-to-back. Since finishing tied for 20th at the Tour Championship, Kim has finished T-18 at the BMW PGA Championship and T-6 at the French Open on the DP World Tour.

He’s joined in the field by European Ryder Cupper Ludvig Aberg — T-2 at the Sanderson Farms Championship last week — Si Woo Kim, Cam Davis, J.T. Poston and Chicken Open winner Luke List.

This week’s winner will earn $1.512 million and 500 FedEx Cup points.

Golf course

TPC Summerlin | Par 71 | 7,255 yards

2022 Shriners Children's Open
Patrick Cantlay putts on the 16th green during the final round of the 2022 Shriners Children’s Open at TPC Summerlin in Las Vegas. (Photo: Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images)

Course history

Betting preview

Suzy Whaley Q&A: Lexi Thompson playing on the PGA Tour generated more buzz than months of Solheim Cup buildup

Suzy Whaley applauds Lexi Thompson for stepping outside her comfort zone to take on the men.

It’s been 20 years since Suzy Whaley teed it up on the PGA Tour in the 2003 Greater Hartford Open. Now a groundbreaking past president of the PGA of America, Whaley became the first woman to compete in a PGA Tour event since the great Babe Zaharias in 1945.

Whaley, of course, earned her spot by winning the 2002 Connecticut PGA Championship.

Last week it was announced that Lexi Thompson had accepted a sponsor invitation to the Shiners Children’s Open in Las Vegas, which will make her the seventh woman to compete in a PGA Tour event.

The field and the scene next week in Vegas will be much different for Thompson than it was for Whaley, who laughed out loud when David Duval introduced himself on the putting green. (“I know who you are!”) Whaley actually credits much of her success that week to a chip shot Peter Jacobsen taught her during a practice round.

Most of the heavy hitters on the PGA Tour have shut it down this fall, and Thompson has only a week of lead-up to prepare and navigate the naysayers.

Whaley dealt with the buildup – good and bad – for months. She ultimately shot 75-78 to miss the cut by 13 strokes. Only one player – Zaharias – has ever made the cut in a PGA Tour event.

Golfweek recently caught up with Whaley to reminisce on her time playing against the men and talk about the challenges Lexi might face.

Whaley firmly believes that women taking opportunities outside their comfort zones is what must be done to create progress.

“Yesterday the world was talking about women’s golf more in one day than I heard for nine months to the Solheim Cup,” said Whaley.

“I can’t wait for the day when women get that kind of attention and don’t have to play against the men to get it.”

Defending champion Tom Kim, LPGA star Lexi Thompson highlight 2023 Shriners Children’s Open field

The PGA Tour heads to Vegas with an historic appearance from an LPGA star.

In a few days, the PGA Tour will leave Jackson, Mississippi, and the Sanderson Farms Championship behind for the Shriners Children’s Open at TPC Summerlin in Las Vegas.

Defending champion Tom Kim returns in an effort to go back-to-back, and he’ll be joined in the field by European Ryder Cupper Ludvig Aberg, Akshay Bhatia, Cam Davis and Webb Simpson.

The highlight of the field, however, is LPGA star Lexi Thompson. The 25th-ranked player in the world, fresh off a Solheim Cup appearance, will tee it up alongside the boys next week on a sponsor exemption.

Here’s the full field for the 2023 Shriners Children’s Open.