Lexi Thompson (click to enlarge)
At a time when 16-year old Lydia Ko of New Zealand is petitioning the LPGA, the youth movement on tour continued at the 2013 Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia with 18-year old American star Lexi Thompson capturing her 2nd LPGA title. Lexi was consistently brilliant in Kuala Lumpur, finishing as the only player in the 60s all four rounds. She finished at 19-under, good enough to deny 2nd place Shanshan Feng her second straight tour victory by 4 shots. Although Thompson bogeyed 2 and 17, she managed to sandwich 4 birdies in between the bogeys for a 2-under 69 (par is 71 here). Oddly enough, because her first win, at the 2011 Navistar LPGA Classic, came as a non-member, she received the tradition first win Rolex watch following this victory.
Lexi Thompson, Rolex “First Time” (lol) winner (click to enlarge)
Today is Lexi’s day, but I did mention Lydia Ko in the opening for a reason. The youth brigade on the LPGA tour is a great sign of things to come. Lexi’s win at Navistar in 2011 set a record for youngest LPGA winner, until Lydia Ko broke that record at the 2012 Canadian Women’s Open. Lydia is 16. Lexi is 18. This could be a rivalry in the making once both are on tour full time. But it’s not just them. American Jessica Korda is poised for greatness at only 20 years old. Before she injured her shoulder, Ariya Jutanugarn of Thailand looked on the brink of winning an LPGA tournament, playing limited events. 17-year old Ariya had already won on the Ladies European Tour. Another 17-year old, Solheim standout Charley Hull of England, is making a play to join the LPGA. She looks like the real deal. This doesn’t even count the great 21 to 25 year olds with wins this year like Inbee Park (25), Jiyai Shin (25), Jennifer Johnson (22), Ilhee Lee (24) and Shanshan Feng (24). They are ushering in a golden age of youth and vitality on tour.
Kiss of a Champion (click to enlarge)
Although I have made the case of a great youth movement on tour, I must also speak not only to the age of the players I listed, but also to their level of maturity. Specifically, I’d like to focus on this tournament’s winner, Lexi Thompson. She plays with passion and intensity, but never seems to forget to act with the comportment of a seasoned veteran. Actually, I have seen veterans have their fits on the course. Lexi plays with class, carrying herself as a credit to the tour. Nobody is perfect, but if Lexi continues to have success the LPGA could do a lot worse than to have her as the face of the tour one day.
ALL PICS CLICK TO ENLARGE
LEXI THOMPSON
Lexi congratulated by Jessica Korda and Stacy Lewis
with low amateur, Michelle Koh
SANDRA GAL
MORGAN PRESSEL
PORNANONG PHATLUM
JODI EWART SHADOFF
ANNA NORDQVIST
MICHELLE WIE
SO YEON RYU
HEE YOUNG PARK
PAULA CREAMER
MAMIKO HIGA
ILHEE LEE
SHANSHAN FENG
SUZANN PETTERSEN
IN KYUNG KIM
CHELLA CHOI
CAROLINE HEDWALL
SUN YOUNG YOO
STACY LEWIS
| Pos | Start | Player | ToPar | Thru | Today | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | Total | Earnings | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
1 | 1 |  |
-19 | F | -2 | 67 | 63 | 66 | 69 | 265 | $300,000 | |
|
2 | T3 |  |
 |
-15 | F | -4 | 67 | 65 | 70 | 67 | 269 | $186,577 |
|
T3 | T3 |  |
-12 | F | -1 | 67 | 68 | 67 | 70 | 272 | $120,026 | |
|
T3 | 2 |  |
-12 | F | +2 | 64 | 65 | 70 | 73 | 272 | $120,026 | |
|
5 | T18 | |
|
-10 | F | -5 | 72 | 62 | 74 | 66 | 274 | $84,274 |
|
T6 | T28 |  |
-8 | F | -5 | 69 | 70 | 71 | 66 | 276 | $50,394 | |
|
T6 | T22 | |
-8 | F | -4 | 72 | 66 | 71 | 67 | 276 | $50,394 | |
|
T6 | T13 | |
|
-8 | F | -2 | 67 | 71 | 69 | 69 | 276 | $50,394 |
|
T6 | T13 | |
|
-8 | F | -2 | 69 | 68 | 70 | 69 | 276 | $50,394 |
|
T6 | T13 |  |
|
-8 | F | -2 | 66 | 71 | 70 | 69 | 276 | $50,394 |
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|
T6 | T5 |  |
|
-8 | F | +1 | 70 | 66 | 68 | 72 | 276 | $50,394 |
|
T12 | T28 | |
-7 | F | -4 | 68 | 72 | 70 | 67 | 277 | $33,573 | |
|
T12 | T18 | |
-7 | F | -2 | 71 | 66 | 71 | 69 | 277 | $33,573 | |
|
T12 | T11 | |
|
-7 | F | E | 69 | 67 | 70 | 71 | 277 | $33,573 |
|
T15 | T38 | |
-6 | F | -5 | 76 | 68 | 68 | 66 | 278 | $26,763 | |
|
T15 | T18 | |
-6 | F | -1 | 66 | 67 | 75 | 70 | 278 | $26,763 | |
|
T15 | T7 |  |
-6 | F | +2 | 71 | 66 | 68 | 73 | 278 | $26,763 | |
|
T15 | T7 | |
|
-6 | F | +2 | 70 | 65 | 70 | 73 | 278 | $26,763 |
|
T15 | T5 |  |
-6 | F | +3 | 68 | 71 | 65 | 74 | 278 | $26,763 | |
|
T20 | T22 | |
|
-5 | F | -1 | 68 | 69 | 72 | 70 | 279 | $22,677 |
|
T20 | T7 |  |
|
-5 | F | +3 | 66 | 70 | 69 | 74 | 279 | $22,677 |
|
T20 | T7 | |
|
-5 | F | +3 | 67 | 66 | 72 | 74 | 279 | $22,677 |
|
T23 | T31 | |
-3 | F | -1 | 71 | 69 | 71 | 70 | 281 | $20,260 | |
|
T23 | T22 | |
|
-3 | F | +1 | 70 | 68 | 71 | 72 | 281 | $20,260 |
|
T23 | T13 | |
|
-3 | F | +3 | 70 | 66 | 71 | 74 | 281 | $20,260 |
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|
T26 | T43 | |
-2 | F | -3 | 68 | 70 | 76 | 68 | 282 | $17,059 | |
|
T26 | T38 | |
|
-2 | F | -1 | 71 | 66 | 75 | 70 | 282 | $17,059 |
|
T26 | T31 | |
|
-2 | F | E | 69 | 69 | 73 | 71 | 282 | $17,059 |
|
T26 | T22 | |
-2 | F | +2 | 71 | 70 | 68 | 73 | 282 | $17,059 | |
|
T26 | T22 | |
|
-2 | F | +2 | 72 | 68 | 69 | 73 | 282 | $17,059 |
|
T26 | T11 | |
|
-2 | F | +5 | 65 | 71 | 70 | 76 | 282 | $17,059 |
|
T32 | T31 |  |
|
-1 | F | +1 | 74 | 68 | 69 | 72 | 283 | $13,918 |
|
T32 | T31 | |
-1 | F | +1 | 66 | 72 | 73 | 72 | 283 | $13,918 | |
|
T32 | T28 | |
-1 | F | +2 | 70 | 71 | 69 | 73 | 283 | $13,918 | |
|
T32 | T22 |  |
-1 | F | +3 | 68 | 66 | 75 | 74 | 283 | $13,918 | |
|
T36 | T40 | |
|
E | F | E | 67 | 72 | 74 | 71 | 284 | $12,054 |
|
T36 | T31 | |
E | F | +2 | 69 | 71 | 71 | 73 | 284 | $12,054 | |
|
T36 | T13 | |
E | F | +6 | 67 | 70 | 70 | 77 | 284 | $12,054 | |
|
T39 | T43 | |
|
+1 | F | E | 71 | 72 | 71 | 71 | 285 | $10,827 |
|
T39 | T43 | |
+1 | F | E | 72 | 69 | 73 | 71 | 285 | $10,827 | |
|
T41 | T48 | |
+2 | F | E | 71 | 72 | 72 | 71 | 286 | $10,011 | |
|
T41 | T31 | |
+2 | F | +4 | 70 | 69 | 72 | 75 | 286 | $10,011 | |
|
T43 | T48 | |
|
+3 | F | +1 | 72 | 71 | 72 | 72 | 287 | $9,193 |
|
T43 | T31 |  |
|
+3 | F | +5 | 70 | 71 | 70 | 76 | 287 | $9,193 |
|
T45 | T51 | |
+4 | F | E | 73 | 72 | 72 | 71 | 288 | $8,070 | |
|
T45 | T51 | |
+4 | F | E | 70 | 74 | 73 | 71 | 288 | $8,070 | |
|
T45 | T48 | |
|
+4 | F | +2 | 75 | 70 | 70 | 73 | 288 | $8,070 |
|
T45 | T43 | |
|
+4 | F | +3 | 70 | 69 | 75 | 74 | 288 | $8,070 |
|
T45 | T18 | |
|
+4 | F | +9 | 67 | 68 | 73 | 80 | 288 | $8,070 |
|
T50 | T56 | |
|
+5 | F | E | 73 | 76 | 69 | 71 | 289 | $7,048 |
|
T50 | T40 | |
|
+5 | F | +5 | 68 | 72 | 73 | 76 | 289 | $7,048 |
|
T52 | T59 |  |
|
+6 | F | E | 76 | 71 | 72 | 71 | 290 | $6,435 |
|
T52 | T59 | |
|
+6 | F | E | 72 | 73 | 74 | 71 | 290 | $6,435 |
|
T52 | T51 |  |
|
+6 | F | +2 | 76 | 72 | 69 | 73 | 290 | $6,435 |
|
T52 | T51 | |
+6 | F | +2 | 74 | 70 | 73 | 73 | 290 | $6,435 | |
|
T56 | T51 | |
|
+7 | F | +3 | 74 | 71 | 72 | 74 | 291 | $5,720 |
|
T56 | T43 | |
+7 | F | +6 | 70 | 71 | 73 | 77 | 291 | $5,720 | |
|
T56 | T40 | |
|
+7 | F | +7 | 72 | 70 | 71 | 78 | 291 | $5,720 |
|
59 | T56 |  |
|
+8 | F | +3 | 73 | 70 | 75 | 74 | 292 | $5,313 |
|
60 | T62 |  |
+10 | F | +3 | 70 | 76 | 74 | 74 | 294 | ||
|
T61 | T62 |  |
|
+11 | F | +4 | 69 | 73 | 78 | 75 | 295 | $5,057 |
|
T61 | T56 | |
+11 | F | +6 | 69 | 72 | 77 | 77 | 295 | $5,057 | |
|
63 | T62 | |
+12 | F | +5 | 74 | 71 | 75 | 76 | 296 | ||
|
T64 | 66 | |
+13 | F | +2 | 76 | 71 | 77 | 73 | 297 | $4,852 | |
|
T64 | 65 |  |
|
+13 | F | +4 | 71 | 77 | 74 | 75 | 297 | $4,852 |
|
66 | T59 | |
|
+16 | F | +10 | 71 | 72 | 76 | 81 | 300 | $4,700 |
|
67 | 67 | |
+25 | F | +13 | 74 | 77 | 74 | 84 | 309 | $4,596 | |
|
T68 | 70 | |
+26 | F | +3 | 86 | 73 | 77 | 74 | 310 | $4,444 | |
|
T68 | 68 | |
+26 | F | +8 | 77 | 71 | 83 | 79 | 310 | $4,444 | |
|
70 | 69 | |
|
+27 | F | +7 | 76 | 78 | 79 | 78 | 311 | $4,290 |
|
71 | 71 |  |
+28 | F | +1 | 77 | 87 | 76 | 72 | 312 | $4,188 | |
|
72 | 72 | |
+52 | F | +13 | 82 | 87 | 83 | 84 | 336 | ||
LPGA 2013 WINNERS (number in parentheses are career official LPGA victories)
Fairways and Forehands 