The career trajectory of Lexi Thompson, a dominant figure in women’s golf, took a dramatic turn during the 2017 ANA Inspiration, now known as the Chevron Championship. Thompson, who began the final round with a two-shot lead, was unexpectedly slapped with a four-shot penalty in the middle of her game – a decision that still haunts her years later.
Rewind to the infamous incident. Thompson was confidently cruising through the final round, extending her lead to three after 11 holes. Then, as if an invisible hand had pulled the rug from under her feet, officials of the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) delivered a blow that would forever taint her career. The reason? A minor discrepancy on the 17th hole the previous day.
Thompson had marked her ball on the green and, upon placing it back, misplaced it by a mere fraction of an inch. The error went unnoticed during the game, but a sharp-eyed viewer at home observed the mistake and promptly informed the LPGA via email. Upon reviewing the footage, the officials handed down a brutal four-shot penalty in the midst of her final round. Two strokes for the misplaced ball, and an additional two for signing an incorrect scorecard. This surprise penalty effectively transformed her promising Saturday 67 score into a disappointing 71, erasing her two-shot lead.
Stunned by the penalty, Thompson famously asked, “Is this a joke?” and called the decision “ridiculous.” However, she refused to let this setback define her game. Displaying remarkable resilience, she birdied two of the last three holes, leading to a playoff with So Yeon Ryu. Thompson even came tantalizingly close to winning outright, with her 15-foot eagle putt on the 18th hole stopping just short of the cup.
The playoff, however, did not go in her favor. Her tee shot landed in the rough, forcing her to play safe, while Ryu strategically positioned herself for a win. Thompson’s heartbreak was sealed when her 25-foot birdie putt fell a foot short. Although eight years have passed since the incident, Thompson recently confessed that the memory still stings.
In a candid conversation with The Scoop, the 11-time LPGA Tour winner reflected on the lows of her career. She admitted that the infamous four-shot penalty at ANA was a significant blow, particularly since it was an event she had always dreamt of winning. The incident continues to affect her, as she shared, “Still kind of deal with it day-to-day, but it’s life. Things happen. Sometimes you don’t know why exactly, but you got to get through it.”
Thompson, who turned professional at 15 and won her first major at 19, has been a venerable figure in women’s golf for years. However, the mental toll of the sport led her to announce in May last year that 2024 would be her final full season as a professional golfer. As she embarks on a new life chapter, now engaged to her longtime boyfriend, Max Provost, and preparing for marriage, she reflects on the trials of her career.
Thompson believes that her challenging experiences, including the controversial ruling, have not only shaped her but also made her the fighter she is today. She shared her insights on golf and life, stating, “It’s always an ongoing learning process, and it’ll test you, it’ll test your patience, your determination, your work ethic.”
As she prepares to step away from professional golf, Thompson’s story serves as a reminder that setbacks can either break you or teach you resilience. For Thompson, it has always been the latter. Her story is a testament to the power of enduring through bad days and learning from every experience, whether it’s a victory or a defeat.
