Lexi Thompson is in a slump that could cost her LPGA Tour status, but not a Solheim Cup spot
OLYMPIA FIELDS, Ill. (AP) — Rickie Fowler missed the PGA Tour postseason two years ago. Justin Thomas narrowly missed this year. It’s an example of slumps that can happen to anyone. And it’s nothing compared with Lexi Thompson.
It’s one thing that Thompson hasn’t won on the LPGA Tour since June 2019. Thompson is at No. 157 in the Race to the CME Globe.
Only the top 60 make it to the CME Group Tour Championship. The top 80 have full a full card. The top 100 still have cards and get in most tournaments. But there’s no indication Thompson is capable of even that right now.
She missed her third cut in a major last week at the Women’s British Open. Her only cut in a major was a tie for 47th in the Women’s PGA Championship. But last week was only her eighth LPGA Tour start of the year.
“You shouldn’t read too much into that,” Thompson told Golf Digest last week. “I’ve just been trying to enjoy my life and take some more time for myself. This is my 13th year out here, so it’s my choice to play when I want, and when I don’t want to. I was dealing with a little bit of an injury. But I’m fully healthy now. I want to be sure I’m fully ready when I do tee it up.”
Thompson, as high as No. 6 in the women’s world ranking this year, has slipped to No. 21. She still would be in line for the Solheim Cup. The top seven in points make the U.S. team, followed by the leading two players from the world ranking. Thompson would be first in line for that, followed by Rose Zhang.
As for her playing privileges next year, she could always use a one-time exemption for being among the top 20 in career money. But she'd be relatively young to use that at age 28.
MAUI SUPPORT
Jon Rahm is five months away from defending his title at the Sentry Tournament of Champions and golf at Kapalua is the least of his concerns. While the resort was not damaged by the devastating fire that has killed at least 99 people, Rahm was heartbroken by images and horrifying tales from Lahaina.
“I'm hoping they can rebuild Lahaina as quickly as possible,” he said. “It’s really sad that it happened over there, especially for a culture that cares about their native land as much as the Hawaiians do. If we do go and play, I’m hoping through the tournament we can help the community as much as we can."
Wisconsin-based Sentry, which has formed a community relationship in Maui since becoming title sponsor in 2018, has pledged $250,000 toward Maui United Way and Hawaii Community Foundation. The PGA Tour is working with its three Hawaii-based events — on Maui, Oahu and the Big Island — to support those two charities, along with raising awareness through its telecasts and social media channels to encourage donations.
Players are pinning hibiscus flowers to their bags this week at the BMW Championship to bring attention to the disaster.
Last week, Collin Morikawa pledged $1,000 for every birdie during the postseason and encouraged others to pitch in. Xander Schauffele, who has ties to Kauai, is supporting a “Help Maui Rise” program in which his foundation will match every dollar up to $400,000.
RYDER CUP WATCH
This is the final week for Americans to earn one of six automatic spots for the Ryder Cup, and possibilities are abundant.
Ten players at the BMW Championship have a mathematical chance to move into the top six, some chances remote. Three players to consider are Max Homa, Xander Schauffele and Jordan Spieth, at Nos. 6, 7 and 8 in the standings. All of them contending this week could be enough to bump PGA champion Brooks Koepka out of the automatic qualifiers.
Scottie Scheffler and U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark already have clinched spots, while Patrick Cantlay and British Open champion Brian Harman are all but certain to stay among the top six. Lucas Glover would have to win for a third straight week to have any chance of going from No. 16 to an automatic berth.
And then it falls to Zach Johnson and his six captain's picks, which is getting more difficult by the tournament. He makes those choices after the Tour Championship, one last chance for players not on the team to make an impression.
BMW TO LIBERTY NATIONAL
At least for one year, the BMW Championship is taking over what the PGA Tour left behind. The Western Golf Association announced Tuesday the 2027 BMW Championship will go to Liberty National in New Jersey.
Liberty National, across the Hudson River from Manhattan, has a history of hosting events. It had the FedEx Cup opener four times, the Presidents Cup in 2017 and most recently a new LPGA Tour event that Rose Zhang won in her professional debut.
But when a former title sponsor didn't renew, the PGA Tour moved its postseason opener to Memphis, Tennessee, meaning it was out of the New York metropolitan area.
The BMW Championship now moves around to the WGA's affiliate states, and the WGA strengthened its relationship with New Jersey by sending 10 of its Evans Scholars to Rutgers.
The move also means Chicago golf will be held sparingly. The BMW is going to Denver (Castle Pines) next year, followed by Caves Valley outside Baltimore and Bellerive in St. Louis in 2026. The Chicago market will get the Presidents Cup at Medinah in 2026, and Medinah is likely to get another BMW Championship, though likely not until the end of the decade.
LIV LITE
The LIV Golf League is off for a month. Nearly half of the players in the 48-man league are not.
Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter and Abraham Ancer are among 22 players from LIV Golf who are scheduled to play this week in the International Series-England on the Asian Tour, an event that offers $2 million in prize money (one-tenth of a LIV purse).
That includes Andy Ogletree, who has played LIV as a reserve. And it includes Hudson Swafford, who had hip surgery that ended his LIV season. Swafford is now a reserve on LIV for the rest of the season. Patrick Reed was signed up until withdrawing for personal reasons.
Most notably, the field includes Luke Poulter, a redshirt freshman at the University of Florida and the son of Ian Poulter. Also playing is Sam Westwood, the son of Lee Westwood, who has competed before on a professional tour.
VU FROM THE TOP
Lilia Vu ended the LPGA Tour season last year at No. 41 in the world and still looking for her first title. Now she's No. 1 in the world.
Vu became the 17th player to reach No. 1 — and the fourth American — since the women's world ranking began in 2006 by winning the Women's British Open. It was her third win of the year, and second major.
Vu replaced Nelly Korda, and there's a little history there. This is the first time Americans have occupied the top two spots since the ranking began.
“Being the best in the world, that’s just crazy to me,” Vu said.
DIVOTS
Justin Thomas has added another tournament to his schedule, just not before the Ryder Cup. He will be playing the Nedbank Golf Challenge in South Africa on Nov. 9-12. ... Gabriela Ruffels is the first player to secure a spot on the LPGA Tour next year through the Epson Tour. She has won three times this year. ... Lilia Vu's three wins on the LPGA Tour this year have come on three continents — Asia (Honda LPGA Thailand), North America (Chevron Championship) and Europe (AIG Women's British Open).
STAT OF THE WEEK
Eric Cole was the only PGA Tour rookie to reach the BMW Championship.
FINAL WORD
“As much as money has been the topic of the discussion, a lot of guys out here even when they win they couldn't tell you within a margin of error how much they won that week.” — Brian Harman.
FINAL WORD, PART II
“I have no idea.” — Jon Rahm, asked how much money he won at the Masters.
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