16-year old Lexi Thompson couldn't let Luke Donald make all the history this year on both sides of the Atlantic.The young golf star carded a final round of five-under 67, to claim her second victory of the year, and becoming the youngest professional winner on both the LPGA and Ladies European Tours.
Thompson, who won earlier this year at the Navistar LPGA Classic, is not even a rookie on the LPGA Tour until next season. She now has two victories on her young career.
“It feels amazing,” said an excited Thompson after her final round. “I’m just honored they invited me back and I’m just grateful to be here. I’ve been working on my game really hard and it has paid off.”
She would eventually win by four strokes over Lee-Anne Pace of South Africa and by five over Sophie Gustafson of Sweeden.
Pace would make it interesting in the final round, as she came out hot carding two birdies and an eagle through her first six holes.
Though she cooled off on the back-nine, posting too many bogeys to Thompson's birdies to fall from contention.
“Things could have been a little different,” said Pace on her final round and the event. “I hit a bad club on 12, which cost me a shot, and that is where things changed around.”
With two wins in 2011, many can lay to rest of the first victory perhaps being a fluke, or just lucky.
Her father (and caddy) Scott now says those claims can now be laid to rest, after her second victory.
“The first one wasn’t a fluke. She has won again now. That is the great thing,” Thompson's father said. “The first one people may say she is lucky for the week. But she won again, so it kind of validates it.”
Validation often comes from winning in professional sports, especially in the world of golf.
The young star has done it twice since turning pro, and there is no reason to think she is going to slow down anytime soon.
2012 is shaping up to be a heck of a rookie year for her on the LPGA Tour.
No comments:
Post a Comment