Meijer LPGA Classic

Thursday, June 16, 2022

Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA

Blythefield Country Club

Lexi Thompson

Press Conference


Q. Here with Lexi Thompson. Hot start here in Michigan. 7-under 65, bogey-free. Three in a row on 6, 7, 8. What were you liking about the last few holes?

LEXI THOMPSON: I just kind of felt really relaxed the whole day. Coming into today I knew I've been hitting it well and I've been putting in the work, so just coming out here and believing in myself and just staying in the moment, in the present.

Had a little bit of a birdie streak. There are some reachable par-5s out there, so definitely have to take advantage of it. You still have to hit the shots, so it was a matter of just doing my routine and committing.

Q. Blythfield is a place you seem to always play well at.

LEXI THOMPSON: Yeah.

Q. What do you like so much about this golf course?

LEXI THOMPSON: It's just an amazing layout first off, and always in great shape for us. I think just the community and having the fans that just support the whole event in general, it's just overall a great atmosphere to the event. The hospitality is first class.

I am always looking forward to coming back here and playing.

Q. What was really key for you today? Obviously you're a grinder. We always see you grinding on your putting, ball striking, but what was really key for you today?

LEXI THOMPSON: I would say a little bit of both. I made a few good five-, six-footers out there for saves or birdies, so making those is always key.

I would say I was pretty good off the tee today. Like I said earlier, just staying in the moment, staying relaxed, not getting to high or low with my attitude. That's what I've been working on the most.

Q. What's the key around this golf course?

LEXI THOMPSON: Well, you have to make birdies out here. It will get probably a little bit windier in the afternoon, so dealing with that. But you just have to make birdies. You have to take advantage of the par-5s out there and the few easier pins, so keeping it in the fairway, it is pretty soft out there so you can go at lost more pins. Like I said, you still have to hit the shots.

Q. I know you said you struck the ball really well and made some critical putts. The putt on, what was that, the par-4 where you kind of spun it back and made the 12, 14-footer.

LEXI THOMPSON: Uh-huh.

Q. Very next hole making a longer putt, how key was making those long putts, and what helped you suit your eye with those?

LEXI THOMPSON: Yeah, making putts is always key definitely, especially with my game. Just you're going to miss putts, especially if you hit a good amount of greens out there.

It was a little bit windy, but staying in the moment over those putts, committing to my pre-shot routine, and working on what I have been with my putting.

I have days where it's iffy and some days it's bad but then some days really good. Just a matter of building on that and staying positive with it.

Q. And that same mentality, I know you found the rough on a couple tee balls there. Is that the same mentality that gets you to the next shot to stay in the moment and say, I'm just going to hit the next shot? You found the green on the two shots in question.

LEXI THOMPSON: Yeah, definitely. The one swing was pretty bad, but I got away with it and had a shot over there in the rough.

Yeah, we're not robots. We're going to hit bad shots. It's all a matter of getting over it as quickly a possible. I know it's easier said than done, but it's just a matter of staying positive, staying in the moment, and knowing you can pull off the next shot.

Q. Hot start; three days to play. What kind of positives will you carry with you?

LEXI THOMPSON: Yeah, just the first day, right, so you don't win it on the first day, but it's all a matter of taking one shot at a time. So build off today and go into tomorrow with a positive attitude, and build off my round and have a good warmup and relax as much as I can this afternoon and see where it goes.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports
121755-1-1041 2022-06-16 17:06:00 GMT

ASAP sports

tech 129