THE MODERATOR: Please welcome back to the interview area Lexi Thompson. Kind of sum up the week.
LEXI THOMPSON: Minus the golf, it was amazing. Yeah, it wasn't the golf that I wanted to play, obviously, but it was a special week, of course, with announcing what I did.
To see all the fans out there and just to hear their chants and "go Lexis" made me smile every single shot even if I kept on bogeying. But it was a special week for sure.
Q. It was a really tough test out there, how a U.S. Open can be. I know you're playing a lot more golf this year, but if this is your last U.S. Open, what has it meant to you?
LEXI THOMPSON: It's meant the world to me. Like I said earlier in the week, this is where my whole dream got started when I was 12.
I know when I teed it up first at Pine Needles, that's where I wanted to be and playing against the best, and to continue to do so and to be playing in my 18th even though it wasn't the way I wanted to end it, it was always special every time I teed it up in a USGA event.
I cherished every moment that I had.
Q. If you could tell 12 year old Lexi in the lady bug earrings and the pink visor --
LEXI THOMPSON: Still have them.
Q. If you could tell her anything, what would it be?
LEXI THOMPSON: I would say probably just enjoy life. It's tough. That's always a hard question. But I would just say enjoy every single experience, like really just embrace every shot you hit, every tournament you have. Just be grateful for everything that you have in your life. Enjoy every experience that you get to make and just being out here.
Q. For you to share this moment with your family this week, what has it meant?
LEXI THOMPSON: It's meant the world to me. I'm so blessed and grateful for the family I have. I'm just very blessed for the family I have and for -- going into the weekend, it was going to be a big week. Just to have my family and friends and the amount of fans that were out there this week, that's what we want. That's what we want for the game of golf to grow.
Each and every tournament I hope it continues to do so, whether I'm teeing it up or not. That's what the LPGA needs. That's what women's golf needs and just women's sports.
Q. You've heard a lot from the fans. You've also heard a lot from your peers. I've seen on social media a lot of nice messages from your fellow players. What has that meant to you?
LEXI THOMPSON: It's meant the world to me. I've had so many messages, sometimes from people I don't even know that well. It means the world to me for them to reach out and say those kind words and to even hear that some of them have dealt with the same things and appreciate me opening up; it's so important.
I've cherished every friendship that I've made along the way. I get along with basically everybody out here, so like I said, I'll remember everybody. I'm not going anywhere. I'm still teeing it up in a lot more events this year and hopefully play a lot better.
But looking forward to all of those.
Q. With how much the game has grown since you've been on Tour, knowing you're the reason young girls want to play this sport, how gratifying is that for you?
LEXI THOMPSON: Yeah, it's very gratifying. Coming into the sport, I just wanted to leave it in a better spot than it was when I first stepped in. Having role models like Nancy Lopez and Annika and what they've done for the game and the way they've given back, that's always what I wanted to do, whether my accomplishments or not, I always wanted to give back, sign the autographs, take the pictures, grow the game any way I can.
I think the LPGA and the USGA are really doing things like that. There's so many golf programs that help these little kids get involved in the game, and just to see the smile on their faces, that's what we want.
Q. I know in terms of no longer playing a full schedule, you're probably still going to figure it out as it goes along, but do you have an idea in your head when or what you will choose to play and how much you will prepare for that?
LEXI THOMPSON: I still plan on playing I guess around 10 or 12 more times in the year and the rest of the schedule. As far as like after this year goes, I have no plans right now.
But yeah, I still plan on playing quite a few events. Coming up, I'll have next week off and then I'll probably play the following three. I'll get home as quickly as I can and get to grinding and work even harder on my game.
Q. Next year and the years after is the stuff you'll figure out later?
LEXI THOMPSON: Yeah, I'm just taking this year, but I'm pretty content with this being my last full schedule year.
Q. When the year is over, what do you think you'll miss the most and what will you not miss?
LEXI THOMPSON: Let's see. What will I not miss? Maybe finishing at 8:30 and waking up at 5:30 and having to go out and play.
I mean, I'll miss the competitiveness of just being out here and all the friendships that I've made along the way. What I won't miss is being able to sleep in and not having to rush to the golf course for a tee time and just having that every single day of my life.
It's nice to have a balance. But I've loved it, every single bit of the way. It's been harder times than others, but this is all I've known.
Q. What time did you wake up this morning?
LEXI THOMPSON: 5:30. I got back to my room at 8:30.
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