Lexi Thompson is going to be seeing quite a bit of Naples in the coming weeks.
For the second consecutive year, Thompson will go head-to-head with the PGA Tour's best at the QBE Shootout, hosted by Greg Norman. In December, the event returns to Tiburón Golf Club in Naples, site of the season ending CME Group Tour Championship, where Thompson will compete in November.
“I was so excited to get the news that I was invited back to participate in the QBE Shootout again this year,” Thompson told LPGA.com. “It was such an honor to be invited to play last year, and I had an absolute blast playing. It is an amazing event, and Greg Norman is a wonderful host.”
When the 22-year-old made her debut in 2016, it was the first time a female competed in the event since Annika Sorenstam in 2006. This year, Thompson becomes the first female to play in the event multiple times.
Thompson is one of 24 players in the field, made up primarily of members from the PGA Tour. This year’s competitors include Steve Stricker, Bubba Watson, Graeme McDowell, Tony Finau, Keegan Bradley and more. In 2016, Thompson was paired with Bryson DeChambeau in the team competition, which was won by Harris English and Matt Kuchar, who will look to defend their title again this year.
“I can’t wait to get back there this year to tee it up, and see all the fans again who came out to see us last year,” said Thompson.
The Tournament’s primary beneficiary is CureSearch for Children’s Cancer, but this year a hurricane relief fund has also been established to assist with local recovery efforts following Hurricane Irma.