Lexi Thompson heads into the first round of the Meijer LPGA Classic by Simply Give on Thursday with the mindset of defending the title she won back in 2015. Ranked No. 4 in the world, Thompson has seven top-10s and one win this year on Tour and believes she has seen an improvement in her game throughout the 12 tournaments she has competed in.

“Overall this year it’s been pretty consistent,” Thompson said. “I would say my game’s definitely in a good spot. I worked a lot in the off season on my short game so I definitely have been trying to improve on that. But just overall consistency in my game I’ve seen an improvement on.”

Coming off her T22 finish at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, Thompson said while playing at Sahalee was tough, the course here at the Blythefield Country Club is a risk-reward type of course.

“It’s a risk-reward golf course,” Thompson said. “You can take advantage of some of the holes, but really just got to keep it in the fairways because it’s playing a lot softer this year so the rough’s up a little bit thicker than usual.”

Thompson will not be alone at the course on Thursday. With Father’s Day being celebrated on Sunday, Thompson’s father will be at the course to cheer her on, just as he did when she won back in 2015.

“My dad’s been my rock, both my parents have,” Thompson said. “But to have him here this week and to be at the course on Father’s Day is very special. He’s been always there for me and has been my coach so we have a special relationship.

It’s great to have him here.”

LINDSEY MCPHERSON EXCITED TO BE BACK AT MEIJER LPGA CLASSIC AS A PRO

Lindsey McPherson was a sponsor invite at the first edition of the Meijer LPGA Classic back in 2014 and will be back again in 2016.

“I think it gives me a ton of confidence,” McPherson said of having played the event before. “Even walking into a clubhouse and knowing where you’re supposed to go and knowing where the range is it helps calm your nerves a lot. You don’t really feel like as much of a rookie. It makes you feel more aware of your surroundings and more ready for the golf course. And obviously playing the golf course in championship condition definitely helps.”

A lot has changed for McPherson since competing as an amateur in 2014, as she now holds a Masters Degree from Michigan State University in Data Analytics and is pursing a career in professional golf.

“I don’t have any status yet,” McPherson explained. “I have to go to Q-School in August so that’s the next step. I’ve been down in Florida training and then I came back up here in May. There’s lots of good stuff going on this summer. I’ll play this and then the Michigan Open and a few other State Opens and then in the middle of August I’ll head out to California for Q-School.”

McPherson, who shot 73-76 to miss the cut at Blythefield, is hoping a different approach this time around will lead to her playing the weekend.

“I’m just trying to go into this week without any expectations. I just really want to play the best golf that I can,” McPherson explained. “I think last time I focused a ton on making the cut but I think putting that much pressure on myself, I think my last five holes I went 4-over, I was worried about the cutline and it kind of got to me so my goal is to play the best golf that i can and not worry about where I’m falling on the leaderboard so hopefully that will free me up a little bit.”

The Flushing native is hoping to have the support of Spartan Nation behind her just as they were in 2014.

“I started on No. 1 in the afternoon on the second day and I think that gave Spartan Nation a little bit of time to get up and come out to follow me because it was packed with Green and White,” McPherson said with a smile. “I’ve never had that many people follow me before.”

NUMBERS TO KNOW

2 – Brooke Henderson is the No. 2 player in the world for the first time in her career after her win at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship
>> With a victory this week, Brooke Henderson can become the sixth player in history to win the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and the event after an LPGA major. The five players to previously do so are Nancy Lopez (1978), Jan Stephenson (1982), Patty Sheehan (1984), Sherri Turner (1988) and Inbee Park (2013).
3 – This is the third year of the Meijer LPGA Classic in Grand Rapids; A South Korean and American player have won the previous two times
>> South Korea (10) and United States (6) are the only two countries with more than one player ranked in the top-25 of the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings.
5 – There are five players from Michigan in the field this week; Daniela Iacobelli, Lindsey McPherson, Elizabeth Nagel, Jennifer Song and Kris Tamulis
6 – The largest margin of victory this season is 6 strokes by Lexi Thompson at the Honda LPGA Thailand
10 – There have been 10 holes-in-one through 16 tournaments this year
18 – Lexi Thompson holds the tournament scoring record at 18-under par and won last year with all four rounds in the 60’s; Thompson has scored 20 rounds in the 60’s this season, good for seventh best on the year
28 – The 2016 Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give will be the 28th tournament played in Michigan on the LPGA Tour since 1950
36 – Number of rounds under par for Lydia Ko this season (81.8%)

Thompson Ready to Defend; McPherson Excited to be Back as Pro

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