For Rolex Rankings No. 12 Lexi Thompson, this week is particularly nostalgic. The Chevron Championship marked the American’s first major victory and since that leap into Poppie’s Pond in 2014, she’s carded 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 7th-place finishes at Mission Hills, making every cut in her 10 career starts.
But for Thompson, it’s more than that. It’s the tradition and the history that make this event special and she counts herself lucky to be one of the names on the Dinah Shore Wall of Champions. But while she is sad to leave the desert, Thompson is grateful that Chevron will continue to elevate the championship to its highest heights and recognizes the new opportunity a new sponsor can bring.
“What's so amazing is the history behind this tournament,” said Thompson. “To be in the same room with players that have jumped into Poppie's Pond and done great things for the sport of women's golf in general, it's very special. I definitely caught myself in the middle of (the Champions Dinner) like, wow, this is a pretty amazing dinner to be a part of. I know it'll be moving, but at the same time we're not losing an event, we're gaining a partnership with Chevron. So, I think it's great to see, and I'm sure that Houston will do it right and Chevron will as well.”
Historically at The Chevron Championship, Thompson leads in five statistical categories including scoring average (69.73), most rounds in the 60s (14), top-five finishes (5), top-10 finishes (6) and score to par (-72). Ahead of the year’s first major, Thompson is more than in form with two top-10s notched already this season, a solo second at the Gainbridge LPGA at Boca Rio and a T6 at the LPGA Drive On Championship at Crown Colony, and she’s feeling refreshed after taking six weeks off between the Florida and California swings. That bodes well for another impressive performance from Thompson and just maybe the last leap into Poppie’s Pond.
“I had a few really good starts to begin the year, and then I had about six weeks off, which was really nice,” said Thompson. “I didn't get much of an off-season back in December, so it was nice to have a little bit of a break, but at the same time work on the things I needed to improve on. Obviously want to win but take it one shot at a time and just have fun embracing the moments out there, embracing the fans, and enjoying every bit of it. I love the atmosphere of this event, so just being here is always special.”
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