It was so very close to drought-busting comeback-for-the-ages.

Alas, it was a just-short defeat for Megan Khang and Lexi Thompson, but the duo can certainly walk away from the DOW Championship with their heads held high.

Team' Biggie Smalls,' as they were known this week, fell in the first playoff hole to Jin Hee Im and Somi Lee after they fired a blistering 10-under 60 on Sunday to finish at 20-under 260.

Khang, in particular, had an epic finale at the DOW Championship, going 8-under on her own ball. Thompson was no slouch herself, however, making six birdies of her own.

"(Saturday) night Lexi and I shared a couple texts and we just said we're going to go out there and have some fun, and whatever happens, happens," Khang said. "I think on the first tee, we pretty much said as long as we give ourselves two chances each hole, we will see where it takes us."

The duo moved up five spots on the board Sunday as the leading pack failed to convert some birdies of their own down the stretch.

Manon De Roey and Pauline Roussin-Bouchard made only one birdie in their final seven holes. In comparison, 54-hole leaders Sarah Schmelzel and Albane Valenzuela only converted one birdie on their back nine.

Lindy Duncan and Miranda Wang shot the round of the day – and the round of the week – an 11-under 59, but they finished much earlier than Thompson and Khang (and the eventual winners) and finished in a two-way tie for third.

The playoff switched to alternate-shot format where Khang hit the drive and Thompson hit a solid approach into the final green.

"(Thompson) had been hitting so good on 18. Again, we hit such great shots in regulation I don't think it would have been too big of a deal. We stuck with the game plan that we decided at the beginning of the week, and Lexi hit a great shot in," Khang said.

Khang, however, could not roll the birdie try into the hole – and the duo were defeated.

For Khang, it would have been her first victory on the LPGA Tour since the CPKC Women's Open in 2023, while Thompson has a six-year winless drought. This is Thompson's best result on the LPGA Tour since the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give a year ago, when she finished tied for second, and Khang's best finish since the ShopRite LPGA Classic presented by Acer last year when she finished tied for second.

The pair are both set to jump about 13 spots in the Race to CME Globe standings – a key spot to be as we push past the halfway point of the LPGA Tour calendar.

This kind of week, for both of them, comes at a wonderful time of the year – and the atmosphere was perfect to help buoy their on-course effort.

"It's incredible," Thompson said. "Golf being such an individual sport, we don't get the opportunity to play a (regular team event) every single year. It's a good, fun event for us, a bit more laid back. How the community gets behind this event and really supports women's golf, that's what we enjoy most and why we always come back to this tournament.

"We have fun, but at the same time, we enjoy the atmosphere and enjoy the fans."

Thompson and Khang gave the fans plenty to cheer about this week. And although, in the end, they fell short of lifting the trophy, there were so many great positives.

"Megan played some amazing golf this week. I pulled together some good golf today. It's just great to be alongside her. We have a lot of laughs and in between shots we are relaxed and have a good time," Thompson said.

"Bummer to miss the last one in the playoff to force another hole," Khang added, "but very happy how we played."

Thompson, Khang Fall Just Short in Playoff at Dow Championship

Related Articles