CHANDLER, Ariz. — For someone who was looking to take a little bit of a step back from competition, Lexi Thompson is still a strong competitor.
The 11-time LPGA winner said before the 2025 season that she was going to be semi-retired. She then went out and tied for ninth in her first tournament of the year at the Founders Cup.
This week, she’s playing in the Ford Championship outside Phoenix, her second outing of the year, but through her first 14 holes, things were not great, as she found herself 4 over. Then, she rallied.
Thompson made three straight birdies on Nos. 15, 16 and 17 before a closing bogey, giving her a 2-over 74.
That late momentum then carried over to Friday. Playing in the early wave, Thompson shot a first-nine 30 (she started on No. 10) sparked by four birdies and an eagle. She was even on her second nine and signed for a 66 to get to 4 under overall and that was enough to make the cut on the number and get some weekend tee times at Whirlwind Golf Course at Wild Horse Pass. Just as she did at the Founders, her brother Curtis is working as her caddie.
Thompson is eligible to play in the Chevron Championship and the KPMG Women’s PGA and plans to compete in both. She’s also now qualified for the U.S. Women’s Open at Erin Hills. The first wave of exempt players was top 75 in the Rolex Rankings by March 24 and in those rankings, she checked in at No. 51.
Two tournaments, two made cuts. Not a bad way to be semi-retired.
Golfweek’s Beth Ann Nichols contributed to this article.
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