Real Reason Lexi Thompson’s major struggles continue

THE WOODLANDS, Texas — Ten years after Lexi Thompson’s lone major triumph at 19 years old in the 2014 ANA Inspiration (now Chevron Championship), Thompson missed the two-over cutline at the same major by six shots with scores of 78-74. It’s her sixth missed cut at a major over her last seven starts, with Thompson averaging 74.4 over the stretch, including 14 consecutive rounds in the 70s. Thompson declined to talk after play on Friday.

The performance at Carlton Woods continues a drastic drop-off from Thompson’s consistency at majors over the previous decade. She had at least one top-five at a major every season from 2013 to 2022, including four runner-up finishes.
The 29-year-old’s best results, however, include multiple lost chances at a second major title. At the 2017 ANA, Thompson was told she was penalized four strokes after a viewer emailed the LPGA that she had not properly replaced her ball during the third round. She went on to lose to So Yeon Ryu in a playoff.

Thompson lost a five-shot lead on the back nine of the 2021 U.S. Women’s Open to finish in third. At the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship the following year, she surrendered a two-shot lead with three holes to play at the Congressional Blue Course and ended up T-2.
Since Congressional, Thompson’s only made a major cut was at the Women’s PGA last year. With five holes remaining in her second round, Thompson carded four birdies to make the weekend. She finished T-47.

Thompson struggled for most of last season until late in the year. She went 3-1-0 at the Solheim in September, then finished in the top 10 in her final three starts of the campaign: A T-8 at the NW Arkansas Championship, fifth at the Ascendant LPGA, and a T-7 at The Annika, to help improve her status for 2024. The 11-time LPGA winner continued playing well in the early part of this season, including a T-3 finish at the Ford Championship three weeks ago.