Lexi Thompson Still Suffers ‘Day to Day’ Over Questionable LPGA Ruling That Ended Her Major Chances

Let’s rewind for a second. It’s Sunday, the final round at the 2017 ANA Inspiration (now the Chevron Championship). Lexi Thompson starts the day with a two-shot lead, then extends it to three through 11 holes. Everything is looking good. And then, out of nowhere—BOOM. LPGA officials hit her with a four-shot penalty mid-round. Why?

Well, the day before, on the 17th hole, she marked her ball on the green and accidentally placed it back a fraction of an inch off. The thing is, no one caught it in the moment. But a TV viewer at home did. They emailed the LPGA about it, and after reviewing the footage, officials decided to penalize her right in the middle of the final round.

Two strokes for playing from the wrong spot. Another two for signing an incorrect scorecard. Just like that, her Saturday 67 turned into a 71. Her two-shot lead? Gone. Thompson was in absolute shock. “Is this a joke?” she asked, clearly frustrated. “Whatever. That’s just ridiculous.”

But she wasn’t about to go down without a fight. Somehow, she pulled herself together and birdied two of the last three holes, forcing a playoff with So Yeon Ryu. She even had a chance to win it outright—her 15-foot eagle putt on 18 came this close to dropping, but it stopped just short.

In the playoff, though, the momentum wasn’t on her side. Her tee shot landed in the rough, forcing her to lay up. Meanwhile, Ryu positioned herself perfectly, and when Thompson’s 25-foot birdie putt came up a foot short, the heartbreak was complete. It’s been eight years, but that moment still stings, and she recently shared about it.

During a recent chat with The Scoop, the 11-time LPGA Tour winner got candid about the lows of her career. “Getting the four-shot penalty at ANA was a big deal. Of course, it’s the same event that I won that I always, you know, dreamt of winning. So to have that kind of put a dagger in it,” she admitted. “It’s definitely a low moment. Still kind of deal with it day-to-day, but it’s life. Things happen. Sometimes you don’t know why exactly, but you got to get through it.”

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Lexi Thompson has lived and breathed golf for as long as she can remember. She turned pro at just 15, won her first major at 19, and for years, was one of the biggest names in women’s golf. But as much as she loved the sport, the toll it took on her mental health ultimately led her to step away. Last year, in May, she announced that 2024 would be her final full season as a professional golfer. Now, she’s embracing a new chapter—happily engaged to her longtime boyfriend, Max Provost, and preparing to walk down the aisle. It all sounds like a dream, but with her recent admission, it clearly was not without significant trouble.