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Lexi Thompson: “I need to have a life”
Lexi Thompson has been a high-level, highly visible professional golfer since she was 15, and her life has been centered around the game since she was five. For we average folk, the pressure inside the ropes and the obligations outside them that such a life engenders are without parallel.
After a particularly grueling stretch, Thompson, arguably the face of the LPGA Tour, was understandably worn down. She took a month-long break from the game and, really, the demands of her celebrity.
The 23-year-old skipped last month’s Ricoh Women’s British Open. She’ll return to competition at this week’s Indy Women in Tech Championship.
“I’m not just a robot out here,” she told reporters ahead of the tournament. “I need to have a life.”
In the past 18 months, the Coral Springs, Florida, native has dealt with her mother’s cancer, the death of her grandmother, and of course, the ANA Inspiration debacle.
“You can only stay strong for so long and hide it,” Thompson said.
Thompson also told reporters she took a trip with friends and shelved her golf clubs for two weeks.
Full press conference, below.
I’m going to gush in this intro paragraph, to get the emo stuff done early. I’ve not pulled harder for a professional to win, than Cameron Young. I coach golf in New York state, and each spring, my best golfers head to a state championship in Poughkeepsie. I first saw Cameron there as a 9th grade student. I saw him three more times after that. I reconnecected with Coach Haas from Wake Forest, an old interview subject from my days on the Old Gold and Black, the Wake newspaper. He was there to watch Cameron. After four years at Wake Forest, Young won on the Korn Ferry Tour, made it to the big tour, almost won two majors, almost won five other events, and finally got the chalice about 25 minutes from the Wake campus. Congratulations, Cameron. You truly are a glass of the finest. #MotherSoDear
OK, let’s move on to the Tour Rundown. The major championship season closed this week in Wales, with the Women’s Open championship. The PGA Tour bounced through Greensboror, N.C., while the PGA Tour Americas hit TO (aka, Toronto) for a long-winded event. The Korn Ferry lads made a stop in Utah, one of just two events for that tour in August. The many-events, golf season is winding down, as we ease from summer toward fall in the northern hemisphere. Let’s bask in the glory of an August sunrise, and run down a quartet of events from the first weekend of the eighth month.
LET/LPGA @ Women’s Open: Miyu bends, but she doesn’t break
Royal Porthcawl was not a known commodity in the major tournament community. The Welsh links had served as host to men’s senior opens, men’s amateurs, and Curtis and Walker Cups in prior years, but never an Open championship for the women or the men. The last-kept secret in UK golf was revealed once again to the world this week, as the best female golfers took to the sandy stage.
Mao Saigo, Grace Kim, Maja Stark, and Minjee Lee hoped to add a second major title to previous wins this season, but only Lee was able to finish inside the top ten. The 2025 playing of the Women’s Open gave us a new-faces gallery from day one. The Kordas and Thitikulls were nowhere to be found, and it was the Mayashitas, Katsus, and Lim Kims that secured the Cymru spotlight. The first round lead was held at 67 by two golfers. One of them battled to the end, while the other posted 81 on day two, and missed the cut. Sitting one shot behind was Miyu Yamashita.
On day two, Yamashita posted the round of the tournament. Her 65 moved her to the front of the aisle, in just her fourth turn around a women’s Open championship. With the pre-event favorites drifting off pace, followers narrowed into two camps: those on the side of an underdog, and others hoping for a weekend charge from back in the pack. In the end, we had a bit of both.
On Saturday, Yamashita bent with 74 on Saturday, offering rays of hope to her pursuing pack. England’s Charley Hull made a run on Sunday closing within one shot before tailing off to a T2 finish with Minami Katsu. Katsu posted the other 65 of the week, on Saturday, but could not overtake her countrywoman, Yamashita. wunderkind Lottie Woad needed one round in the 60s to find her pace, but could only must close-to’s, ending on 284 and a tie with Minjee for eighth.
On Sunday, Yamashita put away the thoughts of Saturday’s struggles, with three-under 33 on the outward half. She closed in plus-one 37, but still won by two, for a first Major and LPGA title.
PGA Tour @ Wyndham: Young gathers first title near home
Cameron Young grew up along the Hudson river, above metro New York, but he also calls Winston-Salem home. He spent four years as a student and athlete at Wake Forest University, then embarked on tour. This week in Greensboro, after a bit of a break, Young opened with 63-62, and revved the engine of Is this the week once more. Runner-up finishes at the Open, the PGA, and a handful of PGA Tour events had followers wonder when the day would come.
On Saturday, Young continued his torrid pace with 65, giving him a five-shot advantage over his closest pursuer. Sunday saw the Scarborough native open with bogey, then reel off five consecutive birdies to remind folks that his time had, at last, arrived. Pars to the 16th, before two harmless bogeys coming home, made Young the 1000th winner of an official PGA Tour event (dating back to before there was a PGA Tour) throughout history. What’s next? I have a suspicion, but I’m not letting on. Mac Meissner closed with 66 to finish solo 2nd, while Mark Hubbard and Alex Noren tied for third.
Korn Ferry Tour @ Utah Championship: Are you Suri it’s Julian?
Who knows exactly when the flower will bloom? Julian Suri played a solid careet at Duke University, then paid his dues on the world’s minor tours for three years. He won twice on two tours in Europe, in 2017. Since then, the grind has continued for the journeyman from New York city. At age 34, Suri broke through in Beehive state, outlasting another grinder (Spencer Levin) and four others, by two shots.
Taylor Montgomery began the week with 62, then posted 64, then 68, and finally, 70. That final round was his undoing. He finished in that second-place tie, two back of the leader. Trace Crowe, Barend Botha, and Kensei Hirata made up the last of the almost quintet. As for Suri, his Sunday play was sublime. His nines were 32 and 31, with his only radar blip a bogey at ten. He closed in style with one final birdie, to double his winning margin. Hogan bloomed late…might Suri?
PGA Tour Americas @ Osprey Valley Open presented by Votorantim Cimentos – CBM Aggregates
Some tournament names run longer than others. This week in Toronto, at the Heathlands course at TPC Toronto, we might have seen the longest tournament title in recorded history. The OVOPBVCCBMA was a splendid affair. It saw three rounds of 62 on Thursday, but of those early risers, only Drew Goodman would stick around until the end. 64 was the low tally on day two, and two of those legionnaires managed to finish inside the top three at week’s end. Saturday brought a 63 from Patrick Newcomb, and he would follow with 64 on Sunday, to finish solo fourth.
Who, then, ended up winning the acronym of the year? It turns out that Carson Bacha had the right stuff in TeeOhhh. Bacha and Jay Card III posted 63 and 64, respectively, on day four, to tie for medalist honors at 23-under 261. Nathan Franks was one shot adrift, despite also closing with 63. If you didn’t go low on Sunday, it was about the check, not the championship.
Bacha and JC3 returned to the 18th hole twice in overtime. Card nearly chipped in from the thick stuff for birdie, while Bacha peeked and shoved a ten-feet attempt at the win. On the second go-round, Card was long with his approach, into the native grasses once more. He was unable to escape, and a routine par from the fairway was enough to earn the former Auburn golfers a first KFT title.
Card III and Bacha both miss their birdie tries on the first playoff hole.
We’ll play 18 again @OspreyOpen. pic.twitter.com/vNpHTdkHDg
— PGA TOUR Americas (@PGATOURAmericas) August 3, 2025
GolfWRX is live this week from the final event of the PGA Tour’s regular season, the Wyndham Championship.
Photos are flowing into the forums from Sedgefield Country Club, where we already have a GolfWRX spirit animal Adam Schenk WITB and plenty of putters for your viewing pleasure.
Check out links to all our photos below, which we’ll continue to update as more arrive.
General Albums
- 2025 Wyndham Championship – Tuesday #1
- 2025 Wyndham Championship – Tuesday #2
- 2025 Wyndham Championship – Tuesday #3
WITB Albums
- Chandler Phillips – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Davis Riley – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Scotty Kennon – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Austin Duncan – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Will Chandler – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Kevin Roy – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Ben Griffin – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Peter Malnati – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Ryan Gerard – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Adam Schenk – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Kurt Kitayama – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Camilo Villegas – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Matti Schmid – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
Pullout Albums
- Denny McCarthy’s custom Cameron putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Swag Golf putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Karl Vilips TM MG5 wedges – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- New Bettinardi putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Matt Fitzpatrick’s custom Bettinardi putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Cameron putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
See what GolfWRXers are saying and join the discussion in the forums.
Kurt Kitayama just won his 2nd PGA Tour event at the 3M Open. Kurt is a Bridgestone staffer but with just the ball and bag. Here are the rest of the clubs he used to secure a win at the 2025 3M Open.
Driver: Titleist GT3 (11 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD VF 7 TX
3-wood: Titleist GT1 3Tour (14.5 degrees, A3 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 8 TX
7-wood: Titleist GT1 (21 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 9 TX
Irons: TaylorMade P7CB (4), TaylorMade P7MB (5-PW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (52-12F, 56-14F), Vokey Design WedgeWorks (60-K*)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putter: Scotty Cameron Studio Style Newport 2 Tour Prototype
Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy 1.0PT
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Ball: Bridgestone Tour B XS (with Mindset)
‘Why would anybody want to change that swing?’ – Brandel Chamblee says PGA Tour star was wrong to change his swing
‘The stupidest freaking thing I’ve ever heard’ – Billy Horschel slams Open idea suggested by Padraig Harrington
WITB Time Machine: Brandt Snedeker’s winning WITB, 2018 Wyndham Championship
Golfer proudly posts photo of ball mark on iron, receives immediate roasting
WITB Time Machine: Matthew Wolff’s winning WITB, 2019 3M Open
Oakmont Country Club bans Wyndham Clark over locker incident; Reveals specific conditions to earn reinstatement
Adam Scott puts Callaway blades in the bag at Wyndham Championship
Report: LIV star fires caddie and coach in shock shake up
Rickie Fowler makes equipment change to ‘something that’s a little easier on the body’
The championship formula: How 3 key stats separate winners from the field
Peter Malnati WITB 2025 (August)
Peter Malnati what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wyndham Championship. More photos from the event here. Driver: Titleist...
Cameron Young’s winning WITB: 2025 Wyndham Championship
Driver: Titleist GT2 (9 degrees, A1 SureFit setting) Buy here. Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Pro Orange 70 TX 3-wood: Titleist...
Camilo Villegas WITB 2025 (July)
Camilo Villegas WITB accurate as of the Wyndham Championship. Villegas was undecided on a 3-wood when we shot his bag. ...
WITB Time Machine: Brandt Snedeker’s winning WITB, 2018 Wyndham Championship
Brandt Snedeker fired a final-round 65 at the 2018 Wyndham Championship to outlast Webb Simpson and C.T. Pan. His 5-under...
James
Jun 28, 2023 at 9:02 pm
Lexi we sure wish her the best and happiness! But, If anyone thinks she can compete with the best by not competing on a regular basis doesn’t get it! If she thinks she can win without that ………someone needs to give her the real talk!!!! Obviously she has made new goals…..
I could help her be a very very good putter or at least where she is way more natural and confident. She is tremendously better for sure right now than she has been. Have one of her handlers send me a email. What would it hurt! Always have fun.
MG
Aug 18, 2018 at 8:46 am
That or she just really hates paying UK taxes and doesn’t like playing the Ladies British…
Bob McNichols
Aug 17, 2018 at 12:28 pm
I remember playing in a Junior-Am in 2009 and the privilege of riding in the Golf car with her that day. She was 14. Living at home in Florida. I asked where she went to school. She said she was home schooled. I asked how she met other kids her age. She said at golf tournaments like the one we were at in Missouri. I felt immediately Lexi and kids like her were being robbed of a childhood and socialization outside of their sport. I was not surprised to read of her burn out at 23 years old and I’m glad she recognized it and is dealing with it for her own good. Congratulations and best wishes to Lexi and kids in all sports who need to have a life outside of their sport while playing and learning about life on the outside of the grueling pace of junior sports and at the highest level they can achieve.
Midwest Blade
Aug 17, 2018 at 11:13 am
She has been on the stage for several years, probably missed a few things over those years when golf at the LPGA level took over. I give her full rights and respect to take a breather. The ladies play for so much less than the men, most of the top players play week after week just to make a decent living which is why I like to follow the Ladies tour, at least you see some of the big stars at just about every tournament.
Southeast super game improvement
Aug 17, 2018 at 12:52 pm
Good call blade. She no doubt appreciated your permission.
Sahil Singh
Aug 17, 2018 at 6:33 am
she takes one tournament off, stating that she wants to work on her life. either she has a really short life to work on or maybe her issues are just too small. Mental strength is lacking. she’s the Rickie Fowler of the LPGA (plus 1 major), one of the most absolutely over rated players on tour.
jeff
Aug 16, 2018 at 1:38 pm
This is such a perspective arguement.
If a magic geenie said you can become a professional athlete right now, yes or no?
EVERYONE would say yes. BUT, being a professional athlete is also very stressful and requires way more work and commitment than most of us are willing to give. It seems like the perfect life but eventually the stress gets to you. So, eventually there will be a breaking point in which you will need some time to yourself.
dj
Aug 16, 2018 at 1:00 pm
Golf is her job. How many of you would just stop working because you wanted a life?
MBA-J
Aug 16, 2018 at 6:18 pm
How many of us have taken a mental day or a quick vacation because we wanted a break? She skipped a tournament…it’s not like she retired.
A. Commoner
Aug 16, 2018 at 7:05 pm
This is dime store novel stuff. Who does not have adversity in their life? Advice: quit what you’re doing, move to Nowhere USA, and get a job in an office clerical pool.
Realist
Aug 16, 2018 at 9:24 pm
You have no idea what they are talking about…u must be happy with ur job!
Scott McDonald
Aug 16, 2018 at 12:41 pm
Maybe cut down on the Instagram pics.
The dude
Aug 16, 2018 at 5:15 pm
Bingo
Brett Weir
Aug 16, 2018 at 12:23 pm
She’s been through a lot these past few months. I’m sure she’ll be ok in the end.
Geohogan
Aug 16, 2018 at 11:41 am
Wish the best for Lexi. Hope that she takes at least 6 months.
Health, including mental health is much more important than golf.
CJ
Aug 16, 2018 at 7:15 am
I met her when she was 14 playing golf all day every day would mess with anyone… period. Other than that… dramatic this is not.
Liberty Apples
Aug 15, 2018 at 10:29 pm
Face of the LPGA tour? Apparently you’ve missed perhaps the greatest transformation of a professional sport in history. You want the face of the LPGA tour? Pick one from South Korea.
gunmetal
Aug 16, 2018 at 1:29 am
“arguably”, so chill out a tad. The best American in any international sport will always have a level of prominence. Not to mention she’s pretty freaking good, too.
millennial82
Aug 16, 2018 at 3:18 pm
what about soccer? oh, maybe that’s too International..
O sh t
Aug 16, 2018 at 2:18 am
Face of the white American female player of the LPGA, yes.
Andrew Reagan Mclaughlin
Aug 16, 2018 at 5:11 am
Black power!
The dude
Aug 16, 2018 at 5:14 pm
……that didn’t take long…