Lexi Thompson missed the cut at the PGA Tour’s Shriners Children’s Open despite posting a 2-under 69 on Friday in Las Vegas.
The LPGA star rolled in five birdies during her round, but two bogeys in her final five holes dropped Thompson to even-par 142 through 36 holes. The projected cut line at the end of her round was 1 under par, and by day’s end it moved to 3 under.
Thompson is the seventh woman in history to play a PGA Tour event and the first to be invited since 2018. She also joined Michelle Wie West and Brittany Lincicome as the only women to shoot a sub-par round on the PGA Tour.
“There was no added pressure, but of course that’s a goal, making the cut,” Thompson said on the ESPN+ broadcast. “But I knew I had to play my A-game. I knew there were difficult holes out there and to take advantage of the few birdie holes like the par 5s. But coming into the week, there was more of a message than just playing golf. … To inspire the kids, that’s what I enjoy most.”
She also had to come back to TPC Summerlin early Friday to finish her first round after Thursday’s action was suspended due to darkness.
After opening her second round with a bogey on No. 10, Thompson put her second shot at the par-4 11th within 4 feet of the hole. That was the first of three birdies over her next five holes, as she also converted at the par-5 13th and the short par-4 15th.
Thompson then made the turn and sank birdie putts from 24 and 28 feet at the first and second holes. But a tee shot out of bounds at the par-3 fifth led to a bogey, before she bogeyed the eighth and settled for par at the par-5 ninth.
“I knew once I had made a few birdies in a row that I would be somewhat close, but I knew the cut line would keep on going lower and lower with these guys, especially with not that much wind out there,” Thompson said. “I just really tried to stay focused on my game and focused on my swing thoughts, picking small targets and staying 100 percent committed, and whatever happens happens.”
Her week was filled with not only her usual golf activities, but also plenty of media commitments and making an appearance at the tournament’s adaptive golf clinic.
“Of course, playing with the guys, amazing feeling, but growing up with guys, I’ve always wanted to be out on a PGA Tour event and tee it up,” Thompson said. “But the biggest thing was seeing the kids out there outside the ropes and then meeting a few of the Shriners (Hospitals) ambassadors. That was the most special.”
Thompson said she was planning to take some down time after playing four weeks in a row.
“I know my game is in a really good spot,” she said. “I know there are some things to really focus in on and get even better and that’s what’s great about the game and kind of drives us nuts. We can never perfect it, but there is always something to improve on.”
–Field Level Media
