Tag: Diamond Resort Tournament of Champions

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LPGA Tour

Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions: Round 4 notes

Jessica Korda plays a shot on the seventh hole during the final round of the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions at Tranquilo Golf Course at the Four Seasons Golf and Sports Club on January 24, 2021 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Image: Getty)

JESSICA KORDA WINS IN A PLAYOFF WITH DANIELLE KANG

American Jessica Korda drained a 25-foot birdie on the first sudden-death playoff hole to defeat Danielle Kang and win the 2021 Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions. Korda shattered the tournament scoring record with a four-day total of 24-under 260, besting the previous mark of 14-under 270 set by Eun Hee Ji in 2019. The win also came the day after Korda shot the fifth 60 in LPGA Tour history.

“I didn’t have great numbers all day. I was in between shots all day. It was just frustrating because I wanted to be aggressive, but then I wasn’t,” said Korda, who shot 66 on Sunday. “And then kind of just said, You know what? Forget about it. Just stick to your process and be aggressive when you can and take those opportunities.

But having those putts roll in definitely helped.”

After starting the day two strokes behind Kang, Korda’s birdie at the par-3 16th pulled the pair into a tie at the top. The duo swapped birdies at No. 17 and both players left their birdie putts short on the par-3 18th.

Going back to the 18th tee for the playoff, Korda and Kang both hit the center of the green. Korda hit first and punctuated the long birdie putt with an emphatic fist pump reminiscent of a classic Tiger Woods moment. Kang’s birdie attempt tracked left from the moment she hit the putt, giving Korda her sixth LPGA Tour victory and fourth in her season-opening event.

“Everyone says low expectations, but I always expect, I don’t show up to a tournament just to show up,” said Korda, who earned her first victory with her parents, retired tennis stars Petr Korda and Regina Rajchrtová, in the gallery. “I’m too old for that. This is my 11th year. I know I’ve won a lot first week out.”

Korda again displayed her absolute mastery of the second nine at Four Seasons Golf and Sports Club Orlando, carding Sunday birdies at 13, 14, 16 and 17 for a four-day total of -22 over the closing nine holes. But when asked what it was about those nine holes that suits her, Korda could not come up with an answer.

“Honestly, I have no idea. I wouldn’t be able to tell you other than I hit it close and dropped some putts,” she said.

Korda’s younger sister Nelly Korda shot Sunday’s low round of 7-under 64 and finished third at -22. Defending DRTOC champion Gaby Lopez tied for 11th at -11.

In the celebrity competition, former tennis player Mardy Fish ran away with the tournament, earning an 11-stroke victory at +158. Wounded Warrior Chad Pfeifer was second at +147, while two-time MLB All-Star pitcher Mark Mulder was third at +145.

“Super happy with the way I played. I don’t know what I won by, but it was tough to sort of follow along. It was nice,” said Fish, who could have the Kordas younger brother Sebastian Korda, an up-and-coming tennis pro, on his Davis Cup team. “Just sort of kept going along today and playing our balls instead of theirs and worrying about where they are and stuff. Just trying to get it in as quick as possible and see where we were on the back nine.”

Two-time defending celebrity champion John Smoltz finished seventh at +138 and 72-time LPGA Tour winner Annika Sorenstam was ninth at +134. The celebrity competition is played under a Modified Stableford scoring system.

DANIELLE KANG LEARNS FROM A TOUGH TOURNAMENT END

After battling two brushes with the COVID-19 virus over the holidays, Danielle Kang came to Central Forida knowing that her game was not exactly where she wanted it. Early tournament success seemed to have her heading toward an unexpected win, after setting the tournament’s 36-hole and 54-hole scoring records. However, on Sunday, she just never seemed to find the same groove that she’d enjoyed all week. Kang carded her first bogey of the tournament on Sunday’s 15th hole and her 3-under 68, while certainly a good round in most regards, was just not quite enough to stay ahead of a surging Jessica Korda.

But for the player who focuses on the mental just as much as the physical, there are always moments of learning to take from even the hardest moments.

“I’m not disappointed in that I didn’t win. It’s not about winning and losing for me. It’s about being able to execute when I want to and having a feeling when I feel like I can’t do something is something I don’t like,” said Kang, who quickly called her family and her coach Butch Harmon for a pep talk before the playoff. “But I already knew coming in that I wasn’t really prepared, and so I played great. I had a lot of fun. I got quite a bit of friends playing in it and they came out and watched and I love that, so I take a lot of positives from this week as well. But it’s something to build on and work on and get back at it.”

NELLY KORDA WON EITHER WAY WITH BIG SISTER’S WIN

After a roller coaster of a final round at Four Seasons Golf and Sports Club Orlando, the Korda sisters each found themselves with something to smile about. For older sister Jessica, it was a sixth LPGA Tour victory to share with the family. For 22-year-old Nelly, it was returning Sunday’s lowest round with a 7-under 64 and getting a confirmation that her game is still strong.

“I hit it solid, putted well, tried to get as close as I could to them, but I started really far back,” said Korda of how she thought she played. “But I gave it a good chance and I’m happy that Jess played well and she’s in a playoff. So hopefully keep my fingers crossed for her.”

Growing up in Florida, the Korda sisters did not necessarily get to play a lot of amateur golf together given their five-year age difference. But now, years later, they’re keeping the competition going with both sisters dominating on the LPGA Tour. Though five years apart in age, they are best friends and even bigger supporters, which was evident during Sunday’s final round.

“It’s pretty cool. She’s been playing well. She made some really good putts today coming in, so she deserves it,” said Nelly, moments before Jessica clinched the win. “Hopefully comes out in her favor.”

A FAMILY AFFAIR AT DIAMOND RESORTS TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS

In her sixth career win, Jessica Korda finally cried. But the emotions had nothing to do with how she won the season-opening Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions – a final-round 66 to reach 24-under and a 25-footer for birdie on the first playoff hole to beat third-round leader Danielle Kang. Nor did the tears have anything to do with the grit she showed all week, bouncing back from a lackluster Friday round with a 16-under par weekend.

Jessica’s eyes only welled when asked what kept her motivated through the downtimes, which, in the last few years, have included a crippling hand and wrist injury and major jaw surgery to relieve migraines.

“My family,” Korda said without hesitation, her lower lip beginning to tremble. “They’re always there to pick me up when I’m down. Let me tell you, I’ve been down. My family is everything. They’re my biggest support system. They believe in me more than I believe in myself.”

(Text: LPGA Press Release)

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LPGA Tour

Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions presented by Insurance Office of America

Gaby Lopez tees off at the final round of the 2020 KPMG Women's PGA Championship (Source: Getty)
Gaby Lopez tees off at the final round of the 2020 KPMG Women's PGA Championship (Source: Getty)

GABY LOPEZ OUT TO DEFEND TITLE AT #DIAMONDLPGA

At the 2020 Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions, Gaby Lopez knocked in a 25-foot birdie putt on the seventh playoff hole to capture her second career LPGA Tour victory. After Inbee Park fell out of the playoff with a bogey on the third hole, Lopez and Nasa Hataoka needed four more holes to decide the victor, waiting overnight to Lopez to capture the win on a chilly Monday morning.  

One year later, the Mexico City native cannot help but have a smile on her face as she looks back to her win, with big hopes of doing it all over again.

“It’s very special to me to be able to come back to Orlando, to be able to come back and share with the celebrities,” said Lopez, who will tee off No. 1 at 9:50 a.m. alongside World Golf Hall of Famer Annika Sorenstam and two-time DRTOC celebrity winner and MLB Hall of Famer John Smoltz. “I think we have an amazing opportunity to learn from huge minds that we don’t get to ever speak to directly this often.”

This year, Lopez comes to Central Florida in perhaps the best shape of her life. It is a marked difference from 2020, where Lopez competed in the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions battling through chronic neck pain.

“I feel probably the strongest I’ve ever felt in my career, so that’s probably the biggest advantage in me,” said Lopez, who also contracted COVID-19 in July 2020. “So to me, that has been tremendous. To have this year healthy, stronger, and a little faster in my club swing I think is such a blessing as well.”

SOPHIA POPOV A BRIGHT STAR IN A CELEBRITY FIELD

It’s her kind of event. Not only has Sophia Popov never met a stranger, she is the kind of magnetic media starlet who causes other celebrities to stop and pay attention. At the practice area at the Four Seasons Golf and Sports Club on Wednesday, Popov putted for just under an hour, greeting a plethora of MLB stars as if they were old friends, even though she quite clearly had no idea who they were. Then she waited in front of a Golf Channel camera for what seemed like an eternity to do a Golf Today hit with Shane Bacon and Damon Hack. She aced it like a veteran television host, which she has been in her native Germany at various times in her career

Then there was practice, a pretty intense session next to former NBA great Grant Hill who seemed far more starstruck and intimidated by Popov than she did by anything going on around her. Even Larry the Cable Guy riding his pitching wedge like a hobby horse up and down the range couldn’t rattle the 2020 AIG Women’s Open champion. One big infectious smile and she was back at it.

AIG noticed. The multinational insurance company is a Popov sponsor now. Others are on the way.

Personality makes up a big part of her appeal. As she joked in her Wednesday press conference with the media (after the practice and other obligations), “Yeah, so as you can tell, I’m a really anti-social person. I don’t talk a lot at all.” Another huge smile and laugh, the kind that makes you lean in. “No, I talk a lot as it is in regular tournament play – sorry to all my fellow competitors out there; beware.”

BROOKE HENDERSON AIMING TO START NEW WINNING STREAK

Looking purely at the statistics, the Four Seasons Golf and Sports Club Orlando seems to be the perfect set-up for Canadian superstar Brooke Henderson. The nine-time LPGA Tour winner is a combined -20 here over the last two seasons. And while her low scores haven’t yet translated to victory (T4 in 2020 and T6 in 2019), she still loves it when she steps foot on the property.

“It’s just a really great week. It’s a great golf course,” said Henderson. “Just getting to know some of the celebrities and playing with them, they’re really great golfers. It’s just a great way to start the season.”

The 23-year-old has lots to be excited about in her seventh year on Tour, one that will hopefully be more normal when compared to 2020. Henderson has historically played in as many events as she possibly could, absolutely relishing the opportunity to compete. The COVID-19 pandemic altered her plans in 2020, leading her to skip more events than she would have liked. It also ended her streak of consecutive seasons with a win at five. So starting a new winning streak? That’s one of her big priorities for 2021.

“It was a really huge change for me, normally playing almost 30 events to only play 10,” said Henderson. “I’ve sat down with my dad, who is also my coach, and looked through the schedule. It’s hard to say right now, especially with COVID. Hopefully I’ll be able to compete in many more tournaments and hopefully get back on to my winning streak.

(Text: LPGA Press Release)

Categories
LPGA Tour

LPGA Tour: Nasa Hataoka Recaps her Playoff Loss at The 2020 Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions

LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - JANUARY 20: Nasa Hataoka of Japan plays a shot on the sixth playoff hole during the continuation of the final round of the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions at Tranquilo Golf Course at Four Seasons Golf and Sports Club Orlando on January 20, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

LPGA Professional and three time winner on Tour Nasa Hataoka speaks with the media following her playoff loss to Gaby Lopez at the 2020 Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions. Hataoka finished the tournament with a final score of -13 under par and in second place.

LPGA Tour: Nasa Hataoka speaks about coming up just short at The Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions

Q. What was this whole experience like? Were you feeling pressure? Were you ready to go? What was this like?
NASA HATAOKA: A lot of feelings, all the feelings, everything. Being so long and taking so much and just having this playoff, it’s a lot of feelings, yeah.

Q. Tell me about the first hole, the first playoff hole, when you were short and had that amazing chip up onto the green.
NASA HATAOKA: I’ve been practicing those shots all this time, so I just went for it.

Q. And then the second shot when you knew Gaby had made the birdie, what were the thoughts going through your mind as you stood over that putt?
NASA HATAOKA: I did feel the pressure when she made that birdie putt. I thought I was going to be able to make it. I was going to make it, but it was not a putt that a person who was thinking they were going to make it could do it.

Q. Tough putt?
NASA HATAOKA: Yeah.

Q. What do you take from this experience? A lot of pressure, a lot of feelings. What do you take from it to grow for the future?
NASA HATAOKA: As much as I thought with all the pressure and everything, I was able to play as usual. So I think for the future I would try to adjust myself for that, to not feel the pressure, just keep playing the way I always do.

Q. But this is still a great way for you to start your season. How do you move from here? Is this a good way to start your season?
NASA HATAOKA: Being a celebrity Pro-Am, I thought I was going to just enjoy it and have fun, but then being able to be in the final and do the playoff, that was a really good experience, and I think this would help me in the future. When the tournaments start to get harder and harder, it will be a good lesson for me.

January 20, 2019

Lake Bueno Vista, Florida

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

Categories
Ladies Tours

LPGA Tour: Gaby Lopez Recaps 7th Hole Playoff Victory at The Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions

LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - JANUARY 20: Gaby Lopez of Mexico poses with the trophy after winning the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions at Tranquilo Golf Course at Four Seasons Golf and Sports Club Orlando on January 20, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

LPGA professional Gaby Lopez speaks to the media following her victory at the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions, coming on the 7th playoff hole during a Monday finish. Lopez bested Nasa Hataoka and Inbee Park in the playoff with a final score of -13 under par.

LPGA Tour: Gaby Lopez speaks with media following the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions

Q. What makes this win so special today?
GABY LOPEZ: Today I was thinking thinking of my first win, and I dedicated my first win to my granddad that passed away a month before my first win. Yesterday I called my dad that I wanted to have my grandmom with him and my family this morning so she could see me dedicate this win to her.

Q. Was she watching TV?
GABY LOPEZ: She was watching the TV. I just FaceTimed them, and she was there, and I was like, my first win was for my granddad, and this one goes for you.

Q. What’s her name?
GABY LOPEZ: Vania.

Q. And what’s your granddad’s name?
GABY LOPEZ: Jose.

Q. What did you hit here?
GABY LOPEZ: I hit a 3 hybrid.

Q. Was that what you were hitting yesterday, or did you have to change?
GABY LOPEZ: Yesterday was really funny. The last round, when I first made birdie, it was into the wind, so I had a perfect 3 hybrid. In the playoffs, it was coming downwind, so I had to switch to my 4 hybrid. I wasn’t very sure if I needed a 3 hybrid or a 4 hybrid. I was switching all the time on those six holes that we were playing.

This morning, my coach, my caddie, and I were on the TrackMan, and we were looking at numbers because it’s freezing right now. So we just took the number, and we knew it was downwind, but it was a perfect 3 hybrid.

Q. Saluting the grounds crew, is that something you got from Lorena? She used to do that all the time.
GABY LOPEZ: Yes, Lorena started this tradition, and I think that was the most important thing from her. She was No. 1 on the golf course, but she was so humble, and she was being able to take the time to sit down with all the gardeners, the Mexican gardeners that we don’t get to see, and they’re here since 4:00 in the morning, and they leave at 9:00 p.m.

I think they need more recognition than we actually give them.

Q. And wearing Mexico’s colors on Sunday, winning in them today, just tell us about that.
GABY LOPEZ: Yes, since I’m a little kid, I got in love — in golf, I got in love with representing Mexico outside of Mexico in the U.S. It was always team events, and we were always wearing red, white, and green. I don’t know, it was something that comes with me since I’m a little kid. I’m extremely proud to represent Mexico, especially because we have now two Mexicans on the Tour. For a long time, it was Lorena only, and then it was Violeta Retamoza, and now it was only me. This year Maria came with me on Tour.

So I’m just hoping that it’s not only us two. I’m really hoping that a good ten Mexican girls can jump in the LPGA, and we can all travel together and achieve our dreams together.

Q. You’ve played this hole seven times now, eight if we count the regulation. Are you glad that you’re not seeing this hole anymore, or because you have half the birdies on this hole, it’s not so bad?
GABY LOPEZ: No, I really like it. I have lots of respect for this golf course. It plays extremely difficult when it’s windy and especially when it’s cold. I don’t know, I just feel like being able to feel comfortable here since last year. Last year I was playing great until the last nine holes. I came in fifth, and I ended up top ten, and it was my first top ten of the year. Those memories were positive to me.

To me this year, I’ve changed a lot of things on my swing. I’ve changed a lot of things on my stroke. I’ve changed a lot of things. To be honest, coming into this week, I had no idea if I was going to play well. I wasn’t hitting the ball great in Mexico. It was funky. It was all over the place. I had discussions with my coach if I really needed a change on my swing, but I did because I went to the hospital to get a neck thing.

So, yeah, being able to kind of trust the process and trust in him and being able to believe in myself and in my team, my caddie, I mean, it just takes a team effort. My family in Mexico, they’re a huge part of my team.

Q. To get up this early and the weather changing so drastically, how tough was it to get here and get on the range?
GABY LOPEZ: It was tough to sleep. I mean, yesterday it was calm. It was easy for me to play the six holes in the playoff, or five, but this — I mean, last night was hard. I could not sleep. I was meditating. I was listening to music. I was trying to stay calm.

So as soon as the alarm hit the clock, I’m like, okay, let’s go. Let’s roll. I got here at 6:00 a.m., and I started my warmup like it was a normal day. I needed to get in the routine that I was going to play 18 holes. That was my mindset. I don’t know how many it’s going to take us to make a birdie here. I just asked Dan, I mean, are we going to move from the hole? It’s hard to make birdie here. He said, no, we’re sticking here. So I’m like okay.

So my goal was to hit the green every time I teed up. And I knew — I knew one was going to drop because I’ve been hitting that putt every single time. I guess the seventh time’s the charm.

Q. How did that compare to the putt you had on the last hole in regulation?
GABY LOPEZ: To the last putt?

Q. Yeah, you had the birdie on your final hole to get into the playoff. How were they compared?
Q. Different spots on the green, right?
GABY LOPEZ: Yeah, different spots. I was above the hole on that one. That was actually — when I had that putt, I used to talk with my coach in Arkansas that, if you ever have a putt you want to make, you want it to be downhill because you just need to hit the right line. I mean, you just hit it, and the slope is going to take all the work. So, yeah, as soon as I had the putt, I remember Shauna telling me, hey, we want this, we want this, embrace it.

I’m just happy to be able to pull off the shots under pressure that I needed to.

Q. How long was that putt in regulation? In the final hole, your final 72 holes.
GABY LOPEZ: Yeah, that was 17 feet, downhill.

January 20, 2020

Lake Bueno Vista, Florida

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

Categories
Team USA

LPGA Tour: Lexi Thompson Recaps Her Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions Experience

LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - JANUARY 19: Lexi Thompson plays her second shot on the 16th hole during the final round of the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions at Tranquilo Golf Course at Four Seasons Golf and Sports Club Orlando on January 19, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

LPGA Tour professional and 11 time winner Lexi Thompson speaks to the media following the conclusion of the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions and previews next week’s tournament in her hometown of Boca Raton, Florida.

LPGA Tour: Lexi Thompson speaks to the media following Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions

Q. What was today like for you? You’ve had some awesome playing partners the past couple of days. How do you feel about closing out the way you did?
LEXI THOMPSON: Just this week in general is pretty amazing just to be surrounded by some of the best athletes and actors and just celebrities. It’s a very fun week. At the same time, we want to play well, and we’re grinding.

But I played well, good start to the year. Definitely left a lot out there, but it’s a good start. So I’m going to keep it going.

Q. What is something about this round that you’ll take with you going into Boca, around where you’re from?
LEXI THOMPSON: I think overall just taking from this week that my game’s in the right direction. I worked hard in the off-season in making a few changes. There’s still a lot of work that needs to be done, but it’s a good start. Just going to try to keep it going.

Q. Is it exciting to be starting a new event there in Boca, to be able to play with a hometown advantage for you?
LEXI THOMPSON: Yeah, it is. Being able to stay in my own bed, I’ve never done that and played in a golf tournament. So it will be different. I’ve only played the golf course twice. So I don’t know it great, but I have a few more practice rounds coming up. It’s a great track. So just looking forward to playing.

January 19, 2020

Lake Buena Vista, Florida

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

Categories
Team USA

LPGA Tour: Lexi Thompson Talks Return to Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions

LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - JANUARY 16: Lexi Thompson plays her shot from the 17th tee during the first round of the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions at Tranquilo Golf Course at Four Seasons Golf and Sports Club Orlando on January 16, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

LPGA professional Lexi Thompson speaks with the media following her opening round -5 about her offseason preparations as well as her 2020 goals.

LPGA: Lexi Tohmpson speaks with the media following opening round of the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions

Q. (Indiscernible) good playing. I agree. Good ball striking. You seem to be in midseason form.
LEXI THOMPSON: I didn’t take much rest in the off-season. Really seemed like I only had about two weeks off. I took one week fully off, not even touching a club, but that was about it. I slowly got back into it, and I was grinding away.

Q. Do you refresh your goals and aspirations?
LEXI THOMPSON: Yeah, I do. Like Olympics being this year, that’s my number one goal. But I go into every tournament wanting to win. That’s the drive I’ve always had. I just want to play consistent golf and keep trying to improve on everything on and off the golf course.

Q. You’ve been out here for a number of years. Do you make changes so that you peak at the right time?
LEXI THOMPSON: Yeah, I think overall in the off-season work, it’s a lot of short game work for me, but this off-season was actually a lot of ball striking as well, trying to work on those little swing changes I worked on towards the end going into CME were big changes for me. I think that’s making my ball striking a little bit more consistent now, which will be good for my future.

Q. Lexi, a solid 5 under opening round at the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions. How good does it feel to get back in competition mode?
LEXI THOMPSON: Yeah, it feels good. It’s a little different of a tournament playing with celebrities, but it’s just an amazing feeling coming back to 2020. This is a great event. It’s a lot of fun. To start off with a nice 5 under start, it’s a good start to the season, just hopefully keep it going.

Full Leaderboard: Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions 2020

Q. Is there something when you can compete with other professional athletes that play at the highest level, just like you do, is there something you pick their brains about when you’re out there with them?
LEXI THOMPSON: Honestly, I just try to respect them and enjoy their presence. This is such a great event for that. I don’t really want to pick their brain because they get that all the time for sure. I want them to go out there and enjoy themselves. I think that’s what this tournament is all about. We want to take it seriously, but at the same time, I want to enjoy being around some of the best athletes that have been in the game or in their sport.

Q. What is it about this course that sets up to your strengths?
LEXI THOMPSON: Overall on this golf course, I can hit a lot of drivers and 3 woods. I can play it pretty aggressively. A good amount of the par 5s, I can reach and go for in two, so I take advantage of that. It’s just in great shape. That’s what we really look forward to in every tournament we go into.

Q. You put a lot of work in in the off-season. What was working well today that you felt like was a direct reflection of that hard work?
LEXI THOMPSON: I think overall having my ball striking being very consistent today. I hit it very solid, committed to my lines a lot out there, and I made some good putts. So a lot of positives to take from today. Just hope I keep it going.

Q. Did Larry pick your brain at all?
LEXI THOMPSON: He asked me like one or two questions, but really not much of anything. We just really had fun out there, enjoying ourselves and saying good shots and just feeding off of each other.

Q. What did you think of his game?
LEXI THOMPSON: I was impressed. He hit a lot of irons off the tee, but he had an amazing short game. I was very impressed. He had great touch around the greens and rolled it very well.

Q. Any theme to this year for you? Anything new to the way you want to approach things?
LEXI THOMPSON: Really I’m just going into this year trying not to get too down on myself and my game. I’ve put in the work in my off weeks, in the off-season, and I’m just going to go into every tournament knowing I put in the work and just letting my game show that I put in the practice. If I struggle and have a bad day, I’m not going to let it get to me. I’m just going to try to have more of a positive outlook on life.

Q. At the end of last year, you talked about your swing and some of your footwork. Have you just built on that? Have you changed anything about that?
LEXI THOMPSON: Yeah, I’m doing the same footwork change that I worked on towards the end of last year, just trying to patent it and get it more ingrained in my golf swing. It’s been working pretty well. I feel very confident with it. It’s just a matter of repetition and keep going with it.

Lake Bueno Vista, Florida

January 16, 2020

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports