NAPLES, Fla. – Lexi Thompson is trying to keep her putting demons at bay.
The talented 26-year-old missed another very short birdie putt on the back nine in the third round of Saturday’s CME Group Tour Championship. Last week, she missed three short ones coming in that eventually led to a playoff loss in the Pelican Women’s Championship near Tampa.
“I think being an athlete you always want to be on the top of your game and how you feel personally as well,” Thompson said of changes she has made. “For me, what I was doing wasn’t working, so I’m all up for change and trying different things to improve on myself or my golf game.
“I’ll be the first one to rule it out as well. But I’m always looking for improvement on and off the golf course. I’ve just been putting in the work.”
Thompson, who is working with a new unnamed putting coach, is still right there, though, despite a birdie-bogey finish at Tiburón Golf Club at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort.
Lexi Thompson plays the third round of the CME Group Tour Championship at Ritz Carlton Golf Resort , Tiburon Golf Club in Naples on Saturday, Nov. 20, 2021.
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Thompson, who won the tournament in 2018 and has contended almost every year, sits only two strokes behind the four co-leaders going into Sunday’s final round.
“It was a lot windier today than the other days,” she said. “I mean, (Friday) was windy as well, but today was definitely a little bit more.
“So it’s all about controlling your ball flight, taking a little bit more club and not swinging as hard. Getting it in the fairway out here is key, especially on a few holes out there. Just giving yourself an iron shot into these greens.”
Thompson strung together four birdies on the front, including the final two, to stay on the leaderboard. She parred six straight on the back nine, missing a short birdie putt along the way, then made a nice birdie putt on No. 17. But her tee shot on No. 18 kept on running, and went into the hazard. She…
Source : yahoo
