Emotional Lexi Thompson recounts ‘nightmare’ of post-ANA rules drama

Lexi Thompson, speaking publicly on Wednesday for the first time since a contentious, viewer-sparked ruling cost her the ANA Inspiration title three weeks ago, shed tears while recounting the “nightmare” that was the aftermath of her four-stroke penalty.

“I played amazing that week,” an emotional Thompson told reporters on the eve of this week’s Volunteers of America Texas Shootout. “I don’t think I’ve ever played any better. Just for that to happen, it was kind of a nightmare.”

Making her first start since losing the ANA in a playoff to So Yeon Ryu, Thompson discussed the backing she has received from LPGA and PGA Tour players, explained the thought process that led her to mis-mark her ball on the 17th green of the third round, and agreed with many who believe the USGA and R&A came up short in the new so-called “Lexi Rule” by not banning penalties that are the result of communications from TV viewers.

“Golf is the only sport that call-ins are available to,” Thompson pointed out. “Do I think it’s right? Not really, but it’s not my say.”

Thompson incurred twin two-shot penalties on Saturday of the first major of the season — the first for replacing her ball in the wrong spot after marking it, and the second for signing an incorrect scorecard. The problem was that it took the LPGA a day to open an email from an armchair referee who alerted officials to the violation.

They told Thompson about the punishment as she left the 12th green on Sunday, handing her a four-shot deficit that put her in a two-shot hole rather than up by two. Initially dumbfounded, Thompson played the rest of the tournament in tears.

Following the notification of the penalties, Thompson acknowledged that the last five holes were especially difficult.

“I’ve never cried so much on a golf course on every shot,” she said.

Since then, golf’s governing bodies went into overdrive, announcing on Tuesday immediate rule changes. One decision limits video reviews and ensures players are not punished for breaches that “could not reasonably have been seen with the naked eye.” The other allows players to employ “reasonable judgment” in determining “the nearest point of relief or replacing a lifted ball.”

That mandate does not go far enough for many players, who want to eliminate remote whistleblowers from the equation, as well as do away with penalties for unknowingly signing an erroneous scorecard.

“I don’t feel like this is going to help,” five-time tour winner Angela Stanford told GolfChannel.com’s Randall Mell. “It looks like the USGA and R&A are making an effort, but I wish they would just address the big question everyone is asking: Why allow people to call in at all? Or, if you are going to let people call in, why can’t you stop it at the end of the day? In my opinion, it means you must want that to continue.”

Catriona Matthew concurred.

“I don’t think you should be able to phone in after the fact,” said Matthew, the winner of the 2009 Women’s British Open.

Two-time major champion Stacy Lewis believes the new decisions are lacking.

“There’s more gray area than clear definition,” she said. “It didn’t really clarify anything.”

Meanwhile, three weeks removed from the controversy, Thompson was still shaken about what happened on the Dinah Shore Tournament Course.

“The hardest part, just going through it,” said Thompson, who needed several seconds to compose herself after breaking down. “I’ve worked my whole life to have my name on major championship trophies, especially that one. It’s a very special week for me with all the history behind it.”

Thompson reiterated what she said in Rancho Mirage, that there was no plan to cheat when she put her ball back down on that 17th green. In fact, she almost did not mark her spot at all, aiming just to tap in her ball.

But the 22-year-old, seven-time tour winner changed her mind, recalling that her father had reminded her that she often mishits supposedly easy tap-ins.

“It was not my intention at all,” Thompson said about moving the ball from its original spot, an error that video clearly confirmed.

“I have seen the video and I can see where they are coming from with it,” said Thompson, whose typical tactic is to align her putter with a dot on her Bridgestone Tour B330S, an unfortunate maneuver that caused her to mark and replace her ball.

“I mark my ball with a dot and that’s where I focus my eyes on, where I want to make contact,” Thompson said. “When I marked it, I just rotated my ball to line up my dot to where the ball would make contact.”

All eyes will be on Thompson, who will tee it up Thursday at Las Colinas Country Club in Irving on No. 10 at 1:21 p.m. local time with Austin Ernst and Ha Na Jang.

“I’m happy to be here in Texas. Really focused on this week to just get back to playing again,” said Thompson, who noted that in the intervening “interesting three weeks” she had not slept particularly well. “My game is in a great spot and … I’ve been working very hard the last three weeks, so I’m excited to tee it up and get this all going.”