Lexi Thompson’s golf bag shined bright at the Shriners Children’s Open this week.
Lexi Thompson’s heartwarming golf bag steals the show at Shriners Children’s Open
Tournament organizers invited Thompson to compete in the Shriners Children’s Open, and the LPGA Tour star gave back in a big way.
Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images
Jack Milko has been playing golf since he was five years old. He has yet to record a hole-in-one, but he did secure an M.A. in Sports Journalism from St. Bonaventure University.
Cobra Golf, her sponsor, provided Thompson with a brand new, clean, white bag at TPC Summerlin in Las Vegas this week.
She put it to good use.
“I had the Shriners kids design it and write a few things on it, which makes it more special because that’s what this week is all about,” Thompson said ahead of the tournament on Wednesday.
“It’s amazing what Shriners does for these kids. They give them the opportunity to be able to follow their dreams and live the healthiest lifestyle they can. I’m basically carrying them all around with me this week and having their support means the world.”
She had the attention of the golfing world this week as Thompson came close to making the cut at the Shriners Children’s Open in her PGA Tour debut.
Had she done so, she would have been the first woman to play the weekend at a modern PGA Tour tournament.
But the highlight of Thompson’s week was not finishing a PGA Tour event at even par through 36 holes. Nor was it driving the green on the par-4 15th during Friday’s second round.
“Meeting some of the Shriners kids, ambassadors, was probably the highlight [of my week],” Thompson noted after her round on Friday.
“Being with them, giving a clinic, giving golf lessons, and hopefully inspiring them to go after what they want. That was probably the most special.”
Tournament organizers awarded one of their sponsor exemptions to Thompson, hence the LPGA Tour star playing among the men.
The move to do so paid off, as Thompson served as an amazing ambassador for Shriners.
“One of the unique experiences that’s happened in conjunction with Lexi Thompson [this week] is her integration with our patients and her wanting to support them as they support her,” said Mel Bower, the Chief Communication and Marketing Officer for Shriners Hospitals for Children, in an exclusive interview with Playing Through.
“Some players are worried about, you know, all their sponsor logos and how they are presented correctly, and she gave us some carte blanche to let our patients wish her well, sign their names, and give some quotes and things like that. Just a really unique and special experience this week.”
The LPGA star was the talk of the town in Las Vegas this week.
Not because of her superb play, but because of her selflessness and her dedication to supporting an important cause.
Now that is special.
Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko for more golf coverage. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough too.
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