Despite being semi-retired, Lexi Thompson is still relatively young, aged just 30, and that makes the number of consecutive appearances she has made in the US Women’s Open all the more remarkable.
The American will make her 19th consecutive start in the Major in the 2025 edition at Erin Hills, continuing an incredible run that began in 2007.
Back then, Thompson was just 12 when she became the youngest player to qualify for the tournament, a record not surpassed until Lucy Li booked her place as an 11-year-old in 2014.
In Thompson’s debut, which took place at Pine Needles in North Carolina, she missed the cut after rounds of 76 and 82, but her presence alone marked her out as one to watch.
Sure enough, the following year she was back, again missing the cut, before she made it to the weekend as a 14-year-old in 2009, going on to place T34 at Saucon Valley Country Club.
While that was remarkable, she strengthened her growing reputation when she Monday-qualified for the Navistar LPGA Classic just three months later, before helping the US win the Curtis Cup in 2010. The following week, she turned professional, deciding her game was ready to make the jump, and her performance at that year’s US Women’s Open proved her correct, placing T10 at Oakmont.
After a missed cut in 2011, she got back on track the year after with a T14, and finished one better in 2013. Then, in 2014 at Pinehurst No.2, Thompson, who had won the Kraft Nabisco Championship earlier in the year, was in contention for the title heading into the final round before settling for T7 as Michelle Wie took the honors.
Thompson made the cut again between 2015 and 2017, before a T5 in 2018 at Shoal Creek as Ariya Jutanugarn won the title. A year later, she got closer still at the Country Club of Charleston, where her ball striking over the first three rounds was exceptional as she sat just one back of the lead before a less impressive 73 in her final round, which included bogeys on three of her last four holes, saw her place T2.
While a maiden title at the event eluded Thompson, her remarkable run continued, albeit with a missed cut in 2020, before her closest call yet in the 2021 tournament at the Olympic Club. On that occasion, she led by one going into the final round, and that had stretched to five just before the halfway point of her last 18 holes. However, a nightmare back nine that included bogeys on each of the last two holes saw her miss out on a playoff, finishing third as Yuka Saso took the title.
Thompson returned in 2022 for her 16th successive appearance, finishing T20, before missed cuts in 2023 and again in 2024 during her last season as a full-time professional, meant that, after 18 appearances, she is yet to win the Major.
When Thompson tees it up at Erin Hills, she will still be 12 consecutive starts behind record holder Hollis Stacy’s 31. However, regardless of what happens, her presence in the field in Wisconsin alone continues a remarkable US Women’s Open story that began all those years ago as a little-known 12-year-old.
Lexi Thompson's First US Open
Thompson caused a sensation in 2012 when she became the youngest player to reach the US Women's Open aged 12 years, four months and one day, coming through sectional qualifying at Heathrow Country Club in Florida following rounds of 72 and 71. That beat the previous record set by Morgan Pressel, who was 12 years, 11 months and 21 days old when she made it to the 2001 Women’s Open.
When Thompson teed it up at the Pine Needles, she did it alongside her dad, Scott, who caddied for her. She was far from overawed by the occasion, either, completing rounds of 76 and 82 before bowing out in one of the biggest tests in golf.
Lexi Thompson US Open Results
- 2007 - MC
- 2008 - MC
- 2009 - T34
- 2010 - T10
- 2011 - MC
- 2012 - T14
- 2013 - T13
- 2014 - T7
- 2015 - T42
- 2016 - T32
- 2017 - T27
- 2018 - T5
- 2019 - T2
- 2020 - MC
- 2021 - 3rd
- 2022 - T20
- 2023 - MC
- 2024 - MC
