PALM BEACH GARDENS, FL — Sometime after Lexi Thompson agreed to be a part of the fledgling WTGL, she found out that participation would be limited.
Thompson, an 11-time LPGA champion, announced in August her and husband, Max Provost, were expecting their first child, a girl. She is due in February.
Suddenly, WTGL had company on Thompson's list of priorities. But the league still is something the 31-year-old is passionate about, and will remain involved with through the first seasoneven if she will not be hitting balls into the world's largest simulator at the SoFi Center for the entire season.
"If I play all the matches or if I just play one, just to be able to grow the game, that's what it's all about," said Thompson, who is playing for Detroit's
Motor City Golf Club.
If it's one, it will be at Motor City's debut Tuesday, Nov. 19, at 8 p.m., against Los Angeles Golf Club. LA was part of WTGL's unveiling Sunday when it faced New York Golf Club, the first match of the new league.
Thompson is part of Motor City's season-opening lineup along with Ronni Yin and world No. 2 Jeeno Thitikul. They will face LA's Michelle Wie West, Aki Iwai and Kiara Romero.
Thompson will they the open about six months pregnant.
Lexi Thompson prepared to adjust golf swing while pregnant
Madelene Sagstrom was 27 weeks pregnant in June when she played the Dow Championship in Midland, Michigan. She finished tied for ninth with a 10-under 270. The previous week, at U.S. Women’s Open at Riviera, the 33-year-old Sagstrom missed the cut.
She was a crowd favorite, receiving several ovations in her final days on the course. Thompson was watching and was impressed at how Sagstrom maintained her swing.
"Her swing looked incredible," Thompson said at WTGL media day in September. "I'm sure it's difficult. It's something to plan around for sure. The next few months might be very challeging for me."
The adjustments necessary to be able to swing a golf club while another human is growing inside your body. Sagstrom even changed all her clubs and was constantly making adjustments putting.
"Do I go a little bit more on top of the belly now or go around it?" she said about the best way to be successful on the green. "You get away from that perfect golf, and just be a little bit more flexible."
Thompson will find that out for at least one and perhaps more WTGL matches with Motor City playing again Nov. 16. Motor City's final two matches are Nov. 29 and Dec. 1.
Whether she is on the floor of the SoFi Center or in the owner's box, Thompson will be supporting her teammates, and, for that matter, the other 24 women who comprise the five WTGL rosters.
"Being able to grow the women's game is the big picture," she said.
Thompson believes the uniqueness of indoor golf on such a national stage is something the game needs.
"Hitting inside and into a big screen, all the technology, all the numbers that are involved and hitting off real grass inside, we don't get that opportunity very often," she said.
Lexi Thompson has made close to $900,000 on course since 'retiring'
Thompson made nine starts on the LPGA Tour this season, the last being in Arkansas in late September. She missed the cut in her last five. But 2025 was much different.
Thompson was given a nice send off on the 18th green of the CME Group Tour Championship in Naples, Florida, in November of 2024 after announcing she was retiring. She was handed flowers and accepted lots of hugs after holing out her final putt of the tournament.
That retirement, though, was not what you envision. Other than still playing some golf, certainly not your typical retirement for someone in South Florida.
Thompson expected to play some in 2025. But that turned into 13 starts, finishing in the top 60 of the points list and qualifying once again for CME - the season-ending event that crowns the season champion.
And she added about $760,000 to her career earnings. Thompson has more than $884,000 in prize money since "retiring". She currently sits 12th on the LPGA's all-time money list with $15.63 million.
At some point soon, she'll be taking a real break. Until then, Thompson wants women to heed the message people like herself, Sagstrom and many others have sent through the years.
"I just want to show women being pregnant doesn't stop you. You can still achieve what you want," Thompson said. "It might slow you down towards the end a little bit, but you want to just take the time for yourself and your upcoming family and your growing family."
Tom D'Angelo is a senior sports columnist and reporter for The Palm Beach Post. He can be reached at tdangelo@pbpost.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Lexi Thompson making WTGL debut balancing pregnancy and golf career
