Dubai: Luke Donald may have created history in Dubai over the weekend with his double merit win but, barely three days on, focus has already shifted to another of golf's record-breakers in Lexi Thompson.
The Florida-based player became the youngest-ever winner of an LPGA tournament when she won September's Navistar Classic when aged only 16 years, seven months and eight days. She was already the youngest to qualify to the US Open aged 12 and she consequently turned professional at the age of 15.
Now she's aiming to end her groundbreaking year in style by getting one more victory under her belt at the European Tour season-ending Omega Dubai Ladies Masters, starting today at Emirates Golf Club's Majlis Course.
Not stuck on record
"I definitely look back at it [the record] and say, wow, I really did that. But in between tournaments I just love hanging out with friends. I'm a normal teenager, besides I made history. But I love what I do and I've worked so hard for it. I'm sure it will be broken. I don't know how long, but I'm sure it definitely will be broken," she said.
"Winning definitely gave me a lot more confidence, so [I'm] going into every event knowing I can win. I go in wanting to win, but it's not going to happen every time, so you've just got to take it shot by shot and hope it goes well. I'm definitely taking it slow. You just have to take [it] tournament by tournament. I don't like to get ahead of myself," she said.
"I always want to win, but you have to work really hard for that. [There are] amazing players out here, and the best in the world, so it's going to take a lot," added home-schooled Thompson, who attributes her golfing prowess to her brothers Curtis and Nicholas, the latter who plays on the PGA Tour.
Also in the field will be Michelle Wie, who became the youngest to make an LPGA cut aged 13 in 2003, and she had some words of warning for Thompson.
Level-headed
"It is a lot to handle. It's going to be hard for her, but at the same time she's a very mature girl. I got a chance to putt past her a couple of times this week and she seems like a very nice girl. She has a very good head on her shoulders, knows what she's up for, and I think she's really excited to go out. I'm excited for her to be out there," said Wie, who is now aged 22.
"Seeing her at the par three yesterday, she can hit the ball and she can putt as well. So I think she's going to be a really good player.
"It's hard being on tour whether you're 16 or 30. It is a hard life, no matter how you look at it, but I think her parents are very good, supporting, which is really important, especially at that age, and I think she's going to do really well for herself."
