Lexi Thompson misses 2ft putt to lose LPGA finale

It was all set up for Lexi Thompson. Just a two-foot putt stood between the 22-year-old and a likely victory at the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship.

It would have signalled the perfect end to a season filled with ups and downs – from the highs of two LPGA Tour victories and being part of the winning Solheim Cup team to the lows of the controversial rules situation that cost her victory at the ANA Inspiration.

But Thompson missed the putt to the right to subsequently lose the LPGA Tour’s season finale and also the Player of the Year accolade. That, instead, was shared by Korean duo Sung Hyun Park and So Yeon Ryu, while Ariya Jutanugarn birdied the final two holes to win the tournament.

Here is footage of that missed putt:

“It wasn’t the way I wanted to end it,” said Thompson. “I don’t really know what happened there. Yeah, it just happens. I guess it’s golf. I guess we all go through situations we don’t like sometimes.”

When asked if the pressure got to her, Thompson added: “No. Honestly, I wasn’t thinking about it. I putted great the whole day and did my routine; I read it. I mean, it wasn’t obviously a very long putt. I guess maybe just a little bit of adrenaline.

“I didn’t look at a leaderboard actually the whole day. That’s just the way I am. I just try to stay relaxed and just focus on my game because that’s all I can control. Yeah, I guess it’s just golf. You know, crazy things happen like that. I’ll move on.”

There was some consolation for Thompson, though. She picked up $1m for winning the Race to CME Globe title and also lifted the Vare Trophy for the season’s lowest scoring average.