NAPLES, Florida – Lexi Thompson never had a putt so short that was potentially worth so much.
She had a one-shot lead when she settled over a 2-foot par putt on the final hole Sunday at the CME Group Tour Championship. A victory would be worth $500,000 in prize money and $1 million in a bonus. She would win LPGA player of the year and the Vare Trophy for the lowest scoring average.
She would rise to No. 1 in the world.
She missed.
Moments later, Ariya Jutanugarn capped off her birdie-birdie finish with an 18-foot putt to win the tournament and deny Thompson three of those perks.
“I don’t really know what happened there,” Thompson said. “It just happens. I guess it’s golf. I guess we all go through situations we don’t like sometimes.”