Alexis Thompson, the 14-year-old golfer from Coral Springs advanced to the quarterfinals of the U.S. Women's Amateur tournament this past weekend in St. Louis, and though that made her the youngest golfer in the field by two years, it wasn't nearly a record.
The record was set in 2007, when Thompson made it as a 12-year-old. This time Thompson had a chance at another major milestone -- being the tournament's tournament's youngest ever champion. But she lost in the semifinals on Saturday to Jennifer Johnson, an 18-year-old. From the St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
The younger Thompson did not go quietly. Trailing by three with three to play, Thompson birdied Nos. 16 and 17 in remarkable style -- making putts from 35 and 25 feet, respectively, to take the match the distance. But her chipping touch, which failed her throughout, let her down once more on No. 18 and left her with an uneasy 12-footer to square the match.She missed it, and the putt cost her an automatic bid to the women's U.S. Open. Oh well. Maybe she was still tired from beating the field at the Junior PGA Championships last week.
