By Roy J. Akers- www.skyviewsports.net
With this LPGA event turning ten years old, LPGA Players Lexi Thompson, Brooke Henderson and Leona Maguire sat down and talked with members of the press and they spoke about this tournament and this LPGA season.
This event is moderated by Cathy Cooper and Jeremy Friedman.
JEREMY FRIEDMAN: Cathy, take it away.
CATHY COOPER: Thank you all for joining our virtual
player interview this afternoon. I want to tell you that we’re
really looking forward to the 2024 Meijer LPGA Classic for
Simply Give. This year as you know is our 10th year, and
we’re really looking forward to celebrating this milestone
with both the community and with you.
We’ve had 10 years of great golf. Since our very first
tournament we’ve raised more than $10 million for Simply
Give, and I have another $2 million goal for this year’s
tournament, which supports Simply Give, our hunger relief
program, and all of this goes to stock the shelves of local
food pantries across the Midwest.
This year I do want to tell you we’ve got another fantastic
lineup of committed LPGA professionals, including the
world’s top three players, No. 1 Nelly Korda, Lilia Vu and
Celine Boutier.
But today we’ve got an incredible 2023 defending
champion here, Leona Maguire. We’re thrilled to have her.
She won our tournament last year.
We’ve got also Lexi Thompson who’s joining us. She is a
previous champion of the Meijer LPGA Classic in 2015,
and we’re excited to have you back, Lexi.
Then we’ve also got Brooke Henderson, who also won the
Meijer LPGA Classic two times, 2017 and 2019.
With that, I’m going to introduce Grant Boone from Golf
Channel NBC, and he is going to lead us in this event
today. He’s the voice of the Masters Live, and Grant, I’d
love to welcome you to this call today.
GRANT BOONE: Thank you very much. It’s a real honor
to be part of this call. I go back to my first year covering
the Meijer, 2017. Brooke will remember that year well for
having won it the first of her two titles. It was love at first
sight for me. Huge crowds, a tremendous golf course,
great community, copious amounts of gourmet food near
our announce trailer, and the kind of cause that I think all of
us can get behind, making sure that all of our neighbors
have daily bread.
Then you have these phenomenal players like we have on
the call today, and every year they deliver the drama that
you don’t see necessarily every week on the LPGA Tour.
This week, this tournament every single year delivered.
Lexi, I want to begin with you. I only you know have a few
minutes to be with us. Obviously last week in Lancaster
with the U.S. Women’s Open, you announced that you’re
going to be stepping away from the LPGA Tour, at least in
terms of full-time competition. I know folks who didn’t see
the unbelievable video that you and your team put together
making that announcement or those that didn’t see the
press conference, they can find that part online, those
really, I think, heartfelt tender words that you shared last
week.
I guess what I would start out with is what have the last few
days been like for you now that you’ve made the
announcement? How have these last few days been?
LEXI THOMPSON: Yeah, last week was definitely a lot.
You know, expected going into the week. But I had so
much support. I had my family and friends there and loved
ones there to support me throughout the week. The fans
were unbelievable.
The golf course was very challenging, so that was enough
on its own. But I actually had so much love and support
throughout the week, on the course and off the course. It’s
been nice being home the last day or two just to
decompress and let it all kind of settle in.
Looking forward to being there at the Meijer LPGA Classic
next week. It’s always a tournament I absolutely love.
Going to enjoy this week at home, decompress, and get
ready for some weeks coming up.
GRANT BOONE: Let me bring in our other two Meijer
champions. Brooke, you won here in 2017 and 2019.
Leona, you’re the defending champ. What about this
event, besides the fact that you all won it, what stands out?
What makes this week unique?
BROOKE HENDERSON: I think there’s so many different
factors that make this week so special. The golf course for
me is very beautiful, and it’s very similar to what a lot of
courses that I grew up playing on in Canada, so I really like
the way that feels. You mentioned it earlier, the great
atmosphere. The crowds are always insane. They’re
always so supportive, and there’s always so many of them,
so you can really feel that energy and adrenaline.
I think there’s just so many activities and great food, great
drinks. There’s just a lot of fun things that all the fans can
do, and us as players, we can take part in, as well.
Just overall and then for Simply Give, as well, you feel –
when you’re out on Tour playing week to week, when you
come to an event where they’re giving back to the
community, you feel a little something extra, and you feel
like you’re playing a great role in helping to give back to the
local communities, which is a great feeling.
LEONA MAGUIRE: Yeah, I think Brooke covered pretty
much everything there. But no, I think it’s great when you
come to an event and you really see the community rally
behind the event. I think we saw that in Lancaster last
week. The crowds were phenomenal. It’s like that at
Meijer, too. There’s a real buzz about not just at the golf
course but just in the town in general and in the restaurants
and the supermarkets, everywhere you go.
I know there’s a lot of events, runs, different things
organized outside of the golf course, as well. Just walking
up 18 with those grandstands fully packed, yeah, it’s a
really cool event, and it reminds me of home, as well, I
guess. It’s that smaller sort of rural feel a little bit that you
get in the Midwest, that you get in Ireland, too. It’s all very
green with the trees and the grasses, and I love that.
I’ve really enjoyed every year I’ve been back there, and it’s
definitely one that excites me every year.
LEXI THOMPSON: Now I’ve got to follow up with both of
theirs. On top of what they both said, there’s just
something special about the event. Kind of everything that
goes into it, the hospitality, the way the tournament treats
us, the hospitality is amazing, but what they do for the fans
with the tents onsite and the hospitality that they give for
them and the little kids out there, too. I know there’s
something alongside I believe the last hole for kids to just
roam around and have fun, but the way they give back to
the community, I think that’s a huge part, too. The
atmosphere of the event is one thing, but the way they give
back to the community and how the community comes out
and supports us, that’s huge.
I feel like we’re doing something by just teeing it up out
there and giving back. What the tournament does is really
special.
Q. Lexi, didn’t you have a chance to see some of the
good work that is done in the food pantry was it last
year?
LEXI THOMPSON: I did, yeah. It was last year. It was
something that I’ll really remember. They tell us about it
during the week, but to be actually there onsite and see
what they actually do by stocking up the shelves in the
local pantries, it’s amazing what they do. It’s very special,
and I was happy to be a part of it and actually get a
firsthand look at it all because we can hear about it all day,
but to be there and see the difference that they make, it’s
unbelievable.
GRANT BOONE: It just feels like in a time in the world
when no one can agree on anything, I think everybody can
say, yeah, I think let’s make sure everybody has enough to
eat. That seems to be as basic as need as we can get,
and it’s incredible to think what Meijer has done for Simply
Give, and you all are a big part of driving that.
A question again for all three of you. In addition to your
wins here, you all have a great track record at Blythefield.
Lexi, you’ve played every year. Your total under par is 115
in nine starts, which I triple and quadruple checked –
LEXI THOMPSON: Only you would find that stat.
GRANT BOONE: Well, guilty as charged. 115-under par,
which probably explains how you top 5 here just about
every year.
Brooke, you’ve won twice. Your scoring average is 68 and
a half on a par-72, which is nuts.
Leona, the third time for you was a charm. Last year you
finished solo second, then you were a playoff runner-up,
and then I think you played the last six holes last year in
6-under, and you broke through and won. This one also I
had to go and double check. In the 12 rounds you’ve
played, your worst score is 70 on this par-72.
I would ask all of you what is the source of your sorcery at
Blythefield? Why is it this way? Why do you always seem
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to play well here? Is it a coincidence or is there something
special about the place for each of you?
BROOKE HENDERSON: Yeah, I kind of mentioned it
earlier. It’s very similar tree-lined course, very traditional,
and similar to a lot of courses I grew up playing on back in
Canada, so when I first arrived there I was like, ooh, I love
this place. Then ever since playing my first year in 2016
and then winning the next year, I have a lot of great
memories there on pretty much every hole, which is a great
feeling, so on every tee box I feel like it suits my eye and
that I have good memories to kind of think about to get me
through the hole.
I think it’s — again, just going back, it’s just such a special
event overall, and just having the fans there and having
their support, it gives you a lot of energy and can help you
make some more birdies.
LEONA MAGUIRE: Yeah, I mean, I think, again, similar to
what Brooke said, it’s a golf course that’s always suited my
eye, and I think going there, you know the scores are
always going to be really low. It’s kind of the direct
opposite to last week, what you know what a U.S. Open is
going to be. It’s kind of go low or get left behind, and
you’re just out there trying to make a lot of birdies and
eagles on the par-5s. It’s a lot of fun, and then obviously
with the crowds you’re trying to give them as much to cheer
about as possible, and they’re always cheering you on and
things like that.
It’s a lot of fun. You can be quite aggressive, and you get
to do that some weeks on Tour, not a lot of weeks on Tour,
but it’s a lot of fun to make a lot of birdies, and you kind of
have to putt well. I feel like on those greens, the greens
aren’t the biggest greens on Tour, so if you hit a lot of
greens you’re going to have a lot of chances. It really
comes down to on sort of the back nine on Sunday who
holes the right putts at the right time.
LEXI THOMPSON: Yeah, I think what they both said
again. It’s definitely a golf course that probably suits our
eye, I guess, according to our results. But it helps that the
golf course is always in really good shape for us, as well,
and what you see is what you get when you get out there.
You know that you have to make birdies and play very
aggressively.
But like I said, it’s always in good shape for us, so we just
try to go out there, make as many birdies as we can, and
hopefully get a lot of fans to come out and cheer us on.
GRANT BOONE: I call it the easiest hard course on the
LPGA Tour because you’ve got to go low to win it, but at
every turn, one mistake and you can make a big number.
You all have been brilliant at navigating Blythefield, and I
would expect nothing less than another great performance
from each of you.
Lexi, I know you’ve got to go, but I want to ask one more
question. Since 2016 this event has been played on
Father’s Day. The final round has been played on Father’s
Day. I’ve talked to each of you, and I know about the role
that your fathers have played in your careers, and I wonder
if maybe you could speak to the fact that you get a chance
to finish a great tournament on a special day. Lexi, maybe
a word about your relationship with your dad Scott.
LEXI THOMPSON: Yeah, it’s also a special event, too,
because it always falls on Father’s Day. My dad is always
there with me supporting me. He makes it out to quite a
few events, and my dad has played such a huge role in my
life. He’s been my number one supporter, obviously
alongside my mom, as well. But he’s been my coach, my
dad just all in one, and he’s been there for me every step of
the way, good and bad. I’m so thankful and grateful that I
have a father like him in my life. Sometimes we butt
heads, but we know it’s all tough love and we get through
it. He’s just truly amazing, and I’m very blessed to have
him in my life.
He’ll be there next week supporting me, so I’m definitely
happy for that.
GRANT BOONE: Leona, how about your pop Declan? I
know a longtime educator, just the role that he’s played in
your life.
LEONA MAGUIRE: Yes, he’s been a massive part. He
introduced both myself and my sister Lisa to the game, and
he’s just a big sports fan in general, so he kind of got us
involved in all kinds of sports when we were younger.
Drove us to every practice, every tournament, set up drills,
collected golf balls, whatever it was that needed to be
done, and definitely wouldn’t be anywhere close to where I
am now without his help and guidance, and obviously
mom, as well.
I suppose you always need people to believe in you even
when you don’t see it yourself, and he’s definitely sort of
more happy to be behind the scenes. He’s not one for the
spotlight or in front of the cameras or anything like that.
He’s come to quite a few more tournaments now that he’s
retired, but he generally doesn’t like watching or following
the scores like in real time. He’ll sort of — he’ll record it and
go back and watch after the fact.
I guess Father’s Day last year was a little bit more stressful
than he would have liked. But no, he’s been a massive
support and a massive help and very grateful to have him
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as part of my journey.
GRANT BOONE: Brooke, you’ve had a dad who you’ve
been close with all these years, but he’s been your coach,
as well, and he’s been there when you won your two Meijer
LPGA Classics on those Father’s Days. Maybe just a
thought about your dad Dave.
BROOKE HENDERSON: Yeah, he’s been my coach since
I was like three or four years old, just starting and learning
the game. It’s really special to have not only my dad there
on Father’s Day but also my sister caddie for me so we can
both kind of give back to him in that way, and to be able to
do it twice and kind of hand him the trophy and say this
one is for you has been very special.
Just very meaningful because he and my mom have both
sacrificed so much to allow us to live our dreams out here
on Tour. So just a gesture like that I think made us both
feel pretty good.
GRANT BOONE: Lexi, I know you’ve got to go. Can’t wait
to see you next week. I hope only good things for the rest
of your 2024 and we’re going to keep trying to drag you
back out for a few events in the future years, as well. We’ll
look forward to seeing you next week.
LEXI THOMPSON: Sounds good. I’ll see you there.
Q. I just wanted to ask both of you, how impressed are
you or blown away by what Nelly has been able to do,
another player that has done quite well in this
tournament?
LEONA MAGUIRE: I mean, it’s been incredible. I think
she’s really raised the bar for women’s golf, and it’s
fantastic to see her getting all the coverage and the
attention that she deserves. She’s making history right
now that we may or may not ever see again. It’s tough for
us as competitors. We’re trying to keep up with her. But
it’s very, very impressive, and I suppose I’ve been fortunate
to sort of go toe-to-toe with her at the Meijer 2021 and ’22,
obviously. But she’s a great player and a great role model
for golf, and we’re lucky to have her on the LPGA right
now.
Q. You’ve won tournaments in all sorts of ways
through the years. This venue lets you go out on
Sunday, be really aggressive, make some birdies.
You’ve come from behind, shot the low numbers. As a
player, what’s the freedom of that, and what’s the
feeling of when you tee it up on a Sunday there and
can go really low? How does that change how you
think out there?
BROOKE HENDERSON: Yeah, I think this course
requires a different mentality than just every single week
on Tour, which is really fun. You’re chasing birdies right
from the start, especially on Sunday. If you want to move
up the leaderboard or keep your position, then you know
that you have to go low.
I think it just makes it really fun.
I will say that this course does play generally a little bit
different every year just due to the conditions. Early when I
was first playing, it was pretty soft, and it was lots of rain
and storms, and then the last few years it seems to be
running a little bit firmer and a little bit drier. The changes
to the course I guess in 2021, as well, has made a big
difference.
But just generally you’re going to have to make birdies and
play smart aggressively.
Q. Leona, you had that spurt on the back nine last
year with the eagle and the birdie that kind of got you
really going toward the finish. What’s the difference
mindset of being aggressive on a golf course like this?
LEONA MAGUIRE: Yeah, I mean, I think it’s interesting. I
think Grant alluded to it earlier. It’s tight off the tee, so you
can’t be too aggressive. If you get out of position, you can
rack up a number pretty quickly. But if you do have your
driver dialed in, you hit a lot of fairways, you hit a lot of
greens, you will give yourself a lot of chances.
For me last year in particular I knew I was playing well, I
just had to be patient and just sort of had to wait for that
one putt to drop and get that momentum shift.
Like Brooke said, you know everybody is going low. You
know everybody is going to make birdies. You just have to
keep making birdies to even stay where you are. You can’t
get too defensively really. When you are in the lead you
can’t protect it, you keep having to go on the offensive. I
just keep trying to keep your foot down and keep going.
For me last year I didn’t look at a leaderboard until I got to
the 18th green because I just — I felt like I needed to make
birdies anyway, it didn’t matter what other people were
doing. In hindsight I think that was a good thing for me.
Obviously my caddie knew what was going on, but I still
thought I was maybe one back at that point and I needed
to make a birdie on 18, so it probably wasn’t a bad thing in
the end.
Q. Question for Brooke and Leona. What would you
say is maybe the hardest part about playing at
Blythefield? Is there a certain hole when you come
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back to play every year that you’re kind of dreading
playing? We heard a lot about what you like the most
about the course, but what’s one of the more
challenging parts, as well?
BROOKE HENDERSON: Yeah, I think there’s definitely
probably a handful of tee shots that when you step up to
the tee, you’re like, okay, I need to really focus here and
need to hit it in a good spot. I feel like that’s one of the
most challenging things because the rough can play long.
You want to be putting yourself in good positions, so
especially on those few tee shots that are sticking out in
my mind right now, you want to make sure you put a good
swing on it and put yourself in position so then you can go
from there and hopefully give yourself a birdie opportunity.
LEONA MAGUIRE: I think for me, the two that stand out in
particular are probably 1 and 18. Off the first you can
pretty much hit any club off that tee. You’ll see anywhere
from a driver to people hitting irons and definitely a
premium on hitting that fairway. It’s pretty small green,
very slopey, lots of runoffs around it. I’ve used different
strategies over the years, and depending on how firm or
how soft when we get there next week will sort of dictate
that again this year.
For me 18 is always a tricky one because I can’t quite carry
that bunker on sorta the right side of the fairway, so
sometimes you try and skirt a driver just past it on the left,
sometimes I’ve hit 5-wood, 3-wood and just taken it from
there.
A little bit of strategy required on those holes for me, and it
obviously makes it interesting.
Q. We mentioned this at the top, and the name of the
tournament is the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply
Give. You two have been a part of this with the food
pantries and all that, so this tournament benefits
hunger relief. How important and meaningful is it for
you two to play an event that donates so much money
every year? The tournament has a goal of donating $2
million to Simply Give this year. How important is that
in the big picture for you guys playing an event that
means so much to the local community?
BROOKE HENDERSON: Yeah, absolutely. When you
come into an event and you see the goal and then when
you see them reach the goal of donating millions of dollars
to allow good things to happen in the community, it makes
you feel really great, and it makes you feel like you’re
playing a small role in a very big thing and very meaningful
thing.
I think just knowing — golf is very important and we’re going
out to win next week and we’re going to play our best, but
knowing that you’ve made such a big difference off the
course and in life and helping people with simple needs
like food and not going hungry, it just makes you feel really
great as a person.
So I think the combo of having golf and having so much
help is really key and makes you feel really nice.
LEONA MAGUIRE: Yeah, absolutely, I agree with Brooke.
Just as we’re very privileged as golfers, we get to travel
around the world, go to all these great places, fantastic golf
courses, great weather, you sometimes sort of live or die
by every shot, but sometimes you need that sort of reality
check of there’s a lot of people with a lot more problems in
the world, and it gives you a bit of perspective knowing that
there are people out there hungry, and it is fantastic that
Meijer have done so much to help ensure that the people
get the food that they need. Yeah, for us to play even a
small part of that is very humbling and special. It means
that we’re part of something a little bit bigger than
ourselves, which as golfers we sometimes can be a bit
selfish out there by ourselves, but it’s nice to be able to
give back and to impact a community in such a positive
way and to be able to put smiles on people’s faces,
especially if they’re going through some tough times.
For me, it’s nice seeing it going up and up every year. We
talk a lot about prize funds going up every year, something
this event has done, as well, but it’s nice to see that the
charity aspect of it is going up, as well, and in some way
that we’ve contributed to that is a nice feeling.
JEREMY FRIEDMAN: Cathy, do you want to touch on that
from the tournament side, as somebody who’s been to all
of these food pantry visits with the players, you’ve seen this
firsthand, how much impact on the community via the
tournament this has had an impact.
CATHY COOPER: Well, that’s a great question because
we see the need every day, and as we talk to our partners,
we visit our partners, it really accentuates what we hear,
and we see the reality of it.
We talked to one partner just recently, and he said their
numbers have gone up incredibly just this year. There’s
one pantry we work with that feed over 400 families a
week. A week. You take the multiplier on that and you
look at what this tournament does to support that, and it’s
great to hear Leona and Brooke really talking about how
important it is and how they see it, too. It means a lot to
us.
Q. Cathy, you obviously have a great field coming,
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They’re an incredible sponsor of women’s golf –
which is a huge challenge for any tournament director.
How has your role changed through the years, and
what do you find to be the bigger challenges these
days?
CATHY COOPER: You know, my role really hasn’t
changed through the years. I think as we’ve grown with
this tournament, it’s really thinking about how we can be
better every year and not be complacent and how we can
do more.
But it’s kind of grown in itself, and the support we receive
from both the LPGA and the great field of players that
come to this tournament year after year, it’s not faded, it’s
growing, and we continue to just have wonderful weeks
with key players, with great fields, with great support from
community, and amazing support from our sponsors, as
well.
GRANT BOONE: I would just close by asking Leona and
Brooke one last thought, and that is as you look forward to
the rest of the season, what is number one in your mind? I
have a hunch what it is for each of you, but I’d like to hear
from you.
BROOKE HENDERSON: Well, first, I’m playing this week
at ShopRite, so I am looking forward to being back here
and then Meijer next week, both very important weeks to
me because I have won both places, so I love that feeling
of returning as a past champion, which includes KPMG
Women’s PGA Championship, our next major, which again,
I am past champion at that golf course, so I am just really
excited and looking forward to reliving some of the
memories that I had there eight years ago and just trying to
rekindle some of the magic that I had that week.
GRANT BOONE: Pretty much every week over the next
few weeks you’re going to be a returning champion, so
that’s a fun position to be in. Leona, how about you?
LEONA MAGUIRE: Yeah, I mean, obviously we’ve got a
really exciting summer ahead. Next week is really exciting
for me. My first one I actually didn’t get to defend on the
golf course that I won on, so it’s nice to actually go back to
somewhere that I have these great memories with all the
people there. Yeah, that’s going to be really special for me
next week, and obviously a busy summer ahead with the
Olympics and Solheim Cup.
I think British Open at St Andrews is one that I’m excited
for. Been there a lot as a kid and as a junior, so to be able
to play a British Open there will be a very cool experience.
GRANT BOONE: As we can see on your hat, it’s always
big to go to the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.
LEONA MAGUIRE: Yeah, I’m playing in the KPMG
Women’s Irish Open as well at the end of the summer, so
I’ve got a very busy summer.
GRANT BOONE: By the way, that field is great. You just
keep adding big names to that in addition to yourself, right?
LEONA MAGUIRE: Yeah, we’ll have to get Brooke to
come over at some point. I’m actually going to Canada for
the first time this year, so I’ll have to get some local tips for
that one.
GRANT BOONE: Brooke will have to return the favor.
How is your Irish accent, Brooke?
BROOKE HENDERSON: Oh, very poor.
GRANT BOONE: Luckily that’s not what you do for a living
because what you do for a living is incredible. Just a final
word to both of these two people. They’re great golfers; we
know that. Lexi, same thing. But all of them are incredible
ambassadors for the sport. I wouldn’t just say women’s
golf, I’d say for the entire sport. Each of them are national
heroes, Brooke in Canada, Leona in Ireland, even though
we try to claim them because they live in Florida and
they’ve become adults here down in the U.S.
Cathy, as I send it back to you, it’s just such a joy to call
the golf by these great players like Brooke and Leona and
Lexi, and knowing what kind of people they are I think
makes it even better. That’s why you love a week like the
Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give. You all are not just
putting on a golf tournament but you’re literally changing
lives, and it’s a real joy and a pleasure for me to witness
firsthand.
CATHY COOPER: Thank you, Grant. We’re looking
forward to having you back with us next week. Obviously a
huge week for us. Leona, Brooke, and I know Lexi is not
here, but just want to thank you two for always being with
us, for being so loyal to the reason we do this tournament
and for appreciating how this helps the community. That’s
big to us. We’re so thrilled you will be back with us next
week, and I’d love to see you both when you get here, and
we’re looking forward to another really big week.
We’ve got our 5K that’s back. We’ve got J. Brewers and
Frederik’s, which is 5,000 square feet bigger. Grant, you’re
going to have to walk farther and longer.
GRANT BOONE: The 5K is number of calories per day?
Just checking.
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CATHY COOPER: For you, yes.
We’ve got Discoveryland, but all in all, our $2 million goal
to Simply Give is really what we’re trying to achieve this
year. Thank you all again. We’ll see you next week, an