With the first of five LPGA majors teeing off today, can the world's top rated American golfer Lexi Thompson win a major this year? The ANA Inspiration at Mission Hills Country Club in California is the first major of the year, followed by the Women's PGA Championship, U.S. Women's Open, Women's British Open and The Evian Championship.
Thompson's Resume
Lexi Thompson is currently the only American player ranked in the top 10 in the world, as she is ranked ninth. She is also one of only three American players (Stacy Lewis and Gerina Piller) in the top twenty, being ranked five spots ahead of Lewis.
In 2015 Thompson reached her highest world ranking getting to fourth in the world and in 2016 she finished the year 5th in the world. At age 12 she was the youngest player at the time to play in the U.S. Women's Open. She currently has ten career wins, including seven on the LPGA tour. She also has a major under her belt as she won the 2014 Kraft Nabisco Championship (now the Ana Inspirational) and at the time was the youngest major winner ever at 19 years, 1 month and 27 days old. Thompson has also finished in eighth place or better in the other four major events, including a second place finish in the 2015 Evian Championship.
Her best skills
Lexi Thompson's best skills are her long driving distance and hitting greens in regulation.
For driving distance she finished the year fourth in the rankings for 2015 and second in 2016. For hitting greens in regulation she was the number one player in the rankings for 2015 and fourth in 2016.
Overcoming South Korea's dominance
One of the biggest hurdles that Lexi Thompson and any other golfers who need to overcome to win one of the five golf majors are the women from South Korea.
Over the 24 majors that have taken place in the last five LPGA seasons 12 of them have been won by South Koreans, with six of them being won by Inbee Park. South Koreans also dominated the rankings as 151 of the top 500 players, 39 of the top 100 and 6 of the top 10 players are South Korean.
