Lexi Thompson appears on provocative Golf Digest cover
Lexi Thompson made a splash last year as she jumped into Poppie's Pond at host Mission Hills C.C. after winning the ANA Inspiration for her first major title.
Thompson's now making a different kind of splash ahead of her title defense.
[DraftKings: Win $1 Million playing Fantasy Golf during the Masters – Sign up for free!]
The 20-year-old appears on the May cover of Golf Digest -- the magazine's third-annual "Fitness & Power" issue -- without a shirt, instead covering her torso with looks like a gym towel.
This is the first time a pro golfer has appeared on the cover of this fitness-themed issue. Fox Sports golf reporter Holly Sonders, then with Golf Channel, appeared on the cover and in a photo spread in 2013. The next year, the magazine featured Paulina Gretzky, connected to the sport as Dustin Johnson's fiancee (and now mother of the couple's child). Those first two issues drew criticism from the golf community for not featuring LPGA players, as well for the clothes -- or lack thereof -- worn by the featured subjects.
Whatever issues with the cover aside, several other LPGA players are featured in a shoot inside the magazine in a manner that won't ruffle the feathers of as many in golf. Michelle Wie, Thompson, Stacy Lewis and Cheyenne Woods are shown working out in what you might expect most people to wear to the gym.
Ryan Ballengee is a Yahoo Sports contributor. Find him on Facebook and Twitter.
