The mystery of Donald Trump's golf game solved by LPGA playing partner
LOS ANGELES – Lexi Thompson has a chance to one day be No. 1 on the LPGA Tour, a shot to compete for her country in the Olympics this summer and the occasional opportunity to tee off with the possible next president of the United States.
A few weeks ago, Thompson played nine holes with one of her old pals, Donald Trump. So she has a state secret of sorts: a real answer to how far the Republican front-runner can really hit the ball.
Trump has boasted about his golf skills, recently explaining that the barbs he's gotten from fellow GOP candidate Marco Rubio about his hands are undermined by his ability to crush a drive.
Thompson is diplomatic about that.
"I don't want to rat him out," she laughed.
Thompson just turned 21, but she and her family have known Trump for a few years already. "It got around that we were trying to find a golf course to practice out of [in South Florida]," she explained. "He came to us and said we'll give you a membership to a Trump course."
The two have played about a half-dozen rounds together.
"He knows our family very well," Thompson said. "He treats us amazing. He goes out there every weekend when he's home. He's out there around 9 o'clock."
This latest round was different than the others because Thompson and Trump were flanked by Secret Service officials. She called it "crazy."
As for his game, Thompson says Trump hits low line drives that get a lot of roll. She says his tee shots do travel upwards of 250 yards. (And let's give him some credit: The guy is going to be 70 this summer.)
When interviewed about the round on the Golf Channel, Trump didn't offer much of his usual bombast, saying he played "OK." He also said he was asked by his wife Melania how much better he was than Lexi, and he told her not to pose that question.
Trump said Thompson shot 32 for nine holes.
"What you get on TV is what you get in real life," Thompson said. "He's very upbeat and he says what's on his mind. That's what about people love about him."
Trump's comments about immigrants – as well as his belief that golf should be "aspirational" – created some static in the sport, which is notoriously exclusive. However, Thompson's friendship with Trump predates his candidacy, and she avoids political topics. "I stay out of that," she said. Thompson did offer that Trump is "a great guy."
Thompson is the rare individual who has spent more than a few minutes with Trump lately, but she has her own busy schedule. She had a career-high 13 top-10 finishes last year and her top-10 ranking will likely qualify her for the 2016 Summer Games. No more than four players will represent the U.S. in Rio de Janeiro, and Thompson says winning gold at the Olympics would be more meaningful than winning any major.
Whatever her famous playing partner does in the election, Thompson will be making American golf great again.
