It was supposed to be a showdown of finesse vs. power on Saturday up there in Indy, outside and inside the magnificent oval at Indianapolis Motor Speedway — home of the Indy 500.
You had finesse in the form of Lydia Ko vs. the power of Lexi Thompson at the totally cool Brickyard Crossing course.
Power won.
Power won because power also putted quite well.
The talking heads at the Golf Channel were all excited about this, touting the return of “The Ko Show.” Someone forgot to remind them that Lydia Ko hasn’t won since she changed everything from instructor to caddie to equipment and probably a lot of other stuff we don’t know about and don’t want to know about.
Nothing has changed with Lexi Thompson. She’s still the most exciting player on that tour, the strongest, the most charismatic and has even more fans after the ANA debacle that cost her a major championship earlier this season.
Fans LOVE to love Lexi. Her galleries are larger and more vocal, more supportive since the ANA debacle.
They were all behind her for the last round. She led after her day one 63 then found herself tied with Ko at 15-under going into the final 18.
This new event called the I-Wit (Indianapolis Women In Technology), and a huge number of folks showed up to see Lexi win.
She didn’t let ’em down.
Ko hung in there for nine holes but Thompson, in true race car style, put her foot hard on the accelerator over the final nine. She also got help when Ko figuratively hit the wall with a double-bogey at the par three 11th hole. It would change the course of the day and by the 15th hole, Thompson had built a four-shot lead. She buried Ko with a closing 68. All Ko could manage was an even par 72. Final tally showed Lexi at 19-under and Ko the runner-up at 15-under.
The Ko Show was shut down at Indy.
Thompson showed up this week with a reliable putter in addition to her extraordinary length off the tee.
“It was amazing,” Thompson said of her ninth career win and second this season. It helped her overcome the frustration of five second-place finishes in 2017. “I played some great golf. I didn’t play my best last week in Portland but I came here and this week I committed to my shots. I’m getting more relaxed with the putter. I’m happy I won here and I’m looking forward to next week.”
The “next week” for Thompson and the rest is the season’s final major — The Evian.
There were a few things Thompson had to take care of before leaving the Brickyard Crossing grounds.
First, like the 500 race winners, she was doused with milk.
“Feels kinda gross,” Thompson said with the dried milk on her.
Then there was the drive around the oval in a new Corvette. Lexi drove. “I got I up to 122,” she said proudly.
Driving the ‘Vette was nothing new for her.
“I have one at home,” she said with a wry smile.
