Last year was an interesting one for Lexi Thompson. In her first 10 events of 2023, Thompson missed eight cuts, including a stretch of five straight from the U.S. Women’s Open to the Portland Classic.

But something clicked after leaving the Pacific Northwest.

Thompson finished T-19 (Kroger Queen City Championship), T-8 (Walmart NW Arkansas Championship), 5th (The Ascendant LPGA) and T-7 (The Annika) over her final four official LPGA starts of the year. At the Solheim Cup, Thompson compiled a 3-1-0 record. She also teamed with Rickie Fowler at the inaugural Grant Thornton Invitational in December and tied for sixth.

Well, after a successful end to 2023, Thompson has hired a new full-time caddie for the upcoming ’24 season.

Super happy for @Cheisey3317 he will be on the bag for @Lexi this year.

Lexi’s good run at the end of last year was with Colton on the bag, so will be interesting to see what they do this season. pic.twitter.com/Foaj3QKrKm

— Monday Q Info (@acaseofthegolf1) January 6, 2024

Colton Heisey, who was on the bag for Thompson’s last three LPGA starts, will now be looping for the American star full-time.

“I’m super grateful for the opportunity to work with one of the best to ever do it,” Heisey wrote in a post to social media.

Lexi Thompson has had a family member as a caddie for most of her golf career. However, Thompson will follow a different path during the 2024 season.

Nicholas Thompson began 2023 in the care of his sister’s bag but was unable to keep his job for the entire season. A first-half below her expectations prompted Lexi Thompson to shake her team, including her caddie.

https://x.com/acaseofthegolf1/status/1743720189785469230?s=20

That’s how she came to Colton Heisey, with whom Lexi Thompson began working after the Solheim Cup. With Heisey looking after her bag, Thompson found her best form of the season and strung together three Top 10s (T8 at the Arkansas Championship, T5 at the Ascendant and T7 at the Annika). She also finished T6 in the (unofficial) Grant Thornton Invitational.

Lexi Thompson evidently felt comfortable working with Colton Heisey, as this Sunday, January 7, the two announced on their respective social media profiles that they will be working together during the 2024 season.

Colton Heisey previously worked with Brandon Matthews, who made his PGA Tour debut in 2023. Matthews finished 196th on the FedEx Cup points list, having compromised his membership on the circuit, so Heisey looked for new a opportunity and found it in Lexi Thompson.

An 11-time LPGA Tour winner and one-time major champion, Thompson has had both her father Scott and brothers Curtis and Nicholas as her caddie. Non-family members who have been in charge of her bag include Kevin McAlpine, Jack Fulghum, and Paul Drummond.

How was the 2023 season for Lexi Thompson?
Although she finally managed to get close to her real LPGA Tour star quality, the 2023 season was not the best for Thompson. So much so, that she reported a drop of more than 25 spots in the Rolex Rankings (6th to 32nd).

Thompson played 17 tournaments during 2023 (15 on the LPGA Tour, two on the Ladies European Tour). She suffered a total of eight cuts, all on the world’s top circuit.

Her first top 10 of the year came at the season-opening Saudi Ladies International (T3). She had to wait nine months to get her second, T8 at the Arkansas Championship.

Even her performance in majors was one to forget. Thompson didn’t make it to the Evian Championship, and her best result was T47 at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. In the other three majors, she was cut.

Despite having had a very poor season, Thompson qualified for the American team for the Solheim Cup, thanks to her place in the Rolex Ranking. The resurgence of her season occurred at Finca Cortesin.

Thompson scored three points in four matches, including winning the singles match 2&1 against Emily Kristine Pedersen. Upon her return from Spain, she became the seventh female player to start in a PGA Tour event, as she received a sponsor’s exemption to tee off at the Shriners Children’s Open.

The 2024 season will be Thompson’s 14th season on the LPGA Tour.

The race to Paris 2024 will begin to tighten as players jockey for a spot in the 60-player field. But remember, those spots aren’t reserved for the 60 best women in the world. The Olympic qualifying criteria is designed to ensure that players from around the world are represented, even if that means a large portion of the field is ranked outside the top 200. (Currently, that’s 15 of the 60 players.)

With a cutoff date of June 24, or just after the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, players will have roughly six months to shore up a spot. The women’s event will be held Aug. 7-10, immediately after the men’s competition.

First, here’s a review of how qualifying works.

The IGF utilizes the Rolex Rankings to create its own Olympic Golf Rankings. The top 15 players in the world are eligible for Paris, with a limit of four players from any given country. Currently, the United States is the only country with four players.

The rest of the field will come straight from the rankings, with a maximum of two eligible players from each country that does not already have two or more players in the top 15.

The host country, France, is ensured at least one spot, which will go to Celine Boutier, who is currently No. 3 in the world.

With a maximum of four players from the likes of the U.S. and South Korea, a number of highly-decorated players will once again be left at home.

Here’s a look at a dozen notable names (with current Rolex Ranking) currently on the outside looking in:

No. 16 Amy Yang

Despite taking home the largest paycheck in women’s golf at the 2023 CME Group Tour Championship (matching the U.S. Women’s Open at $2 million), Amy Yang is still one spot shy of automatically qualifying for Paris. Yang, a five-time winner on the LPGA, has yet to compete in the Olympic Games.

No. 20 Alison Lee

One of the hottest players on tour with three runner-up showings to finish out the season, Lee is the highest-ranked American currently outside the cut line. There are four Americans currently ranked inside the top 15: Lilia Vu (1), Nelly Korda (5), Allisen Corpuz (12) and Megan Khang (14).

No. 21 Angel Yin

After a banner year on the LPGA, clinching her first victory in a playoff over No. 1 Vu, Yin has herself positioned to make a move inside the top 15. The 25-year-old has never before qualified for the Olympic Games.

No. 25 Rose Zhang

After turning professional last May, Zhang has rocketed up the Rolex Rankings. With fewer starts (18) in the system than many of her peers, Zhang could continue to climb at a quick pace with strong play to open 2024.

No. 27 Yuka Saso

At the 2020 Olympics in Japan, Saso represented the Philippines and finished tied for ninth. She has since, however, switched over to playing under the Japanese flag. Saso, who was born to a Japanese father and Filipino mother, has dual citizenship. There are currently three Japanese players ranked higher than Saso.

No. 30 Hae Ran Ryu

The 2023 Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year, Ryu looks to qualify for her first Olympic Games. In the previous two Olympics, the fight to make the South Korean squad was one of the biggest storylines in women’s golf. Currently, however, only three South Koreans are ranked inside the top 15.

No. 32 Lexi Thompson

Thompson, a two-time Olympian who has the Olympic rings tattooed on her left wrist, has her work cut out to make it for a third time. Right now there are seven Americans ranked higher than Thompson.

No. 37 In Gee Chun

Three-time major winner Chun qualified for the 2016 Olympic Games but didn’t make the cut for Japan. There are currently eight South Korean players ahead of Chun. At this time last year, Chun was No. 8 in the world. She’s currently 37th.

No. 39 Jennifer Kupcho

A three-time winner on the LPGA in 2022, Kupcho looks to qualify for her first Olympic Games. The 2019 Augusta National Women’s Amateur champion has nine Americans ranked higher than her.

No. 50 Danielle Kang

Kang qualified for the her first Olympics three years ago in Japan, where she took a share of 20th. Fellow American Nelly Korda won gold in 2021, while sister Jessica tied for 15th and Thompson finished 33rd.

No. 57 Sei Young Kim

Kim has twice qualified for the Olympic Games, taking a share of ninth in 2021 with fellow South Korean Jin Young Ko. A 12-time winner on the LPGA, the 30-year-old last won on tour in 2020.

No. 73 Mone Inami

After taking silver on home soil in 2021, Inami has since joined the LPGA after winning again in Japan at the Toto Japan Classic. Mone won six times on the JLPGA in 2021. She’ll have to leapfrog a slew of compatriots to make it to Paris.

T’is the season to be jolly! The saying couldn’t hold any more true for the 11X LPGA Tour champ. Lexi Thompson had earlier decided to spend the holiday season with her mother all the while bringing in a new member to the family. Still, it seems the Christmas gifts did not stop for the Thompson household as they welcomed yet another addition a while back.

The American golfer shared a post on her social media handle, not too long ago, as she showcased her love for the newest addition to the family. Well, her fans couldn’t get enough as they showered the professional with wishes while taking to the same to express their surprise!

Lexi Thompson welcomes new addition to household
Known for her love for family, the athlete has taken to the internet many a time to express her love for her family, be it her human ones or her pets. However, this time around, the 1X major champ took to her Instagram handle to share the happy news of the birth of her nephew.

The 28-year-old shared a picture, a while back, on her profile. The snap showcases a smiling Thompson looking into the camera while holding a small baby in her arms, none other than Maverick Cole Thompson, her brother’s son. No wonder she seems emotional!

The picture was uploaded with the caption, “The newest addition to the Thompson family,” as she shared the news. Adding on, the athlete also couldn’t hold in her joy as she wrote, “Couldn’t be happier for my brother and his wife” all the while dubbing her newborn nephew as nothing short of “precious.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Lexi Thompson (@lexi)

Well, she was not alone in those sentiments as her followers also took to her Instagram post to share their joy at the happy news. Even the LPGA Tour pro would have been surprised at the amount of love that her nephew received via the internet!

Thompson’s adorable nephew throws the internet into a frenzy
The golfing world went ahead to react under the athlete’s post all the while showering her and her family with wishes. The responses ranged from those commenting about the newborn baby’s future to wishing the golfer a wonderful year in 2024. Let us take a quick look at some of them

Having a famous golfer as an aunt would surely bode well for the baby’s future if he is to play the game of golf. Moreover, that is exactly what a follower pointed out as he took to comment, “When he gets old enough to realize who Aunt Lexi is he will want private lessons and lots of selfies with his gorgeous aunt!!” Another golfing enthusiast went ahead to mention, “He will be a great golfer teach him well!” It seems the baby has his future set out for him.

A fan did come forward to wish the golfer for the future. However, it was not for the new year nor the baby they went ahead to give the greetings but for an entirely different matter. The follower commented, “You’re going to make a great Mom one day too..” all the while expressing their belief in the LPGA Tour pro’s ability to become a mother.

Well, some supporters of the pro went ahead to respond how adorable to duo looked in the photo. They couldn’t help but emphasize the same as they went ahead to react, “Absolutely gorgeous photo” under the snap.

Thompson has a new moniker now! From being known as a 1X major champ to an 11X LPGA Tour winner, she has now helmed the mantle of a caring aunt to her nephew, as referred to by a fan in their wish; “Congrats, auntie!!”

Maverick Cole Thompson. A truly wonderful name for the little guy. Even the fans think so as a certain follower went ahead to point out the same while mentioning, “Powerful name for the little man!! Congrats!!!”

Not every comment was about the newest addition to the family. A fan went ahead to wish the golfer for the upcoming year. It’s the new year soon and an ardent loving follower did wish the same to the athlete; “LEXI!!! WARMEST NEW YEARS WISHES DEAR!”

One can’t help but feel happy for the professional as she embarks on the next year on a high note with her baby nephew and family. T’is truly a special day for the golfer!