THE MODERATOR: All right, here with Lexi Thompson after her third round at the KPMG Women's PGA Championship. Hanging on at the top of the leaderboard. Can you just take us through the day today and some of the challenges and good shots out there?
LEXI THOMPSON: Overall, solid day. I made some bogeys out there, some not-so-great shots I guess on the back nine off the tee, but made some great recovery shots and made some nice putts too.
So just going to build on that. There was some tough pins out there, and of course the golf course is the golf course, so it's tough.
But, yeah, some of the shots coming into the greens, they tucked the pins and you really have to play to the middle of the green and give yourself 20, 25-footer as an opportunity.
Q. How important is it to just grind out here and save par when you can and just stay near the top of the leaderboard knowing anything can happen at the major?
LEXI THOMPSON: It's very important. Coming into the week, getting to play the golf course again, I didn't quite remember it when it was here last time. It's a tough track, so you know you have to grind out there.
There will be some shots you have to pitch out and just give yourself a par opportunity. If you make a bogey, so be it. Move on.
And pars are good out there. So you definitely have to take advantage of the few birdie opportunities that you get but you have to be patient and don't get too down on the iffy shots that you can hit out there.
Q. The announcers always have that cliche, oh, if you make birdie on 18. Dinner is going to taste that much better. How true is that? How different is your mindset that you made birdie on 18?
LEXI THOMPSON: It helps. It would help dinner taste better that's for sure. They moved that tee up about 30, 35 yards. I knew once I got a good drive down there I was just hoping I had a good number into the front of the green.
Hit a 4-iron to the middle of it and, yeah, definitely helps to end on birdie. It's still a tough driving hole. You have to shape it around the trees with them moving it up, so still have to commit to a line and finish line.
Q. When you think about tomorrow's round, how much do you think, all right, I want to go win this golf tournament versus like staying in, okay, I just want to hit the best shot I can on the first shot and the second shot? How does that work?
LEXI THOMPSON: Yeah, I think it's more of a mindset of just staying in control of your own emotions and game. You can't really focus on anybody else. It's going to be tough out there. I know it's a little bit cooler weather, maybe a little bit more windy.
The golf course is tough as it plays, so you just have to stay in the moment, commit to your lines, and play within yourself. Once you let outside distractions come along or focusing on anything else, you get outside of your game.
So just going to do the best I can with the game plan I have the last three days and see where it takes me.
Q. I know it can be frustrating to make a birdie and give it right back. How have you managed to stay patient with some of the challenges out there?
LEXI THOMPSON: I feel that's something that just happens out on a golf course. You make birdie and hit just a borderline, not-great golf shot off the tee and get penalized by a tree or you're blocked and you have to pitch out or work it around the trees.
It happens. It's a great golf course. It's definitely a challenge, and that's how a major should be. You just have to stay patient knowing it's going to happen and hopefully make the birdies when they -- when you do have the opportunities.
Q. And you played some really great golf last week to come into this week and contend again. How much fun is that to contend two weeks in a row?
LEXI THOMPSON: It's a lot more fun than what I was doing. Yeah, last week was great. Obviously that's one of my favorite events in Grand Rapids, so I just love being there.
Just really tried to bring that into this week. Just build up my confidence. I know I been putting in the hard work, so it's a just matter of seeing little glimpses of it paying off. I did last week, so just really building on that with the confidence, and going to continue to work hard and see it hopefully pay off more.
Q. In theory, this could be one of your last major championship starts. Do you feel like you can go out there with a more go-for-broke attitude than in the past because of that, or is that possible on a golf course like this?
LEXI THOMPSON: I can't say it's really possible on a golf course like this. As much as I would like to think that, I think it's more of a golf course that you have to play smart and strategize on a few of the holes. Like I said, with some of the pins I'm sure they'll tuck more tomorrow. You just have to play to the center of the green and give yourself 20, 25 feet and make a par and get out of there. Bonus make a birdie, make a lag putt.
No, I am just going to play within myself. That's all I can do. Yeah, might be my last one; might not. Who knows. It's just day by day. Just going to go out there, embrace the fans, love the walk and see where it goes.
Q. You mentioned grinding out some par saves. Grinding out a couple bogey saves like on 3 and 8 on the front side. How key were those, particularly the one on 3, to get let things get worse early on?
LEXI THOMPSON: Yeah, very important. I didn't -- I actually hit I thought a decent tee ball. Again, just overcut around the trees and got in the rough then I tried to work it and plugged in the side of the bunker.
So that's never fun.
I just tried to get myself back in position. Hit a great bunker shot and made the five or so footer. It's things like that. Even though it was for bogey, you can really build confidence. All right, it was just a bogey. We'll get it back on the next hole and get back in the groove of things, because things like that happen out here.
Q. What's the most important thing for you to have success tomorrow?
LEXI THOMPSON: I feel just sticking to my game plan that I had the last three days. Coming out here, getting a good night's rest and having a good warmup and playing free. Going out there, visualize my shots, picking super small targets, and just being relaxed or the shot. That's all I can do.
Hit it, go find it.
Q. What's your best estimate of how far autographs you sign in a tournament day?
LEXI THOMPSON: I don't even know. I just signed a lot though. But it's just so great to see. There were so many little kids, especially a lot of PGA Junior League kids. That's so amazing, because we want to grow the game, and to see the little kids out there is so great.
I wouldn't be able to put a number on it. It's a good amount. I signed a few during the round, too. I love it. I'm going to love ever bit of it, love every single fan, and yeah, hopefully more out there tomorrow.
Q. Does your hand get tired?
LEXI THOMPSON: Sometimes. Sometimes because that was my bad one, so doing my signature with it. No, it's good now. It's worth it definitely for my fans.
