EDINA, Minn. (AP) — This time, Alexis Thompson is just one of the girls.
The youngest player to ever qualify for the U.S. Women's Open at age 12 last year, Thompson has returned with 5 more inches on her now 5-foot-8 frame. She has full-fledged status as a teenager, one of 28 players at Interlachen 19 or younger.
Sure, Thompson is still the youngest of them all, but it's not as if she's the only one who can't yet vote. She has already played this tournament, an experience that can't be claimed by 40 first-time participants in 2008.
"It definitely helped me a lot," Thompson said, reflecting on last year's 16-over par finish after two rounds at Pine Needles. "It just showed me how good I have to be and how I, like, have to present myself out there - with attitude."
Argentina's Victoria Tanco is one of two 14-year-old qualifiers. Her bio in the players guide lists "attends grade school" in the college section. OK, so that's a little lost in translation. Despite her age, though, she's not necessarily lost in this field.
Tanco finished first, one spot ahead of Thompson, at the sectional qualifying tournament in Florida earlier this month and boasts a wire-to-wire win in the 2007 junior world championships.
Nervous? A bit, she acknowledged Wednesday with a sheepish smile and a laugh.
"I try to take it like normal, because never in my life are so many people following the tournament. Never I sign so much autographs," Tanco said. "It's really nice to play with all the best players in the world, and it's really exciting."
NO SHORTCUT: The U.S. Women's Open has the potential for excitement on the final hole because the dogleg 18th is a par 5 that measures 530 yards and can be reached in two shots. Lorena Ochoa was among those who cleared the pond easily with a 5-wood.
Some players found it to be even shorter. It only took a few practice rounds for players to realize they could blast a drive through a gap of trees down the adjoining 10th fairway, then play away from the pond to the green.
"I was able to cut off 40 yards," said Karrie Webb, who hit a hybrid equivalent of a 3-iron to the green.
Webb and Meg Mallon, who could also reach the green playing the 10th fairway, both figured it wouldn't be so easy when the first round began Thursday. And they were right.
One option was to play the hole as members at Interlachen do: The 10th fairway is declared out-of-bounds while playing the 18th. Mike Davis, senior director of rules and competition for the USGA who sets up the golf course, found a more practical solution. He said the tees will be moved forward about 10 yards, eliminating the gap in the trees.
"I'm not going to plant a Hinkle tree. This is a much easier fix," Davis said.
The tree reference was to Lon Hinkle, who took a shortcut during the 1979 U.S. Open at Inverness. The next day, a tree was planted to discourage players from going down the wrong fairway.
