Lexi Thompson will become the seventh woman in history to play in a PGA Tour event when she plays next week in the Shriners Children's Open in Las Vegas, Nev.
The tournament announced Thompson will receive one of the tournament's unrestricted exemptions, which can be offered to anyone regardless of their PGA Tour status.
"I'm hopeful that my ability to play with the men next week at the Shriners Children's Open sends a great message to the young women that you can chase your dream regardless of how hard it is," Thompson said in a statement. "I'm grateful to Shriners Children's for this opportunity to spend the week alongside these inspirational kids."
"We are thrilled to welcome Lexi to the 2023 tournament," said Patrick Lindsey, executive director of the Shriners Children's Open. "We are eager to have Lexi on the course and continue to break through barriers."
The 28-year-old has faced her toughest season on the LPGA Tour in 2023. She is currently 25th in the Rolex Women's World Golf Ranking, but she is 114th in the Race to the CME Globe, which determines a player's ability to maintain their LPGA Tour status. Thompson has played just 12 times this year in individual events, missing the cut in eight of them. She notched her first top-10 finish of the season last week in Arkansas at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship.
The 2023 LPGA Tour moves to Asia next week for their fall Asian Swing in China for the Buick LPGA Shanghai. Thompson is opting to play in Vegas instead.
Brittany Lincicome was the last woman to play a PGA Tour event, missing the cut at the 2018 Barbasol Championship, an opposite-field event played in Kentucky. Prior to Lincicome, Michelle Wie West was the fifth woman to play on the PGA Tour, with her eighth and final PGA Tour event coming in the 2008 Legends Reno-Tahoe Open. The other four women who have played on the PGA Tour are Suzy Whaley, Annika Sorenstam, Shirley Spork and Babe Didrikson Zaharias.
