While Elton John used to warble on that sorry seems to be the hardest word, poor old Lexi Thompson has been forced into so many apologies in the lead up to the AIG Women’s British Open, the aforementioned Elton may have to reconsider the lyrics of his ivory-tinkling lament.
It’s been an eventful few days for America’s world No 3. After posting a less than flattering review of the course which staged last week’s Evian Championship, Thompson then misplaced her passport and sparked a chaotic chain reaction of events which led to around 40 tour players unable to get the first day of practice in here at Woburn on Monday as their clubs didn’t turn up.
When events are held back-to-back in Europe, it’s common for players to get their clubs delivered overground in a van driven by Ian Wright, a former caddie of Seve Ballesteros.
Wright was well into his trek form the Evian on Sunday when he received a call informing him that Thompson’s passport was tucked in her golf bag and she needed it to fly into the UK from Geneva.
Wright had to pull over and wait for Thompson’s caddie to catch him up in a taxi and guddle around for said document.
By the time the passport was retrieved, Wright had missed the ferry to England and didn’t arrive at Woburn until 5pm on Monday. Thompson, meanwhile, was lucky she wasn’t chased by an angry, pitch fork wielding mob of her fellow players and forced to seek sanctuary in Woburn Abbey.
“I didn’t realise that I was going to cause so much delay in the bags for all the players and I’m very sorry about that,” she said sheepishly ahead of today’s opening round.
“In my situation I was freaking out. I do apologise to the players and the caddies and whoever had their luggage on that van.
“I mean, I would be upset too if I was the other players, but I can’t apologise enough.”
Given the delays and the disruptions caused to others by the passport palaver , Thompson is not surprised that the atmosphere in the locker room at Woburn is frostier than a wonky fridge.
“I haven’t talked to many players about it,” said Thompson, who tied eighth the last time the Women’s Open was held at Woburn in 2016.
“They haven’t come up to me. But I can kind of feel it. I’m now just trying to focus on this week and to playing good golf.”
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