Lexi Thompson had a rough experience at last week’s Evian Championship. Her start to the Women’s British Open isn’t much better.
Thompson, who sounded off about course conditions after a missed cut in France, accidentally left her passport in her golf bag, according to a Golf Channel report. Thompson’s clubs were with 40 other players’ sticks in a rental car travelling from Evian Resort Golf Club to Woburn Golf Club in England, site of this week’s Open.
Ian Wright, a former caddie for Seve Ballesteros, was in charge of hauling the clubs between sites. About two hours after departure, he received a call that Thompson’s passport was in the back of his van. Wright told Golf Channel’s Randall Mell that he pulled over and waited for Thompson’s caddie to retrieve the documentation.
“I think I might have screamed,” Wright told Golf Channel. “I had to drive through the night to get here.”
As he was waiting, Wright had to unpack most of the bags, as he was carrying a full load of equipment. “That van was packed to the hilt,” Wright said. “A mouse couldn’t have found room to live in there.”
After the passport was handed off, Wright had to repack the van, and told Golf Channel the episode put him back an initial three hours. Unfortunately, his delays did not end there: because of the stoppage, he missed a ferry to England, and ultimately found himself stuck in rush-hour traffic jams.
As Wright didn’t arrive to Woburn until 5pm local time – almost 24 hours after his adventure began – players whose clubs were in his van missed a practice round, as the course closed for maintenance. The players were, however, allowed to hit on the range.
Thompson’s manager told Golf Channel it was an honest mistake.
“She had no idea retrieving it would cause the delay it did, or that it would impact other players the way it did,” said manager Bobby Kreusler. “She would never have wanted that.”
