Some gestures are not made for cameras and spotlights. They are just there to show appreciation. Lexi Thompson also didn’t need a spotlight to make a statement. She wanted to show gratitude to Walmart, the LPGA sponsor that generated $681 billion in revenue in 2025. But that story, which was for a quiet moment, is now turning heads across the LPGA.

“I’m at my kid’s baseball game on a Sunday, and the phone rings, and it’s Lexi Thompson. She’s like, ‘Craig, what can I do to go say thank you?’ And sure enough, I said, ‘Lexi, senior leadership from Walmart, they’re at the course right now. If you could just stop by, give them a hug and a high five to say thank you, it would go a long way,'” LPGA commissioner Craig Kessler said on the No Laying Up Podcast.

“Lexi says, ‘I’m in the gym right now. Give me like five minutes. I’ll go take a shower. I’ll head over to the course, and I’ll be right there. Like this is Lexi Thompson taking a moment out of her beat, out of her routine to go say thank you to our sponsors, and there were no cameras on. But that’s the type of I think buying we have from our superstars.”

Kessler became the 10th commissioner of the tour in May 2025. He had joined only about five months before heavy rain led to the cancellation of the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship 2025.

It is a unique 3-round event on the LPGA Tour. Round 1 went as planned and was finished on Friday, September 19, 2025. However, play was suspended on Saturday due to heavy rain. Then, overnight from Saturday to Sunday, 3.25 inches of rain fell. This made the course unplayable on Sunday, too. Thus, the management had to cancel the event altogether.

Since only 18 holes were played, the event became unofficial. Walmart and P&G are the two sponsors of the event. They exceeded the LPGA minimum of $1.5 million. Instead, the sponsors distributed $2 million in appreciation for the players’ efforts. Despite going above and beyond, the event was cancelled, which made them upset.

Thus, Lexi Thompson wanted to show how much the golfers appreciated their efforts. She called Craig Kessler to ask what she could do. She did all of this without any cameras around.

In addition to this quiet gesture, the American professional also publicly thanked Walmart and P&G on Instagram.

“Such a bummer only getting 18 in at the @nwachampionship, but can’t control the weather unfortunately. I just want to say thank you to @walmart and @proctergamble and all other sponsors for always putting on a great event here in Arkansas,” Thompson wrote as a caption to an Instagram post.

She said the sponsors have backed the LPGA Tour for the past 19 years. She also thanked volunteers, fans, and course staff in her message. Lexi Thompson was not the only one showing this gratitude.

LPGA golfers show gratitude to Walmart and P&G

Many golfers took to social media to commend the tournament and its sponsors.

Lilia Vu uploaded a story about the event’s cancellation. She revealed that the shortened tournament has really bummed her out. In the story, she tagged @nwachampionship, @walmart, and @proctergamble, thanking them for making the event possible. She thanked them for one of the best stops of the year.

Former World No. 1, Nelly Korda, also shared her thoughts through an Instagram story.

“Thank you @nwachampionship for always!!!! Taking such good care of us. Unfortunate end to one of the best weeks on tour,” she wrote.

Auston Kim also took to Instagram and uploaded a post expressing similar sentiments. She gave a huge thank you to Walmart, P&G, all volunteers, and the entire city of Rogers for making the event so special. The American professional also said that while Mother Nature had other plans, it was still fun.

The wave of appreciation from players across the LPGA only reinforces the sentiment Lexi Thompson expressed face-to-face. They all wanted to show respect for the sponsors who continue to support the tour.