A compliment for Lexi Thompson didn’t come during a post-round interview. It came in a private moment between Wyndham Clark and Thompson’s brother, Nick. Clark’s words about Thompson’s putting precision became the centerpiece of their press conference after sharing the tournament lead.

“I was telling her brother Nick that every time [Lexi] points at something, she’s aimed right at it,” Clark shared during the December 12, 2025, press conference at the Grant Thornton Invitational. “She made tons of putts, so I was just right behind. It was really nice just watching her putt from a bird’s-eye view. And if it didn’t go well, the great thing was she gave me such a good line that I could roll it in.”

The observation came after Clark and Thompson shot a tournament-record 17-under 55 in the scramble format, tying for the lead with Charley Hull and Michael Brennan. Clark’s admiration went deeper than surface-level praise.

Thompson returned the respect, focusing on Clark’s ball-striking precision and shot-shaping ability into tight pin locations, and also laid out why her comfort with men’s golf runs deep.

“I just enjoy watching him hit. Every shot seems so solid, and just the height and the shot shapes that he’s able to bring it into some of those pin locations are very impressive. I grew up with two older brothers who played too, so just watching the guys play, it’s remarkable.”

The mutual admiration wasn’t just talk. The numbers backed up both assessments.

Thompson and Clark made birdie or eagle on nine of their last 10 holes at Tiburón Golf Club. Their 17-under performance shattered the previous tournament record of 16-under 56, set by Nelly Korda and Tony Finau in 2023. The duo made only three pars all day, posting eagles at the par-5 6th and par-4 10th.

Clark also holed out a bunker shot during the round, but it was Thompson’s putting consistency that kept feeding their momentum. Every time she rolled one in, Clark had a perfect read for his attempt from a different angle. To say that both players needed this is an understatement.

Thompson played the previous two years with Rickie Fowler, who is not participating this year, as his contract with Grant Thornton ended. The 2023 US Open winner is making his Grant Thornton debut after a frustrating 2025 season with just two top-10 finishes in 24 starts. Thompson played only 13 events this year after stepping back from a full-time schedule. A strong finish in Naples would validate Clark’s recent ball-striking improvements and prove Thompson can still compete at the highest level when she chooses her spots.

That kind of close observation doesn’t happen often in professional golf. Most weeks, the Tours operate in separate worlds. So, this structure, once a year, forces something that rarely happens in professional golf: extended observation between tours.

Wyndham Clark and Lexi Thompson benefit from Grant Thornton’s cross-tour format

Saturday’s alternate shot format will test their strategic collaboration further. But Friday’s scramble already proved something. Clark described feeling unstressed throughout the round, rare for him in tournament golf. Thompson called it “ham-and-egging it pretty well.”

The conversation with Nick Thompson wasn’t meant for microphones. It was genuine technical appreciation between competitors. Clark noticed Thompson’s aiming precision because he was watching closely enough to see the mechanics behind elite putting. Thompson noticed Clark’s shot shapes for the same reason: proximity breeds understanding.

The Grant Thornton Invitational ended a 24-year absence of mixed-team golf. Events like this don’t just create competitive moments. They create conversations that wouldn’t happen otherwise. Clark’s observation about Thompson’s putting—shared first with her brother, then with the world—captures exactly what happens when tour boundaries dissolve.

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