RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. – After hitting her tee shot on the 11th hole Thursday in the opening round of the ANA Inspiration, Lexi Thompson was following her ball flight. As she brought her driver down from its follow-through, she clipped the model airplane tee marker.
The right front engine fell off the lifelike miniature signifying the title sponsor, which is All Nippon Airways of Japan. The engine failure drew laughs from Thompson’s playing partners.
“This flight is canceled,” joked So Yeon Ryu, as an embarrassed Thompson tried to reattach the small piece.
“Actually I think they can land a plane with one engine, so, no problem,” added Brittany Lincicome as they all shared a laugh.
Thompson just set the engine down next to the plane as she stepped aside so Lincicome could tee off. But after Lincicome’s tee shot, Thompson leaned down to try to fix the plane. She and caddie Jack Fulgum looked at the small model plane as she tried to re-attach it.
Eventually she gave up, but Fulgum was able to get it to stay in place much to Thompson’s relief. The two then hurried down the fairway to catch up with Ryu and Lincicome.
Thompson ended up making birdie on the hole, so there was apparently no bad karma.
Funny moment on 11th tee at @ANAinspiration as @Lexi tries to reattach the front right engine of the airplane-shaped tee marker after inadvertently dinging it with her club while watching her ball. Caddie Jack Fulgum was able to fix it. All flights back on schedule. @golfweek pic.twitter.com/fJKTF199DS
— Shad Powers
(@shad_powers) April 1, 2021
Shad Powers covers sports for The Desert Sun reach him at shad.powers@desertsun.com.