It was not meant to happen, but it did. Lexi Thompson couldn’t be more pleased. A 28-year-old Pro with 11 titles, including a Major, under her belt, can pick up any ball she wants to play with. But definitely, choosing Maxfli, whose only endorser on a Major Tour is 67-year-old Fred Funk raised more than a few eyebrows.

Money grab. Sell out. Insults of varying intensity were thrown out at the 2014 Kraft Nabisco Championship winner. After all, Maxfli was long removed from its former glory when Jack Nicklaus used to endorse their products. But Thompson’s agent reveals there is much more to it than fluffy adjectives. 

Thompson picks up a reviving brand

Thompson was out of options after her contract with Bridgestone expired. The 28-year-old loved their product but wanted to change a few things after a topsy-turvy 2023, that saw her miss the cut in five consecutive events.

So, when a Maxfli official reached out to Brett Falkoff, Lexi Thompson’s representative, about a deal with the LPGA star, he reluctantly agreed despite the initial cold-shouldering. And guess what? They were in for a shock!

“We were all in shock,” Falkoff told Golf.com. “The golf ball was better than anything else she tested. It became a nice match, and we were able to work out a nice agreement.” However, neither party divulged the details of the agreement. But Thompson will sport Maxfli’s logo on the side of her visor. Also, she will continue to provide feedback to the manufacturer for further improvements. 

Thompson told the outlet that she has been “testing the ball for the last month or two, especially in the wind”. In her first outing with the new ball, the World No.36 finished in 16th place in the LPGA Drive On Championship. Thompson further revealed what made her pick up Maxfli in another interview. 

Don’t ignore the wind, Thompson warns

Did Thompson have any final checkbox to tick before giving a thumbs up? The 11-time LPGA Tour winner emphasizes the significance of wind. Or rather, how the ball reacts to the wind. That’s the “most important aspect” for the LPGA Pro. A known power-hitter, Thompson averages 271.419 yards of driving distance on the female circuit. So, the extra weightage given to wind is not hard to understand.

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Speaking with Golf Digest, the LPGA Tour Pro also revealed she has gained a few yards with irons. “It’s also a little bit of a lower ball flight, which I really like.” Thompson is, in fact, mulling a driver change as well. It’s a new season for the star, and she wants to carry the momentum from the latter half of 2023, where she bagged four consecutive top-ten finishes after the Solheim Cup. Notably, Thompson has brought in Colton Heisey in her bag as well.

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