Lexi Thompson emotional in first news conference since ANA Inspiration debacle

Lexi Thompson is playing this week for the first time since the LPGA’s first major of the year, the ANA Inspiration, during which she was retroactively given twin two-stroke penalties in the final round for improperly replacing her ball on the putting green in Saturday’s third round.

Thompson has been off for three weeks, choosing not to play in the Tour’s Lotte Championship in Hawaii, returning for the Volunteers of America Texas Shootout in Irving. At Las Colinas Country Club, Thompson was asked twice if she thought, after looking at the video, that she had indeed violated the Rules of Golf in replacing her ball an inch away from its original mark on the 17th hole at Mission Hills Country Club.

“I have seen the video and I can see where they are coming from with it,” Thompson said, coming short of explicitly saying the broke the rule.

Thompson did offer an explanation for the incident, saying her father chided her to not rush short putts — this one in question was less than 18 inches — in major championships. Thompson admitted she had stubbed a few in the past. So, she thought the better of it and marked the ball. She said there was nothing on the ground which concerned her. Then she replaced the mark with the ball, looking to use a dot she places on the ball as a marker for where she should hit it with her putter. She missed the original spot — substantially enough for a fan to notice on TV — and that’s that.

“It was not my intention at all,” Thompson said of the violation. She added, “Those greens were absolutely perfect, and the whole week there was nothing in my line to be moving it from anything. So, I have no reason behind it. I did not mean it at all.”

Despite the unprecedented nature of the incident and going from three strokes ahead on the 12th tee to two down on the 13th (she bogeyed the 12th), Thompson did rally. She played 2 under par into the house and get into the playoff with So Yeon Ryu. However, she lost to a birdie on the first playoff hole after missing an improbable 72nd-hole eagle putt for the victory.

Nevertheless, Thompson stuck around for an hour, signing for fans who had cheered her on throughout the debacle.

So, what now? For Thompson, perhaps it’s just best to try to move on.

“I’m just going to continue to mark my ball,” Thompson said.

Ryan Ballengee is a Yahoo Sports contributor. Find him on Facebook and Twitter.