Golf a family addiction for Thompson

~ The nation's No. 1-rankedplayer has a brother competing on the PGA Tour.

Alexis Thompson has qualified for the last two U.S. Women's Opens.

Pretty good for a girl who has yet to learn how to drive -- a car.

While she is not old enough to get behind the wheel, the 14-year-old Thompson is a phenom with a golf club in her hands. She is ranked No. 1 in the nation among junior golfers and headlines the girls field at the AJGA Rolex Tournament of Champions at Dalhousie Golf Club that begins today.

While the home-schooled, 5-foot-11 blonde from Coral Springs, Fla., is just entering ninth grade, she is mature beyond her years.

Alexis Thompson putts on the 13th green during Tuesday's Junior-Am.

She is the youngest female ever to qualify for the U.S. Women's Open, having emerged from local and sectional qualifying two years ago at the age of 12.

"That's what I'm pretty much known for," Thompson said. "That was big."

She repeated the feat last year at age 13, missing the cut by two strokes.

In 2009, Thompson again has qualified for the U.S. Women's Open, which will be held next week at Saucon Valley Country Club in Bethlehem, Pa. She is among 10 girls in this week's field who has qualified for the U.S. Women's Open.

This week's tournament at Dalhousie may go a long way toward helping Thompson end the two-year streak of getting cut at the professional tournament.

Alexis Thompson tees off on hole No. 13 during the Junior-Am at Dalhousie Golf Club. (Elizabeth Dodd)

"It's going to be a good tuneup, and I get to play on a good golf course," Thompson said. "It's going to be helpful for me."

She hopes that all leads to a first.

"I don't just want to make the cut; I want to do better than that," Thompson said. "I want to go out there and play under par."

Thompson also would like to add her third AJGA title of the season in her sixth tournament. Her fate may lie in how well her 16-year-old brother Curtis fares in this week's tournament.

Both times Alexis has won an AJGA tournament this year -- the Laredo Energy Junior at Traditions and the Verizon Junior Heritage -- Curtis has won the boys division.

"It was exciting," Alexis said. "My parents were excited."

The Thompsons are a true golfing family.

Alexis' oldest brother Nicholas, 26, was a two-time All-American at Georgia Tech and competes on the PGA Tour. Their mother Judy played college golf, and Alexis said her father Scott's love for the game probably had an influence on Nicholas.

"When I first started playing, both my brothers were already playing and into it, so it grew on me," Alexis said. "I played a lot of sports when I was little, but I liked golf the best. It was just a lot more fun.

"When I was 5, I was a cheerleader, but I'm not that anymore. That didn't last. I played soccer and basketball. I was pretty much in between soccer and golf because I was like really good at soccer because I was so much bigger than everyone else. But I chose golf. I think that was the right decision."

While Nicholas pioneered the path through the junior ranks, Curtis just shakes his head about his kid sister.

"For her to be making all these things so early is just pretty crazy," Curtis said.

Alexis gives a lot of credit to her older brothers.

"They've both helped me out through my golf life with my swing and everything," she said.

And good old sibling rivalry also may have helped advance Alexis. Curtis said when Nicholas visits, the three will get together for a little friendly competition.

"She doesn't come for help," Curtis said. "Usually my dad helps her, and she has a teacher. But the competition always helps. It gets you in the mind frame of playing people. It gets you in the tournament mode, even though it's just for fun."

Alexis refers to her game as a lot of greens and two putts, calling iron play the strength of her game.

"Usually when I hit an iron shot, I want to know where I want to miss, if I do," Alexis said. "Or what side of the hole you want to be on and take trouble out of play. Take advantage of the easy pins."

Her ball striking is something to stop and take notice of, even on the practice range.

"Watching her hit balls is something else," said Anthony Paolucci, the top-ranked boys player in this week's field. "It's unbelievable, just the way the ball comes off the face compared to the girls she's playing against. I'm not sure how the LPGA ball-striking is, but hers just sounds different."

And while the LPGA Tour is her ultimate goal, it can wait awhile, or at least a week.

Her focus is on this week, and her goals are modest.

"I just want to do well," she said. "I'm feeling really confident about my game. I just want to go out there and hit it like I have been the last few weeks."