Carlota Ciganda's Fiancé and Lexi Thompson's caddie James Longman Reflects on an Emotional Sunday at the Meijer LPGA Classic
By Jeremy Friedman
BELMONT, Mich. – As Carlota Ciganda made her birdie putt on 18 to go to 16-under par and all but secure the 2025 Meijer LPGA Classic title, her fiancé, James Longman, couldn’t help but look up and smile.
Caddying for Lexi Thompson this week, Longman and Thompson were in the final pairing on Sunday with Madelene Sagstrom and Nanna Koerstz Madsen.
Tied for the lead heading into Sunday as well as heading into the back nine, Longman had a job to do and focused on the task at hand. When asked if he was leaderboard as they were making their way around Blythefield Country Club, Longman couldn’t help but smirk.
“A little bit. I’m not gonna lie, a little bit,” said Longman. “Still trying to do my job. Lexi is playing good. We were right there. Kind of soft bogeys on 16 and 17. Weren’t far away, so it’s good signs, good momentum for next week.
“We were playing our third shot on 18 and Lexi said, ‘You’re going to have a very nice evening tonight,’ continued Longman. That’s kind of when…I didn’t even turn around to look at the board. I was focusing on the putt, as caddies do, just trying to do my job.”
Longman is caddying for Thompson this week and next at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.
“Super happy for Lexi,” said Longman. “We didn’t hit it great on Tuesday, so to be in the last group on Sunday, you’d take that every week. We’re taking some good momentum to play into KPMG next week.
For Longman’s fiancé, winning her first LPGA Tour event in more than eight years and her first on U.S. soil at the 2025 Meijer LPGA Classic has special meaning to the both of them, as this is one of Ciganda’s favorite events of the year on the LPGA Tour. They stay with the same host family, which makes this event feel more like home.
“Bob and Gretchen Partridge are like family,” said Ciganda. They have been hosting us for almost 10 years. They follow me and send me text messages pretty much every week when I play. I am so happy to win here for them because I lost in the playoff the first year. They are very close friends, like family, and just very happy to see them and stay with them.”
It is that support that will carry Ciganda into the remainder of 2025 with her head held high, knowing that all of her continued hard work is paying off.
