Lexi Thompson playing KPMG Women's PGA Championship with ailing mother weighing heavy on her mind

OLYMPIA FIELDS, Illinois -- Lexi Thompson will play in the KPMG Women's PGA Championship with a lot on her mind this week... and little of it with likely have to do with golf.

A day after Thompson's representatives announced that the fourth-ranked player in the world and top-ranked American wouldn't be addressing the media for a customary, pre-tournament interview, many wondered why.

Speculation was that perhaps it was because of what happened at the season's first major -- the ANA Inspiration. That's where Thompson, with a healthy lead, was assessed a crushing four-shot penalty on the back nine of the final round for a rules infraction that occurred in Round 3.

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She eventually lost in a playoff to newly minted world No. 1 So Yeon Ryu.

Though she's rebounded beautifully since then with a victory and two runner-up finishes, was the media snub because Thompson didn't want to deal with more questions about the ANA ball-marking snafu as she prepared for the season's second major?

Well, Thompson's team put an end to the speculation on Wednesday.

Bobby Kreusler, Thompson's agent, revealed exclusively to Golfweek's Beth Ann Nichols that Thompson's mother, Judy -- a breast cancer survivor -- is undergoing treatment for uterine cancer.

“It has been devastating news to the whole Thompson family,” Kreusler told Nichols.

Wrote Nichols:

Last week Thompson was home in Coral Springs, Fla., to hold her mother’s hand as she underwent radiation therapy. It marked the first time she’d been home since Judy underwent surgery to remove the cancerous mass. The 22-year-old Thompson has often referred to her mother as her best friend. Her father, Scott, is with her this week outside Chicago.

“To be home and actually see it has been more difficult,” said Kreusler.

Judy had surgery to remove the tumor on June 6. Tests since show that cancer had not spread. Judy will continue to radiation on Thursday, the same day the KPMG Women's PGA begins.

Judy hopes to be following Lexi at the U.S. Women's Open in July.