"There are exceptions to almost every rule. Keep that in mind when considering Thompson."

Beth Ann Baldry says the LPGA's granting Lexi Thompson a chance to qualify for the tour before her 18th birthday is a shrewd move for all.

Thompson has proved herself to be a competent young woman. She’s not not overly mature for her age, but she has the support team in place to get her to the next level. Her father, Scott, realizes that a tour card won’t necessarily mean she’ll immediately fit in.

“What can you do when you’re 16?” Scott Thompson asked last May. “Can you go to a Friday’s or a Bonefish and hang out in the bar and talk to everybody? Not when you’re 16. She’d like to be included in things to do. I think that will only get better with age.”

Like a teenage actor or an exceptionally gifted pianist, Thompson will make her mark in a grown-up world.

I was struck by something in Sean Martin's story breaking the news of Thompson's opportunity courtesy of Commissioner Mike Whan.

Thompson's agent, Bobby Kreusler, said he cited Thompson’s physical and emotional maturity in his membership petition, stating that she is qualified to handle the on- and off-course rigors of professional golf. Thompson, once Golfweek’s No. 1 junior and amateur, turned pro in June 2010. She finished second in last year’s Evian Masters and 10th in the U.S. Women’s Open. She held the 54-hole lead at this year’s Avnet Classic before shooting a final-round 78. She has missed her last two cuts while undergoing swing changes with her instructor, Jim McLean.

“This year, Lexi has seen some of the highs and lows experienced by a professional golfer – leading (the Avnet) after three rounds, then having a difficult final round on live television. The way she handled this proved to me, and ultimately to a lot of other people, that she’s as prepared as one can be to handle the rigors of being a true professional,” Kreusler told Golfweek. “Lexi came out of the (scoring) tent after shooting 78, gathered herself for a few minutes and gave a live interview to the Golf Channel, gave every other interview, signed every autograph, and, believe me, that poor girl was gutted. There are a lot of other world-class professional athletes that would not have handled this as well as Lexi did.”

For instance, perhaps Tiger Woods when he was 16 (if he ever lost).

This is not to pick on Tiger to but to ask, is giving good interview an appropriate standard in waiving a long-standing rule?

I certainly don't know the answer. But golf is only go to see more and more young players because they are maturing faster and the equipment advances makes it so much easier to compete at a younger age, so this question will keep coming up. Check out both articles and tell us what you think.