The 29-year-old Lexi Thompson will leave the LPGA schedule full-time at the end of 2024.
On Tuesday, Lexi Thompson made the announcement that she would not be competing on the LPGA full-time after this season.
The unexpected news was released the night before the U.S. Women’s Open, where the former child prodigy will be competing for the 18th time in a row.
Since the time I was five years old, golf has been my life. I haven’t experienced much of a different life, but this one has been incredible,” Thompson remarked during a press conference held at Lancaster Country Club. “This sport has given me a lot of life lessons, and I’ve made a ton of friends and relationships in the process. I’m excited to see what the future holds for me.
Thompson, who turns 30 next year, has been a major player in the women’s game since her impressive debut as a tall, strong adolescent with immense skill.
Thompson became a professional in 2010, and at the age of sixteen, she won the 2011 Navistar Classic, breaking the previous record for the youngest LPGA winner. She won three events in the next two years, including the 2014 Kraft Nabisco Championship (formerly known as the Chevron Championship), for her only major victory, when the LPGA amended its age-requirement rules to allow her full membership.
Thompson has won 11 times overall on the circuit, but not since 2019.
Thompson has played on three Solheim Cup teams alongside world No. 1 Nelly Korda, who remarked of her, “She’s had such a fantastic career.” “I wish her the best in this new phase of her life, but it’s sad to see that she’s definitely departing and not going to be out here with us anymore.” She has had an incredible career.
Thompson, currently on her fourteenth consecutive full tour season, stated that while she had considered retiring in the previous few years, the time had never been right. She noted there wasn’t a single, overpowering reason for her choice to retire at this time; rather, it was simply where she was in her life and work. She said that she’s taking things “day by day right now,” but she didn’t rule out playing a select few events in the future.
“Life is more than just doing the same drills every day and attending a competition every week,” the woman remarked. “There’s simply more to it, and I’m eager to discover it.” I’m happy with my life right now and where I think this choice will take me. Other than golf, I’m just excited about what life has in store.
Thompson gained notoriety for her daring, aggressive style of play but also for her near calls when the next generation of players started to rule the LPGA. She has eight career top-3 finishes in majors, but she gave up leads in the U.S. Women’s Open in 2019 and 2021, the latter after she had taken a five-shot lead on Sunday’s back nine. She was in contention to win her second major championship in 2017, but she lost in a playoff at Mission Hills after being fined four strokes for misplacing her ball on the green. Later in the year, she lost the LPGA’s season-ending championship after missing a 2-foot putt on the last green.
The big-hitting Thompson, a two-time U.S. Olympian and six-time Solheim Cup competitor, was a constant presence in the top 10 of the Rolex Rankings during the 2010s.
However, Thompson’s play has declined recently, and prior to a late-season comeback in 2023, she was at risk of losing her LPGA card. She had four missed cuts in six starts this season and is now ranked 64th in the standings due to a nagging hand issue.
During her press conference to announce her retirement, Thompson broke down in tears as she thought back on some of the difficulties she had faced.
She wiped away her emotions and remarked, “A lot of people don’t appreciate a lot of what we go through as professional athletes.” “I’ll be the last to suggest throwing a sympathy party for me. The last thing I want is that. We are engaged in our passion. Every day, we give it our all. We are not flawless. We are humans. Words are painful. Sometimes it’s difficult to get over it. Having supportive and loving individuals in your life has been the most important thing to me. Even though I don’t have many friends, having the ones that mean the most in my life close by has helped me get through some incredibly trying moments.
“Many people are unaware of the extent of our training and the amount of effort we devote to our work—it is substantial. We should be given far more credit than we do.
Thompson took a hiatus from golf in 2018 after being tired of the attention, pressure, and scrutiny she had been under for the previous 10 years. Since then, she has placed a higher priority on her mental health. During the Shriners Children’s Open last fall, Thompson—a well-known figure on social media—became the seventh woman to compete in a PGA Tour event. She stated her long-term objective was to motivate young females.
LPGA commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan stated, “Lexi’s impact reaches far beyond the golf course, even though these achievements are exceptional in and of themselves.” She constantly turns up and engages purposefully to support the LPGA’s expansion and influence, embodying the passion and commitment of our founders. Regardless of the outcome that day, she is adored by the fans and is frequently spotted talking with them and signing autographs. Numerous girls all throughout the world have been motivated to pursue their objectives with fervor and tenacity by Lexi’s incredible career and the way she has carried herself on and off the course.
