An emotional Lexi Thompson shockingly announces retirement plans ahead of U.S. Women’s Open

At just 29 years old, Lexi Thompson, one of the faces of the LPGA Tour, will call it quits after the 2024 golf season.

Set to make her 18th appearance at the U.S. Women’s Open this week at Lancaster Country Club, Thompson feels confident in her decision.

“I feel like I’m at a point in my life where it is time to step away from a full-time schedule,” Thompson said.

“There are more things to life than going to a tournament every week and doing the same training every day. There’s just more to it, and I’m looking forward to experiencing that. I feel very content with where my life is and where this decision will lead me. I’m just looking forward to what life has in store other than golf.”

Thompson has been in the spotlight for nearly her entire life.

She first qualified for the U.S. Women’s Open in 2007 at the age of 12, the youngest to ever do so at the time. She quickly rose to notoriety soon after her major championship debut, turning professional in 2010. She then made her first LPGA start in 2011 and went on to win 11 times, including the 2014 Kraft Nabisco Championship—her only major title to date.

That year, her win at Mission Hills made her the second youngest major champion in women’s golf history at the age of 19.

But in the years since, Thompson has often felt uncomfortable in the limelight. She has not won on the LPGA since 2019 and has battled various injuries on and off.

She has had some mental struggles, too. In 2018, she took a month off, citing a need for a break. She also admitted to not feeling like herself at that juncture.

“Being out here can be a lot. It can be lonely,” Thompson said Tuesday, fighting back tears.

“A lot of people don’t realize what we go through as a professional athlete. I’ll be the last one to say throw me a pity party. That’s the last thing I want. We’re doing what we love. We’re trying our best every single day. But you know, we’re not perfect. We’re humans. Words hurt. It’s hard to overcome sometimes.”

Many people figured Thompson would go on to win multiple major championships and quickly become one of the sport’s greatest players. But as golf fans know, this sport has its trials and tribulations, often frustrating a player more often than not.

No wonder why the great Bobby Jones once said that “golf is played on a five-inch course—the distance between your ears.”

Nevertheless, in the age of social media, with the camera always on, a poor performance or a weeks-long slump can lead to diminished confidence and internal dilemmas hard to define.

“Everybody out here has their own struggles. That’s what I always say. Just don’t judge anybody because you don’t know what they’re going through and what they have going on in their mind and their heart, and just be gentle with them,” Thompson said.

Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

“I think we all have our own struggles, especially out here. Unfortunately, in golf, you lose more than you win, so it’s an ongoing battle to continue to put yourself out there in front of the cameras and continue to work hard and maybe not see the results you want and get criticized for it. So it’s hard.”

Thompson had been mulling over this decision for months. But her career started at the U.S. Women’s Open, so she felt obligated to make things a full-circle moment this week in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

Yet, she did leave the door open to playing some events in the future—just not a full-time schedule.

“I’m taking it day by day right now. I’m not going to say yes or no on how many events I’ll play or if I do,” Thompson said.

“I’m just going to take it day by day and see how I feel, especially going into next year. But I’m very content with this being my last full-time schedule year.”

Perhaps she will continue to play in this tournament in the future. Perhaps not.

Either way, Thompson leaves a lasting legacy full of generosity and empathy. Look no further than last fall, when she almost made the cut at the Shriners Children’s Open in Las Vegas.

Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images

Despite missing the weekend, Thompson was still the star of the show. Not because of her play, but because of her compassion to everyone there. She let patients of the Shriners Children’s Hospital network design her golf bag. Thompson signed countless autographs and spent ample time with dozens of children, too.

But the thing about Thompson is that she does this wherever she goes. No matter what her score, her result, or the amount of birdies she makes, Thompson will always be one of the favorites on the LPGA, not because of her achievements on the golf course, but because of her personality off of it.

She shined through the ups and downs during a difficult era to come of age so early on. So, considering that she made 18 appearances at the biggest event in women’s golf before her 30th birthday, perhaps this announcement is not so shocking. Regardless, at least Thompson can enjoy herself in retirement, where surely, the pressure will subside, and her smile will continue to shine.

Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough for more golf coverage. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko as well.