Lexi Thompson Is Retiring from Full-Time Golf at Just 29 Years Old

Lexi Thompson announced her retirement from golfing at just 29 years old. Is she making the appropriate choice?

May 30 2024, Published 4:52 p.m. ET

When we take into accounts retirement, we ceaselessly call to mind other folks of their 60s throwing events and celebrating the next stages of their lives as retired folks, most likely grandparents. But anyone as young as 29 years outdated will hardly announce their retirement. Even in high-contact sports, athletes typically play till their mid to late thirties, and golfers will easily play into their 40s or 50s. But no longer Lexi Thompson.

Lexi Thompson broke a file as the youngest golfer to qualify for the Women’s U.S. Open in 2007 when she was once simply 12 years previous (despite the fact that Lucy Li broke that in 2014), because of this that Lexi is competing in her 18th U.S. Open at just 29 years old with two Olympic Games underneath her belt. It’s handiest natural that when nearly her whole existence in golf, she’d need to check out something different. So why did she retire?

Lexi Thompson announced her retirement from golf in a heartfelt video on Instagram.

In a mix of an Instagram post and press conference, Lexi Thompson announced that she’d be retiring from golf after this season, technically her 18th season as a qualified golfer. The poetry of retiring after 18 years—18 is the number of holes on a golf direction—isn't lost on us or on Lexi. Perhaps she informed herself that once 18 years, no matter what, she’d to find something else to do together with her existence.

Luckily, as a result of she’s not even 30 years previous yet, Lexi has a number of lifestyles left forward of her to do one thing different. She may move to college and get a point — she may just do anything else! Up until this point, she’s had Eleven LPGA Tour wins, two Ladies European Tour wins, an LPGA of Japan Tour win, and a 2011 win within the TPC February Shootout. Plus, she competed at the U.S. Olympic workforce two times. With hundreds of thousands of greenbacks and a number of other wins, she’s introduced that it’s time to retire.

“Golf. What can I say in the end these years? You have played such a very powerful position for the majority of my life. You welcomed me into your global at such a young age, and for that, I am grateful,” she voiced in her Instagram put up as if reading a letter written to the game. “Though our courting has been sophisticated now and then, you’ve taught me resilience, endurance, and the ability of perseverance.

“You’ve shown me the highs and lows of competition, the joys of victory, and the teachings discovered in defeat … Although this has been an awesome adventure, it hasn't always been a very simple one. Since I was 12 years old, my lifestyles as a golfer has been a whirlwind of continuing attention, scrutiny, and drive. The cameras are all the time on, capturing every swing and each and every moment on and off the golf path.

She added, "Social media never sleeps, with comments and criticisms flooding in from around the world," she added. "It can be exhausting to maintain a smile on the outside while grappling with struggles on the inside." But she’s accomplished so gracefully for over 18 years and now, Lexi is able to step back from being a full-time golfer.

Lexi also announced her resolution in a press convention two days after PGA Tour winner Grayson Murray’s oldsters introduced that he died by way of suicide. "I think we all have our own [mental health] struggles, especially out here," Lexi mentioned within the press convention.

"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 continuing to work hard and maybe not seeing the results you want and getting criticized for it. So it's hard. I will say, yes, I've struggled with it. I don't think there's somebody out here that hasn't. It's just a matter of how well you hide it, which is very sad."

Clearly, Lexi’s psychological health performed a role in her resolution to step again, as did her desire to “department out” and do something other. When asked if her contemporary hand injury performed a job in her decision, she defined that it used to be extra about wanting to do something other and new together with her life. Lexi is able to live and we're in complete improve of her!

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