Lexi Thompson’s experience at the U.S. Women’s Open at Lancaster Country Club was a profound mix of professional disappointment and personal fulfillment. Competing in her final season on the LPGA tour, Thompson scored a 13-over 153, leading to her missing the cut. This result starkly contrasted her usual competitive form, marking a bittersweet milestone in her storied career.
Thompson, renowned for breaking records and setting high standards in women’s golf, is likely to retire from full-time competition after an illustrious career, including a groundbreaking start as the youngest qualifier for the U.S. Women’s Open and securing 15 LPGA victories, notably the 2014 Chevron Championship. Her decision stems from important issues like athlete mental health and the search for balance between professional achievements and personal well-being.
During this emotionally charged event, Thompson battled through rounds of 8-over 78 and 5-over 75. Despite the setbacks and the eventual miss of the cutline, the tournament held substantial emotional weight for Thompson. She expressed immense gratitude for the fan support and reflected on her career’s journey and its closing chapter.
Lexi openly shared her thoughts, stating: “Minus the golf, it was amazing. It wasn’t the golf that I wanted to play honestly, but it was a special week, of course, with announcing what I did. To see all the parents out there and just to hear their chants and like ‘Go Lexi’s’ made me smile every single shot even if I kept bogeying. It was a special week.”
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Further accentuating her heartfelt sentiments, she added, “It’s meant the world to me; like I said earlier in the week, this is where my whole dream got started. When I was 12, I knew when I teed it up first at Pine Needles, that’s where I wanted to be and playing against the best.
“To continue to do so and to be playing my 18th, though it wasn’t the way I wanted to end it, it was always special every time I teed it up at the USGA events, so I cherished every moment that I had. I’m so blessed and grateful for the family I have … I’m just so blessed for the family I have.”
Looking ahead, Thompson remains committed to competing in selected events, notably aiming to place on the Solheim Cup team. She also plans to broaden her focus beyond golf by developing her fitness app, “Lexi Fitness,” and advocating for mental health awareness, thus continuing her influence in the sports world, even off the green.
“I’m not going to sit here and say it hasn’t crossed my mind in past years,” she said. “But I feel like I’m at a point in my life where it is time to step away from a full-time schedule. There’s 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 don’t think a lot of people realize I’ve been out here (on tour) since I was 15 years old. I’ve known only professional golf life and junior golf, amateur golf, being on the road. I’ve thought about it the last few years, but it never was the right time for me. Now where I’m at today and still the goals I want to accomplish the rest of this year, I’m super fired up about that, and I just want to enjoy every walk that I have out there.”
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.