LPGA Tour superstar Lexi Thompson is just 29 years old and seems to be in the prime of her career. But in a shocking turn of events, she announced on Tuesday that this will be her final year of professional golf.
Lexi Thompson revealed on Tuesday that she plans to walk away from professional golf, citing mental health as one of the reasons why she is retiring from the sport.
“I think we all have our struggles, especially out here,” Thomspon said Tuesday at the Women’s U.S. Open according to Fox News. “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’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.”
Thompson went on to explain just how much of an emotional and mental toll being a professional athlete puts on a person.
“It can get lonely,” Thompson added, fighting back tears. “I just think, especially with what’s happened in golf, 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. But we’re doing what we love. We’re trying the best every single day, and we’re not perfect. We’re human, words hurt and it’s hard to overcome sometimes …
“I think it’s a lot for everybody out here or for (people) in any professional sport. A lot of people don’t know what we go through, the amount of training and hard work that we put ourselves through. It’s a lot, and I think we deserve a lot more credit than we get.”
Obviously, this is a shocking announcement and it led to a lot of reactions on social media as a result.
Been thinking a bunch this morning about the burden of expectations that Michelle Wie and Lexi Thompson struggled with, and how some of it aligns with the expectations on Nelly now to be "the face of the sport."
Being very good at golf never feels like enough. https://t.co/KqspwOzmr8
— Kevin Van Valkenburg (@KVanValkenburg) May 28, 2024
Lexi has without question inspired a generation of young golfers.
She has been a positive force in the game for a long time.
Wishing her the very best in her next chapter and will enjoy watching her for the rest of this year! https://t.co/DQBjI7fXLi
— Lou Stagner (Golf Stat Pro) (@LouStagner) May 29, 2024
I applaud her for taking stock of her life and dreams. She has had a full career, even at her age. I hope she finds the happiness that is eluding her.
She deserves to have the life she wants. Good for her. Retiring on your own terms is priceless. https://t.co/jycJVQgX6P
— West Valentine (@TwirlClub) May 28, 2024
I played sports at a collegiate level, nowhere near the level of pro athletes and the pressure I put on myself at times was crippling. You have to be such a perfectionist to be at this level and that’s SUCH a mental toll, hope she finds happiness. https://t.co/aVnVaZCnWL
— Lou (@thatsloudacris) May 28, 2024
Congrats. It takes courage to do this and I am looking forward to your next chapter. https://t.co/80oUxKnY9G
— @richriker (@richriker) May 28, 2024
Why is she walking away?
Just read some of the replies to this tweet. Not all of them, but this small sample size gives you a glimpse into her life.People can be so incredibly mean. https://t.co/WGnCV5exAv
— Society of Golf Historians (@SHistorians) May 28, 2024
Thompson is one of the most accomplished active players on the entire Tour. Her decision to retire obviously came as a shock to many.
[Fox News]
