Golf

Lexi Thompson announces she will retire from golf at the end of the year

American golfer leaves the professional game at just 29 years old, having played her first US Women’s Open at age 12

Lexi Thompson of the United States looks on from the 12th green. Photograph: Adam Hunger/Getty
Lexi Thompson of the United States looks on from the 12th green. Photograph: Adam Hunger/Getty
David Gorman
Tue May 28 2024 - 20:24

American golfer Lexi Thompson will retire at the end of the year, it has been announced.

Thompson won the Kraft Nabisco Championship in 2014, her only major, and won 11 times on the LPGA Tour.

The 29-year-old is known for her aggressive, powerful style of play and set various age records, qualifying for the US Women’s Open at just 12 years old in 2007, the youngest golfer at that point to play in the tournament. She turned professional in 2010 at 15, and became the youngest winner of an LPGA tournament when she won the Navistar LPGA Classic in September 2011. On winning the Kraft Nabisco Championship at 19, she became the second youngest LPGA golfer to win a major.

She was unable to add to her major tally since then, racking up four runner-up finishes and a further four third-place finishes. Thompson made the American Solheim Cup team six times, winning two of them, in 2015 and 2017. Thompson will speak to the media to discuss her decision about 7.30pm at Lancaster ahead of her final US Women’s Open.

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Currently preparing to compete at the US Women’s Open in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Thompson said: “While it is never easy to say goodbye, it is indeed time.

“At the end of 2024, I will be stepping away from a full professional golf schedule.

“I’m excited to enjoy the remainder of the year as there are still goals I want to accomplish. I’m looking forward to the next chapter of my life. Time with family, friends, and my trusted companion, Leo.

“I will always look for ways to contribute to the sport and inspire the next generation of golfers. And of course, I look forward to a little time for myself.”

David Gorman

David Gorman

David Gorman is a sports journalist with The Irish Times