Is Power Hitter Thompson Really Retired?

Announced Retirement at Last Year's US Women's Open Press Conference
Already Competed in 8 Tournaments This Year, Showing an Unusual Path
"I Did Not Use the Word 'Retirement' at That Time"

"Back and forth." This phrase aptly describes the peculiar path of Lexi Thompson (USA). In May of last year, during the official press conference for the US Women's Open, a major tournament, she suddenly announced her retirement. She said, "I haven't decided what I will do in the future yet," and added, "I'm satisfied that this year will be my last in golf." She continued, "At the end of this year, I will step away from being a full-time player. I have grown weary from the intense world of competition." It was expected that, going forward, she would only be seen at a few tournaments, including major championships.

However, perhaps she has changed her mind. This year, she has been actively competing on the LPGA Tour. Out of the 18 LPGA Tour events held so far this year, she has appeared in as many as 8. This is a similar pace to last year. She made the cut in 6 tournaments, and on June 29, she teamed up with Megan Khang (USA) in the Dow Championship, a two-player team event. They advanced to the playoffs but narrowly lost to Lim Jinhee and Lee Somin.

Lexi Thompson has continued a 'peculiar path' of participating in tournaments even after announcing her retirement last year. Photo by AFP

Thompson has always participated only in tournaments that suited her preferences. She played in 14 tournaments in 2023 and 18 in 2024. The last time she played in an Asia-based event was the Toto Japan Classic in 2019. She has not come to Korea since the KEB Hana Bank Championship in 2016. After missing the cut in consecutive years at the Evian Championship in 2018 and 2019, she stopped participating from the following year. She criticized the course's irregular bounces, saying they were not suitable for a major championship. She did not compete in this year's Evian Championship, which began on July 10.

Recently, Thompson clarified her position on retirement. "At the time of the announcement, I did not use the word 'retirement.' Many people misunderstood, so I wanted to make it clearer," she explained. "What I said was that I would step back from a full-time schedule, but people interpreted that as retirement."

In May of last year, it was a definite retirement announcement. In July 2024, the organizers of the LPGA Tour's Dana Open designated the tournament's second round as "Thompson Day." Fans wore pink to support her and bought memorabilia. There was even a flyover by F-16 fighter jets. Thompson, who had announced she would leave the field at the end of last year, has now changed her mind. She drew a clear line, saying, "I simply said I would step back from a full-time schedule, but people misunderstood."

Thompson is a leading figure representing the United States. At age 12, she competed in the US Women's Open and was called a "golf prodigy." She claimed her first LPGA Tour victory at 16 and impressed with drives close to 300 yards. At 19, she became a major champion at the 2014 Kraft Nabisco Championship. In June 2019, she achieved her 11th career victory (including one major) at the ShopRite Classic.