After Bidding Goodbye to ‘Lonely’ LPGA, Lexi Thompson Comforts Golf Community With Latest Update

Lexi Thompson’s retirement from golf was not easy on her mind. And when she announced her retirement during the U.S. Women’s Open in May, she did not try to hide that either. From her words, it seemed as if prioritizing her mental health is one of the prime reasons why she said goodbye to the sport.

“I think we all have our own [mental health] struggles, especially out here. 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,” Lexi had said. Alongside, she spilled a harsh truth in that conversation.

Lexi was asked which struggles she felt most proud of overcoming. “I think honestly just staying true to myself. Being out here can be a lot. It can be lonely. Sorry if I get emotional. A lot of people, they don’t realize a lot of what we go through as a professional athlete … We’re doing what we love. We’re trying our best every single day and we’re not perfect. We’re humans. Words hurt, and it’s hard to overcome sometimes,” Lexi had said, fighting back tears. After such overwhelming emotions, enough to make the fans worried, here came some good news from the 11X LPGA Tour winner.

After bidding farewell to the LPGA Tour, the 1-time major winner is now spending her time with her family, his pet dog Leo, and, as an exercise freak, doing her intense workout sessions. This time, Leo also joined Thompson for one of her fitness sessions. The 11-time LPGA Tour winner posted a cute photo with her dog on Instagram as she adored him and held his paw amidst her gym session. Thompson shared what she sometimes thinks about her dog. She wrote, “I wonder what goes through his mind sometimes 😂.”

It has been only two weeks since Thompson retired from full-time professional golf. Her last event was the CME Group Tour Championship, where the last round was a bit disappointing for Thompson as she finished at T49. But not much when Leo is beside her. According to the American Kennel Club, a comprehensive review of studies published between 1950 and 2019 found that dog owners had a lower risk of death. Studies suggest that dog owners have lower blood pressure levels and less stress. That especially means a lot to a golfer. Why?

The sport is notoriously hard on the mind. Remember Grayson Murray, the two-time PGA Tour winner who died by suicide? Ironically, Lexi’s retirement announcement came days after this incident. “Life wasn’t always easy for Grayson, and although he took his own life, we know he rests peacefully now,” Murray’s parents Eric and Terry had said in a statement. In such a stressful sport, hugs and kisses are healing enough. That is what Leo, a Havapoo dog, does for Lexi. Interestingly, bringing Leo was a chance factor for Lexi.

In the Summer of 2018, Lexi visited the Heavenly Puppies pet store in South Florida to volunteer to walk the dogs. She thought while the animals would enjoy some fresh air, she would also have a much-needed escape from a scathing sporting schedule. But luck wanted something more than that for her.

As Lexi entered the center, she noticed a puppy cuddled up on a ladybug plush toy. For her, it was a kind of divine indication. Lexi has a ladybug patch on her golf bag and wears ladybug earrings for good luck. She told her mother, Judy: “I’ve changed my mind. I don’t need to volunteer. I’m getting a dog.” So came Leo. And its effect on Lexi was enormous.

Just after adopting Leo, Lexi returned to the winning way at the CME Group Tour Championship after a 14-month winless drought that included a one-month mental-health hiatus. And Leo, the fluffy six-month-old has an important role to play: it provided much-needed distraction between the intense rounds. But that is not the best thing about the four-legged.

Beyond everything, it is the unconditional love that Leo offers. “No matter what I shoot, this guy is giving me kisses,” Lexi had said about Leo. What else one need for therapy? Undoubtedly, every pet parent can relate to Thompson’s candid post, as at least for once, all would have thought about the same. As the 28-year-old looks to make her life outside of professional golf, after seeing the sweet photo of Thompson and her dog, the fans could not stop but adore Thompson too.

Netizens love Lexi Thompson as she poses with Leo

Leo came into Lexi Thompson’s life when she was having a really hard time. She had lost her grandmother, her mother was diagnosed with cancer, and after a rule dispute, her second major win at the ANA Inspiration was lost too, and she had to miss the Women’s British Open to take some time off. It was when the 2018 season ended, that Leo came into her life and she made a comeback at the season finale. She then shared that Leo saved her life, so what this fan said makes absolute sense. They commented, “He’s thinking that his mom loves him unconditionally!” 

Another took this as a chance to praise Thompson. The 29-year-old has endured a lot in her professional career. After her final round at the CME Group Tour Championship, Thompson couldn’t hold back her tears as she expressed, “I’ve held in a lot,” because as an athlete she was told to be strong and not show the vulnerable side. Regardless, she has moved on from that, and surely her dog was always on her side. As another user said, “He’s thinking my mom is the “BEST.” Seeing Thompson in her comfort zone doing what she loved, one user admired her beauty and noted, “Look amazing, healthy, fit, and beautiful!!!!” 

Thompson would not play a full schedule anymore, so what would she do? Before her final event, the 1-time major winner shared her plans to introduce the Lexi Thompson Fitness App to her fans, and she also suggested spending time with her family; she has done both. However, as a working profession, the golf world had some suggestions. As LPGA Tour’s commissioner, Mollie Marcoux Samaan will be stepping down from her post in January 2025; this follower wanted Thompson to take her place.

They said, “I know you’ve only been retired for about 20 minutes, but you’d be a great commissioner.” Another wanted Thompson to move slowly after her retirement, as there was no rush for her to do anything immediately. They said, “You deserve to take it easy for a bit. Decompress; contemplate your future. Everybody wants you to be a golf commentator. You’d be great. But is that what you want?”

Whatever Thompson may choose her future career path to be, for the time being, she is enjoying playing golf just for fun, spending time with her family, and working out as she always has been.