Golf is one of the sports that older people are often said to be able to get into. Of course, the modern game is no different in terms of fitness and health, but professional golfers do tend to retire much later than in other sports. With Lexi Thompson retiring at the end of this year, at 29 years of age, and having played 7 Solheim Cups, is she the record holder for most Solheim Cup appearances?

Lexi Thompson turned pro at the age of 15. She has played in 7 Solheim Cups, but she is not the record holder for the most Solheim Cup appearances. That honor belongs to Dame Laura Davies. Englishwoman Laura Davies holds the record with 12 Solheim Cup appearances, which she accomplished by being on Team Europe from the inaugural 1990 event to 2011. She has a record of 22-18-6.

But Lexi Thompson is no slouch. She is the youngest Team USA player to play in a Solheim Cup. She achieved this feat in the 2013 Cup when she was just 18 years old. However, Charley Hull holds the record for the youngest player to play in the Solheim Cup, as in the same year as Thompson, she was 17 years old.

With her seven appearances, Lexi Thompson would be behind legends such as Laura Davies, Cristie Kerr, and Juli Inkster. The latter two have 9 appearances to their name. Since Thompson is set to retire at the end of the 2024 season, this could be her last Solheim Cup appearance. She currently has a record of 9 wins, 7 losses, and 7 halves.

A record-breaking career

Lexi Thompson was a golf prodigy. She held the record for the youngest person to play in the US Open at 12 years old. That record was broken by Lucy Li in 2014, who competed in the tournament at 11 years old. She was also the youngest LPGA Tour winner at the age of 16 when she won the Navistar LPGA Classic in 2011. That record was subsequently broken by Lydia Ko in 2015.

Starting at such a young age, she quickly became the face of American golf. Although she has 11 LPGA Tour wins, she only has one major to her name, the Chevron Championship, then known as the Kraft Nabisco Championship in 2014. She nearly won the 2021 US Open but blew a 5-shot lead in the final round.

Although she is retiring early, her career has been long and glorious. She inspired many young girls to take up golf and has been a great ambassador for the sport.