The Dana Open celebrated its 40th anniversary as it started on Thursday, July 18th and the very next day, the first-ever Lexi Thompson Day was celebrated. The 11-time LPGA Tour winner will bid adieu to professional golf by the end of the 2024 season. The Dana Open dedicated Fridays of the event to honor Thompson’s 14-year-long career and her significant contribution to women’s golf.

The fans were urged to wear pink on Friday and three F16s flew over the Highland Meadows Golf Club from the Ohio Air National Guard. Thompson has never won the Dana Open, she was extremely touched by the tribute. She said, “I’m honored that the Dana Open has chosen to recognize me on Friday of tournament week.”

As the day passed, the LPGA Tour posed a question for the fans on their official X handle, “All those in favor of making @Lexi Thompson Day a national holiday, please say I.” At just the age of 29, Thompson has achieved many victories on and off the course, including her 11 LPGA Tour titles and various philanthropic endeavors.

Needless to say, fans felt that Thompson not only deserved a day named in her honor but that a national holiday would be fitting for her contributions to women’s golf. However, as with any public debate, not everyone shared the same opinion.

Netizens demand a Lexi Thompson national holiday

In her more than decade-long career, Lexi Thompson has played in many team events, including the Solheim Cup starting in 2013. In the last editions, team USA was unable to win against the Europeans. Despite this, Thompson’s gameplay was always at the center of it. Last year as well, even with her injured neck, Thompson secured 3 points for her team. Consequently, this fan agreed to the national holiday and also demanded one other thing. They said, “As long as lexi makes the cup team, i will be happy.”

The fans were in full agreement of making the Fridays of Dana Open a holiday, but this fan’s enthusiasm was charting the roof. They excitedly said, “I x10.” Many others joined in with the chorus of “I” and shared their agreement with the special demand. On the other hand, one fan was a bit down as they internalized that the 2024 Dana Open would probably be the last time, Thompson would professionally play at Toledo. This hard goodbye made the user say, “It’s so sad that she’s leaving the sport, but I understand. She’ll be missed!” 

Thompson’s retirement announcement has disheartened the fans, but they should not lose hope. The 11-time LPGA Tour winner revealed at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship press conference that, despite her announcement, anything could happen in the future. As “golf is a crazy game.” Taking the same into account, one fan said, “Great young lady to watch play golf,” Hopefully the fans might catch more golf from Thompson in 2025 as she contemplates her decision.

While almost everyone agreed with Lexi Thompson Day and the national holiday demand, one viewer felt that the 29-year-old did not deserve all the honor. As it stands, the last time Thompson won was at the 2019 ShopRite LPGA Classic, and she has only one major title, which she won in 2014 at the Kraft Nabisco Championship. Highlighting her current winless streak, the user named a few other pros who might be more deserving of such accolades. They said, “She’s 32nd on the all-time win list. Won one major 10 years ago. Hasn’t won a tournament in 5 years. Active players Lydia Ko, Jin Young Ko, Nelly Korda & Brooke Henderson have all done more with many years left to play. So, no.”

Will Lexi Thompson receive a national holiday named after her? Well, that remains a mystery. It surely is delightful for Thompson to witness so many fans supporting such a massive tribute to her career.