Lexi Thompson has undoubtedly captured the community’s attention with her retirement announcement. The announcement that this would be her last season as a professional golfer came out of nowhere and left everyone thinking. Every Thompson and golf fan must be scratching their heads. The most significant rumor, proposed by a golf analyst, concerns the 11-time Tour winner’s reason for retiring. In response, LPGA legend Nancy Lopez stepped in with a fitting reply.

Recently, golf analyst @AlanShipnuck shared his thoughts on Thompson’s retirement on X. According to Alan, Thompson “always had a complicated relationship with stardom; can’t think of another top player for whom the game seemed like such a burden.” He suggests that the pressures of golf began to weigh heavily on Thompson, ultimately leading her to consider retirement. For some time, Thompson has not been having a very good season. She made 1 cut last year in four majors she played, and this year too she poorly missed the cut at the Chevron Championship.

In response, 48-time LPGA Tour winner Nancy Lopez said, “Everyone needs to stop guessing and making up your own reasons why Lexi is retiring.” She further added, “Just be happy for her and wish her well. She is a wonderful, sweet human.” The three-time major champion believes that the community should respect Thompson’s decision to retire instead of speculating on its reasons. Thompson has always given back to the sport, and society through her collaborations with various non-profit ventures.

Thompson recently shared a heartfelt video on her personal Instagram account talking about what the sport means to her. In it, she expressed her gratitude and reflected on how it has taught her “resilience, patience, and the power of perseverance.” Despite the surprise, it has been confirmed that the 29-year-old will retire after this LPGA season, making this year’s US Women’s Open her last.

Although she has only one major win, the 29-year-old made history as the youngest-ever qualifier for the US Women’s Open at the age of 12 and has made six Solheim Cup appearances, among other notable achievements that have shaped her career. As she prepares to bid farewell to the professional greens, does she have anything specific she wants to accomplish before retiring?

What are Lexi Thompson’s pre-retirement plans?

While her retirement announcement came as a surprise, given that she hadn’t previously discussed it, her decision was pre-planned. As a fitness enthusiast, the first thing she plans to do is launch her fitness app later this year. This became evident when she disclosed her plans: “No, of course, I’ve thought about it. I’m super into fitness. Hopefully, I’ll have my Lexi Fitness app up and going very soon. And just enjoying life.” 

However, her top priority isn’t launching the fitness app; instead, it’s securing a spot on the Solheim Cup team. She revealed, “Number one is to definitely be on the Solheim Cup team. Huge honor just to represent my country and play alongside the team there and my captain; definitely that.” Given the memorable experiences from her six previous appearances, she aims to make a seventh appearance before bidding farewell.

Feel free to share your thoughts on Lexi Thompson’s retirement and her upcoming plans in the comments below! Stay tuned with Essentially Sports for updates on the 2024 US Women’s Open, featuring Thompson and other top golfers.