On May 28, Lexi Thompson—usually an embodiment of calm, cool, and collected—broke down in tears. A 17 year relationship that she put her heart, sweat and tears into ended. But the breakup wasn’t abrupt. Over the years, the 29-year-old had often fantasized about a life where she wouldn’t to be on the road for 25 weeks a year. When she embarked on the journey of professional golfing at the age of 12—the second youngest debutant behind Lucy Li at 11—she didn’t realize the very thing she loved would threaten her sanity and existence.

So yes, she broke down in tears. Not only because she was sad, but because sometimes she felt like she was barely holding on. Thompson explained her situation at a press conference at the 2024 U.S. Women’s Open (the same place her career started) and one of the words that stuck with me was “lonely”. “Being out here, it can be a lot. It can be lonely. Sorry if I get emotional,” she apologized—as if an involuntary response to the silent critics waiting to judge her.

In an Instagram video, she further detailed the constant pressure, and said, “Although this has been an amazing journey, it hasn’t always been an easy one…Since I was 12 years old, my life as a golfer has been a whirlwind of constant attention, scrutiny and pressure..Social media never sleeps, with comments and criticisms flooding in from around the world..It can be exhausting to maintain a smile on the outside while grappling with struggles on the inside,” inspiring not just her colleagues but the future generations too.

And one of them recently showed up in person to support what is the veteran golfer’s final LPGA Tour season. Thompson shared a story on her Instagram handle, sharing a picture of herself standing alongside her friend and young golfer, Nora Otero. “Best surprise getting to see @noragolfs today at the @nwachampionship,” wrote Thompson as she added, “She’s the best!”

This is not the first time that the two have been spotted on the golf course together. So, calling them “friends” wouldn’t be too much of a stretch either. Little Nora was one of the many who expressed their sadness when her idol announced her retirement. In a post dated May 29, the young girl wrote, “My #BiggestInfluence and my #Friend announced that she is retiring at the end of the 2024 season,” before adding, “While I am sad, I am also so grateful for the many times she made me feel like the most important girl in the world.”

Otero then added how the LPGA Tour Pro inspired her to love the game of golf before divulging her plans to see her in Arkansas for the tournament. “We are going to try and see you in Arkansas and give you a big hug!” added the youngster, “I will always think of you as one of my best friends and will always be cheering you on. I hope to see you soon and congratulations – I know it was not an easy decision.”

Easy? That’s not a word Lexi was familiar with back in May. “I think we all have our own [mental health] struggles, especially out here,” she said while mentioning the importance of getting help “and surrounding yourself with the people that support you” when needed. Notably, her announcement came just three days after fellow golfer Grayson Murray took his own life. Struggling with alcoholism in the past—to the point where he would get heavily drunk during tournaments as a rookie—May had marked the eighth month of his sobriety.

Days before the incident, the golfer had said he believed his best golf was ahead of him. He was also elected as the PGA Tour’s 16-member player advisory council that same month. However, the 30-year-old withdrew from the Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial after the 16th hole on May 24 citing illness, before travelling back to his property in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida where he took the tragic step.

So when Thompson said, “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,” in the wake of Murray’s passing, it resonated deeply with many within the community.

And now as Thompson will finally get to sit back and relax, she already has some plans in mind…

Lexi Thompson’s plans for the rest of the 2024 season

Before Lexi Thompson rides into the sunset, she still has some responsibilities to shoulder. Everyone was curious about her reply when a reporter asked her, “Lexi, what’s your schedule like for the rest of 2024?” Satiating the curiosity, she replied, “For the rest of this year I plan to play the following two weeks in Cincinnati and then in Arkansas. Then I’ll play the Florida swing at the end of the year.”

The golfer seemed to be referring to the Kroger Queen City Championship pres. by P&G in Cincinnati, and the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship pres. by P&G in Arkansas. And she kept her promise as Lexi Thompson teed off in the two while finishing T19 in the former and carding a 3-under on the first round at the event in Arkansas. Apart from the same, she also hinted at taking part in the ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge and the CME Group Tour Championship.

But after the 2024 season draws to a close, she’ll concentrate on some new business ventures. The star will launch a fitness app, Lexi Fitness. While she may take part in events sporadically, 2025 will be all about being a “tourist” in her own words. “I want to be able to travel and not play golf, so to be able to sightsee and do all the ‘touristy things’. Definitely looking forward to that,” she had revealed in August.

Hopefully, Thompson’s retirement will bring her back the peace she has, for so long, been looking for..