The LPGA has faced a lot of problems in 2024. One of the prominent issues is the loss of Cognizant as the Founders Cup sponsor. The league also got a hit of reality about its popularity when Caitlin Clark joined the Pro-Am event at the Annika 2024. The WNBA star brought in so many viewers that the stark difference in the viewership of the Pro-Am event and the tournament raised many questions at the LPGA headquarters. Lexi Thompson taking a step back from full-time golf has also been a topic of discussion recently.

Things seemed to have changed since then as the likes of Lydia Ko, Nelly Korda, and co. had something to rejoice about a few days ago. The sponsors of the final event of the season, the CME Group announced the extension of their contract with the LPGA till 2027.

But the happiness only lasted a few days as another issue surfaced a few hours ago. Reports have come in showing that LPGA golfers don’t usually have a long career in golf. Unlike the PGA Tour which sees many senior players still performing at the highest level, women golfers don’t have the same longevity in the sport.

Golf reporter @chantel_mccabe shared interesting details about the number of retirements observed in the LPGA Tour this year. She said, “Tomorrow will be Ally Ewing’s last competitive round. Angela Stanford played her last tournament last week. Brittany Lincicome and Lexi Thompson are done playing full-time. I had almost forgotten that former world #1 So Yeon Ryu also retired, with a farewell back at Chevron.”

Apart from Angela Stanford, all other LPGA pro golfers listed by Chantel are under 40 years of age. This is certainly concerning as it seems that the LPGA Tour is not exciting enough for pros to stay motivated and have a long career in golf. Even when you look at the Rolex rankings, the average age of the 10 highest-ranked pros is around 25 years and 8 months. In fact, the oldest player in the top 10 is Celine Boutier, who is only 31 years old.

While having young talent at the top of the leaderboard is certainly a great sign for the future of golf, the present doesn’t seem as promising. The lack of veteran golfers showcasing their experience and sharing their wisdom at the highest level doesn’t reflect well on women’s golf.

Fans were also surprised to learn about the surprising information. Many of them even voiced their opinions on the situation.

The LPGA Tour is not aging well

Fans have been quite concerned about the issue ever since Lexi Thompson announced her retirement as a full-time pro golfer. The tweet received quite a few reactions from the fans. @mjw3185 shared, “So weird. Add to the list Annika [Sorenstam], Lorena [Ochoa], InBee [Park], etc. Are women just not wired to play and compete into their 40s and beyond?” Annika Sorenstam had an illustrious career but she still retired from the sport at 38. Lorena Ochoa was at the top of the Rolex table for 158 straight weeks when she retired at 28 and InBee Park, who has not yet retired, hasn’t played in an LPGA event since August 2022. Chantel provided an explanation in her response saying that women might be retiring early because they age faster and prefer to focus on their family.

@mikewiceIRL sought an explanation from the reporter as they asked, “4/5 under 40 years old. Any reason why it seems LPGA players are walking away from full-time golf earlier than years past?” Chantel responded by saying that she has interviewed many of those players and the reasons behind their retirement vary. @calvinleenorton suggested, “Need a Seniors Tour for the ladies.” indicating that the LPGA should start a tour similar to the PGA TOUR Champions for their veteran players.

@KyleHrubes also said, “Chantel, why do you think more LPGA Tour players stop playing at a younger age compared to PGA Tour players? Seems like more ladies stop playing in their early to mid-30s whereas the guys play well into their late 40s. Would a senior LPGA Tour make a difference?” advocating the idea of a seniors LPGA tour. @TruthWa35618038 said, “Changing of the guard. New stars emerge. Circle of life.” hinting that this is just a transitional period in women’s golf.

Do you think the likes of Lydia Ko, Nelly Korda, and Charley Hull will also follow the trend and retire early in their career? Share your views in the comments section.