Lexi Thompson gave a tearful press convention after ending her last full-time aggressive season on the LPGA Tour.
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Lexi Thompson is simply 29, however she’s lived a number of lifetimes in golf.
She launched herself to the world of golf in 2007 when she certified for the U.S. Girls’s Open on the age of 12. On the time, she was the youngest participant to ever qualify for the nationwide championship. She turned professional three years later and gained for the primary time on the LPGA Tour the next season. The query then was not if the budding celebrity would win a significant title, however moderately what number of.
Seems, Thompson would go on to win only one, a triumph within the desert in 2014 that culminated with a leap into Poppie’s Pond. There have been different alternatives, full with agonizingly shut calls and controversial finishes, however Thompson’s win on the Dinah Shore was her lone triumph on the most important stage. In fact, Thompson’s journey had many different highlights, however in the end her profession grew to become outlined by what might’ve been.
On Sunday in Naples, that journey formally got here to a detailed. With a final-round 74 on the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship, Thompson’s aggressive taking part in profession over. There could also be one-off occasions sooner or later, however for now, Thompson’s full-time taking part in days are behind her.
Chatting with the media after the spherical, Thompson struggled to comprise her feelings when reflecting on “the top.”
“It was very emotional,” she stated. “Actually wasn’t till I received to [the last hole] for some cause. Form of all hit me.”
Thompson’s last occasion didn’t go the way in which she seemingly had hoped. She posted two-under for the week — good for a tie for forty ninth place — and her last spherical featured a quadruple-bogey 8. To make issues worse, the TV protection on Sunday compelled a two-tee begin for the ultimate spherical, that means Thompson completed on No. 9 moderately than No. 18.
“Fairly unhappy,” Thompson wrote on Instagram. “Bummed I gained’t have the ability to embrace all of the unimaginable followers on 18.”
In the end, in fact, the unceremonious end and lackluster play gained’t be what Thompson is remembered for. Her legacy might be formed by her triumphs and heartbreaks — and in addition for her generosity with these supported her by way of all of it.
“[My legacy] means extra to me than something,” Thompson stated. “In fact the wins, you realize, received me to what I’m, the accomplishments and every part, however I needed to go away an even bigger influence as a task mannequin, any individual who gave again to the sport, any individual who made an influence on little women and boys out right here getting began within the recreation at a younger age. Exhibiting the way in which I give again to the folks and the sponsors and every part, there may be extra essential issues than simply taking part in good golf.”
Some observers will say Thompson underachieved on the course; others will say that was, partly, the results of unfair strain at too early an age. Her resume is stuffed with grand achievements, nevertheless it’s laborious to not marvel how a lot better it might’ve been.
One factor that may’t be argued, although, is the influence Thompson made on her followers who supported her by way of all of it. Even in her darkest moments, she all the time made time to present again.
“The moments I’ll cherish essentially the most are most likely with the followers,” she stated. “These are the moments I’ll actually bear in mind again as a result of they made an influence in my life as effectively.”
