Lexi Thompson gave a tearful press convention after ending her closing 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 received for the primary time on the LPGA Tour the next season. The query then was not if the budding celebrity would win a serious title, however quite 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 largest stage. After all, Thompson’s journey had many different highlights, however finally her profession grew to become outlined by what may’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.
Talking to the media after the spherical, Thompson struggled to include her feelings when reflecting on “the tip.”
“It was very emotional,” she mentioned. “Actually wasn’t till I obtained to [the last hole] for some purpose. Sort of all hit me.”
Thompson’s closing occasion didn’t go the way in which she doubtless had hoped. She posted two-under for the week — good for a tie for forty ninth place — and her closing spherical featured a quadruple-bogey 8. To make issues worse, the TV protection on Sunday pressured a two-tee begin for the ultimate spherical, that means Thompson completed on No. 9 quite than No. 18.
“Fairly unhappy,” Thompson wrote on Instagram. “Bummed I received’t be capable of embrace all of the unbelievable followers on 18.”
In the end, in fact, the unceremonious end and lackluster play received’t be what Thompson is remembered for. Her legacy will probably 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 mentioned. “After all the wins, you realize, obtained me to what I’m, the accomplishments and every part, however I wished to depart an even bigger influence as a task mannequin, someone who gave again to the sport, someone who made an influence on little ladies 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, partially, the results of unfair strain at too early an age. Her resume is stuffed with grand achievements, but it surely’s exhausting to not surprise how significantly better it may’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 offer again.
“The moments I’ll cherish probably the most are most likely with the followers,” she mentioned. “These are the moments I’ll actually keep in mind again as a result of they made an influence in my life as properly.”
