Lexi to Retire End of 2024 Season

[subrew]

Per the thread title, she announced her retirement end of year.

 

 

[MattM97]

Retirement at 29, I can say we're all probably jealous of her for being able to do that. 

[9thGreenAt9]

congrats to her, always enjoyed watching her play! 

[Oneput]

Un-retire (later in life)!

[MelloYello]

She's an insanely accomplished player so it's totally understandable.

 

She was a Top-5 player in the world at her peak, maybe the best American for a stretch and isn't really hanging on for anything at this point. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And she's done well for herself financially:

 

 

 

 

There's a lot of life ahead for her, hopefully a good family life.

 

A great career for a player who seemed to really find some balance at the end. 

[Oneput]

Win the US Open to complete the resume!

[NJBigFish22]

I read it was retiring from full time, guess she may play certain events.  She has had a great career, but is it lacking based on her talent?  The 1 major I think limits her from being in the upper tier of the LPGA. 

[kwcsports]

I like Lexi and wish her all the best moving forward. Hopefully she plays a few tourneys a year. 

[chillybilly]

Good luck and appreciation to LT.

 

This development does illustrate (again) a seemingly intractable problem for the LPGA Tour ie that its members - including some of the most prominent ones - may decide to pursue other avenues in life even when still competitive, physically capable etc.

 

Individual decisions are just that but they must make things more difficult for the Tour and TV outlets in terms of marketing.

[Trippels]

1 hour ago, MattM97 said:

Retirement at 29, I can say we're all probably jealous of her for being able to do that. 

Lexi: "Finally retirement! Now I can just relax and play golf. Wait..."

[Mr.Cleeks]

Great career! Definitely saw this coming, seems like the peak for an LPGA golfer is early/mid 20s and a 10ish year career

[mich750]

Just a great ambassador for the game of golf.  I truly hope she finds some peace and happiness away from the game.

[Lobby]

Lexi's retirement saddens me.   The game owes her a U.S. Open win.

[kwcsports]

I would love to see her win this week. I'll be pulling for her to get it done.

[Trippels]

19 minutes ago, Lobby said:

Lexi's retirement saddens me.   The game owes her a U.S. Open win.

 

8 minutes ago, kwcsports said:

I would love to see her win this week. I'll be pulling for her to get it done.

Nelly:

[tbowles411]

She's earned it and as long as she's been doing it, it's probably time to get her life going in other pursuits.  She can probably still play most of what she wants, but her whole life (sans pro golf) is ahead of her.

[gvogel]

I'm afraid that losing the US Open in 2021 took a lot out of Lexi.  I hope to see her back on a part time basis.

[tbowles411]

1 minute ago, gvogel said:

I'm afraid that losing the US Open in 2021 took a lot out of Lexi.  I hope to see her back on a part time basis.

I think so too.  She was never quite the same after that.  Self doubt became a thing.

[kwcsports]

18 minutes ago, Trippels said:

 

Nelly:

Probably right haha

[naj959]

I feel for her. I suspect she took one too many lumps to keep wanting to get back in the fight. I will miss cheering for her. Hope she still plays a few big events each year.

[cgasucks]

Little surprising for me...she had at least another 10 years of gas left in her.   I still can't get over Lorena Ochoa retiring back in the day.

Edited May 28, 2024 by cgasucks

[AWinfortheAges]

Lydia gets that 1 point and she's gone.

 

Is she pregnant? 

 

Thanks for announcing the week of a major so we'll have to hear about it 5 times an hour during the broadcast.

 

So Yeon,  Lexi, NYC, Inbee likely done, who knows what Jess Korda will do, Wie-West really wasn't that long ago. Too much too soon. Purely from a sports fan perspective I dislike the early retirements. What's  the odds on Stacey Lewis staying after Solheim?  I've appreciated that Kerr and Stanford (and Dame Laura) have hung around.

 

 

[shankz]

Men can play golf forever but not surprising for women to retire and start a family and have children. 

[mosesgolf]

This talented young lady almost made a PGA Tour cut last year in Las Vegas and beat some guys handily.  High 150s ball speeds, 300+ yard drives and under par scores on a big boy tract.  She definitely should've won more.  

[Avidswampthing66]

1 hour ago, gvogel said:

I'm afraid that losing the US Open in 2021 took a lot out of Lexi.  I hope to see her back on a part time basis.

 

1 hour ago, tbowles411 said:

I think so too.  She was never quite the same after that.  Self doubt became a thing.

That was up there as one of the hardest golf tournament to watch.  Her collapse was just gut wrenching.  She totally outplayed everyone, not even CLOSE.  But then just chunked and flubbed her way in.  I do hope she finds happiness and success in the rest of her life and maybe, she will stop by and nab another major 

[Valtiel]

4 hours ago, NJBigFish22 said:

She has had a great career, but is it lacking based on her talent? 

 

33 minutes ago, Avidswampthing66 said:

But then just chunked and flubbed her way in.

Yeah from a swing nerd standpoint her mechanics were always going to be strained under pressure. Her whole "jump stall n' chunk" approach and how much extra coordination it requires speaks to both her immense natural talent but also to her struggles under pressure. 

From the outside she always seemed like a lovely person though and I agree that golf does owe her that major. 

[Titleist_PT23]

Like SYR, Lexi's priorities / commitment seemed to drift over the years (to her credit, she seemed to work hard ahead of Solheim last year and played well there and late in the season).

 

Many of these players start very young and are probably burnt or just want to do something else.  As others have said, Lexi's close calls in recent times may have added to the need to find happiness elsewhere (being a star player, one also takes it on the chin from the media).  Also, in general, over time these players learn who they are and who they are not (in terms of the game's history/statue); perhaps as that comes to become reality the desire changes as well (understandable; she still has had a very good career).

 

I've never been a fan and think she's handled a few situations poorly.  Regardless, hopefully she can enjoy the rest of the season.  If she were able to win again, I think most people would be very happy for her.

[elwhippy]

Her body will thank her. Her super aggressive swing must have caused some wear and tear. 

[ChronicSlicer]

4 hours ago, gvogel said:

I'm afraid that losing the US Open in 2021 took a lot out of Lexi.  

Not to mention the 2017 ANA, which IMO introduced Lexi to the mental side of things, which became her Achilles heel and her decline in the game.

I still believe she could have 20 wins by now, had the above mentioned events had different outcomes, and of course her putting was a tad bit better.

Hope she finds whatever it is she's searching for.

[Naptime]

Seems a good move at this time.  Success on the course has been infrequent in the last few years, and I would think she has other interests in life.  Hard to imagine doing the same stuff approaching 30 that I had done when I was 15.

Edited May 28, 2024 by Naptime