Lexi Thompson Earns Unexpected Support From PGA Tour Champ After Criticism Over Retirement Move

In the often unforgiving spotlight of professional golf, where every swing and decision is dissected by fans, peers, and pundits alike, Lexi Thompson has long been a beacon of resilience and raw talent. The 30-year-old American phenom, who burst onto the scene as a 12-year-old prodigy qualifying for the 2007 U.S. Women’s Open, announced in May 2024 that she would step away from the LPGA Tour’s full-time schedule at season’s end. What followed wasn’t a graceful exit but a whirlwind of confusion, criticism, and unexpected camaraderie—capped by a heartfelt defense from PGA Tour standout Max Homa. As Thompson navigates this ambiguous “semi-retirement” in 2025, her story underscores the mental toll of elite competition and the power of solidarity in a sport that demands perfection.

A Prodigy’s Burden: From Child Star to Battle-Hardened Veteran

Lexi Thompson’s journey began like a dream scripted for Hollywood. Born in Coral Springs, Florida, on February 10, 1995, she grew up swinging clubs on the course adjacent to her family’s home at Eagle Trace Golf Club. By age 12, she shattered records as the youngest qualifier for the U.S. Women’s Open, a milestone that propelled her into the national consciousness. Three years later, in 2010, she turned professional—the youngest ever at the time—and wasted no time making history. At 16, she claimed her first LPGA victory at the 2011 Navistar LPGA Classic, becoming the youngest winner on tour.

Over the next decade-plus, Thompson amassed 11 LPGA titles, including her lone major at the 2014 Kraft Nabisco Championship (now the Chevron Championship), where she triumphed at 19 as the second-youngest major champion in women’s golf history. Her prodigious power off the tee—often ranking among the longest hitters on tour—earned her a career-high world No. 2 ranking, six Solheim Cup appearances for Team USA, and spots on two Olympic teams. She pocketed over $14 million in earnings and notched 88 top-10 finishes, including runner-up showings at the 2019 U.S. Women’s Open and 2022 Women’s PGA Championship.

Yet, beneath the accolades lay a grueling reality. High-profile heartbreaks defined much of her prime: a four-stroke penalty for an incorrect scorecard at the 2017 ANA Inspiration cost her the title in a playoff; a five-shot lead evaporated in the final round of the 2021 U.S. Women’s Open, leaving her third. Off the course, personal tragedies compounded the pressure—the 2020 death of her mother, Judy, from ovarian cancer, and the relentless scrutiny of social media. “Social media never sleeps, with comments and criticisms flooding in from around the world,” Thompson reflected in 2024. “It can be exhausting to maintain a smile on the outside while grappling with struggles on the inside.”

By 2023, the toll was evident: winless since 2019, she missed cuts in majors and took mental health breaks, including a month-long hiatus in 2018. Her 2024 announcement at the U.S. Women’s Open—poignantly, the site of her childhood breakthrough—was framed as a step back for “life balance,” not a full farewell. “It’s OK to not be OK,” she said, tears welling as she addressed the loneliness of the tour. The decision, coming amid the suicide of PGA Tour player Grayson Murray, amplified conversations about mental health in golf.

The Backlash: A “Retirement” That Wasn’t

Thompson’s words were clear: no full-time schedule, but no door slammed on the game she loves. Yet, the golf world heard “retirement.” The U.S. Golf Association’s press release titled it as such, igniting a firestorm. As she teed off selectively in 2025—13 events by season’s end—confusion bred criticism. “Didn’t she retire?” became a refrain in comment sections and clubhouses. LPGA veteran Mel Reid voiced the frustration bluntly: “If you’re not going to play a full schedule, just don’t.” Reid argued the high-profile announcement sowed unnecessary chaos, turning every Thompson sighting into a headline-grabbing enigma and leaving fans bewildered.

Thompson defended herself repeatedly, firing back on social media after missing the cut at the 2025 U.S. Women’s Open amid slow-play accusations. “AND I’m not sure how many times I’ll have to repeat this,” she posted, “but I never used the word retire… Just taking it one at a time. That’s why I’m still playing the tournaments I actually enjoy.” In interviews, she elaborated: “I feel like once I made the announcement, it really got misconstrued… I just said I was stepping back from a full-time schedule… Just really wanted to dial back my schedule and have more of a life balance.” The backlash stung, especially from peers who saw it as a “retirement tour” milking goodwill without commitment.

Homa’s Stand: A Voice From Across the Fairway

Enter Max Homa, the affable PGA Tour winner whose candor and everyman vibe have made him a fan favorite. The 34-year-old Californian, a six-time tour victor including the 2023 Farmers Insurance Open, knows the grind intimately—rising from mini-tour obscurity to FedEx Cup contention while battling his own slumps and social media trolls. On a recent episode of the *We Need a Fourth* podcast, Homa didn’t mince words in defending Thompson, framing her choice through the lens of sheer endurance.

“Think about how many corporate years Lexi has under her belt,” Homa said, invoking a metaphor for the soul-crushing routine of pro sports. Qualifying at 12 and turning pro at 15 meant Thompson had logged nearly 18 years of elite-level pressure by her announcement—equivalent to a mid-40s executive’s career in a fraction of the time. “She’s been doing this forever,” he emphasized. “If anyone deserves to dial it back, it’s her.” Homa’s intervention was unexpected; as a men’s tour player with no direct stake, his support cut through the noise, validating Thompson’s autonomy in a sport where longevity is both idolized and exhausting.

Homa’s perspective resonated because it echoed Thompson’s own: golf’s “you lose more than you win” ethos amplifies every setback. “Unfortunately in golf, it’s an ongoing battle,” she had said. Homa, who has openly discussed his anxiety and therapy, added a layer of cross-tour empathy, reminding critics that personal decisions aren’t press releases.

2025: Freedom on the Fairways

Freed from the full-time yoke, Thompson’s 2025 has been a revelation—a selective slate yielding sparks of the old magic. She opened with a T14 at The Chevron Championship, her best major finish since 2022, followed by a T12 at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. The highlight came at the Dow Championship, where she and partner Megan Khang—dubbed “Biggie Smalls”—blasted a final-round 60 to force a playoff, falling just short to Jin Hee Im and Lee So-mi. It was a near-fairy-tale sendoff, with Thompson’s unburdened joy on display.

She capped the year at the CME Group Tour Championship, her 13th start, blending competitive fire with off-course pursuits: fitness routines, fishing trips, and advocacy through the Lexi Thompson Foundation, which supports ovarian cancer research in her mother’s honor. “I don’t think [the announcement] has to do anything with announcing what I did,” she said after a strong KPMG round. “It’s just a matter of being comfortable out there and playing free-swing Lexi.”

Beyond the Backlash: A Legacy of Grace

As 2025 fades, Thompson’s saga isn’t one of retreat but reinvention. The criticism, while sharp, has spotlighted broader issues: the blurred lines between retirement and reduction in an athlete’s life, the mental marathon of golf, and the need for compassion over confusion. Homa’s endorsement, simple yet profound, has helped reframe the narrative—from controversy to commendation.

In a sport that chews up dreams, Lexi Thompson endures—not as the child prodigy or major champion, but as a woman reclaiming her swing on her terms. Her unexpected ally in Homa proves that sometimes, the loudest support comes from the unlikeliest fairways. As she eyes selective tees in 2026, one thing’s clear: Lexi’s not out. She’s just getting started on her own course