Can starting a professional career as early as the age of 16 be a little regrettable? In the nearly 2-decade-long career of Lexi Thompson, the LPGA Tour star has achieved many things: the coveted major titles, millions of dollars, and the love of her fans. But Thompson could not complete one thing in her life, that is to become a graduate or attend a high school.

After elementary school, Thompson was homeschooled until she made her professional debut at age 16. In an interview with Golf.com, the 2-time major winner was asked if she ever felt that she missed something out because of golf. While golf restrained Thompson from having the usual high school and college experience, it also gave her something else, something meaningful.

She replied, “It’s tough because I don’t feel that I’ve missed out because I also feel like I’ve gained so much experience, whether it’s from meeting people or getting to travel the world at 14, 15 years old.” Furthermore, the 29-year-old explained that she lived a life that many admired to have, and she was extremely grateful for it. But at times, does it feel like she missed out? Thompson asserted that yes, it did but added, “Big picture, no. I knew golf is what I wanted to do at the age of 12, and I knew the only way I could play against the best was if I sacrificed going to school.”

Looking back, there might be slight regrets that Thompson would have about a missed putt or fairway, but missing the college experience is not the one. But the one golfer she looks up to dearly, who has given him vital advice to cope with her on-course anxiety, Tiger Woods begs to differ on missing the college experience. Back in 2022, Thompson revealed that Wood advised her to just eat more. He asked her to eat something every two holes, and recalling her talk with him, Thomspon said that Woods was very nice to her.

Let us see how Tiger Woods thinks about missing out on the regular college experience.

Unlike Lexi Thompson, Tiger Woods has regrets

In an interview with CBS This Morning show host Charlie Rose, Tiger Woods was asked what was one thing that he regretted the most. The 48-year-old has been playing for decades, and it was only a few years after his divorce from Elin Nordegren. Thus, many would have expected that Woods might have regretted winning more tournaments to get closer to Jack Nicklaus‘s major records or the breaking of his marriage.

But it was nothing related to that. The 82-time PGA Tour winner said, “The only regret I have in my life is not spending another year at Stanford. I wish I would have done one more year.” Back then, in 1996, when Woods made his PGA Tour debut, he had only one more year to spend at Stanford. But he chose to discontinue from there and focus on his professional career, which by the way has been anything but successful.

Yet he wished that he spent one more year at Stanford. When asked about why he didn’t feel anything else was regrettable, Woods solemnly replied, “All the things I’ve been through are tough; yes, they have been tough. But they have been great for me.” And that’s why, despite many other things he missed out on, completing his graduation was at the top.

Although Woods differs from Lexi Thompson in missing out on a college experience because of golf, the two have been successful in their lives without it and inspired many young players to pursue golf.