“Seeing Lexi ‘live a little,’ the tagline from our new brand campaign, emphasizes the next phase of her journey, and we look forward to sharing her story as inspiration,” said Edmund F. Murphy, III, president and CEO at Empower. Empower has announced its sponsorship of Lexi Thompson, marking its fourth LPGA player sponsorship and highlighting its commitment to women in sports. Thompson wore the Empower logo on her apparel, debuting the sponsorship at the JM Eagle LA Championship and the Chevron Championship.

“Empower has had an incredible growth and success story over the last decade, which resonates with me,” Lexi Thompson said. “I’m proud to be a part of their brand and to help demonstrate to young people that they can achieve what they set out to do through hard work and commitment.” But not everyone is satisfied with the partnership.

Speaking on the latest podcast episode of The Mixed Bag on Spotify, LPGA insider Matthew Galloway questioned Lexi Thompson’s new sponsorship deal, and well, he has some quite notable points. Galloway, who has caddied for Michelle Wie West before, joked about the “synergy” between Thompson’s semi-retirement and the company’s focus on retirement, saying, “Lexi has a new sponsor. Impressive, impressive feat for a retiree. It’s not AARP, but it’s not Medicare.”

Well, he is kind of right with the statement. AARP, or the American Association of Retired Persons, is a prominent non-profit organization that stands out for its broad scope of services and advocacy for older adults. Unlike Empower, a financial services company, AARP offers a range of benefits, programs, and advocacy efforts focused on financial security, health, and well-being for its members, making it a well-established and trusted resource for individuals 50 and over.

He added, “Well, it, it is recognized as the second largest retirement services provider in the US. So retirement services for a semi-retiree, we have synergy,” highlighting the potential connection between Thompson’s schedule and the company’s services.

Galloway urged Thompson to be honest with fans about her intentions, saying, “Don’t gaslight us, Lexi. Just, kind of—just be honest and talk to us straight up.” He also pointed out the potential issue with the deal, noting that Empower likely wants its logo visible on TV, saying, “If you’re in power too, you’re probably not signing her on… If she’s not playing a significant amount of events where you can have your logo visible on TV, right? So yeah, it just gave me a little chuckle.” Galloway’s comments suggest that Thompson’s limited schedule might not align with the sponsor’s expectations.

Well, it is a concern. You see, Thompson has only played 4 tournaments in the last four months, perhaps because she is busy in her wedding preparations. She finished T13 at the Founders Cup, followed by a T38 at the Ford Championship, and she then missed the cut at the JM Eagle LA Championship. Most recently, she finished T14 at The Chevron Championship.

So, the golfer will most likely keep her calendar free of less important events, which will directly affect her latest partnership. Well, the Empower deal isn’t the first deal of Thompson’s that left everyone in the golf world shocked to their core.

Lexi Thompson’s 2023 deal that left her manager in ‘shock’

The golf world was turned upside down in 2023 when Lexi Thompson, a superstar with a rep for crushing it on the course, ditched her trusty Bridgestone balls for Maxfli. Like, what? Maxfli, the brand that’s been MIA from the pro circuit for ages? Yes, that one.  Thompson’s agent, Brett Falkoff, was approached about a potential partnership with Maxfli golf balls. Initially, Falkoff was skeptical, but after testing Maxfli’s Tour Series model, Thompson and her team were impressed with its performance.

“We were all in shock,” Falkoff said. “The golf ball was better than anything else she tested. It became a nice match, and we were able to work out a nice agreement.” As part of the deal, Thompson will play the Maxfli ball exclusively and wear the company’s logo on her visor, providing feedback to help develop its 2025 models.

The partnership makes Thompson the first LPGA player to endorse Maxfli, and it’s seen as a strategic move for both parties. Aimee Watters, VP of vertical brand marketing for Dick’s Sporting Goods, said Thompson “provides instant name recognition and further legitimacy to the Maxfli brand.”

The partnership has been a success so far so do you think the same will happen with Thompson’s new deal? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below!