Lexi Thompson never hides the hard truth from her fans, something that was explicit during her return at The Annika tournament. The 11-time tour winner took to Instagram stories and shared, “Not too much fun when you are playing and your neck just decides to get locked up on you, then struggle to move it the next morning.” And now, she has posted another heartfelt message.

“The @cmegrouptourchamp will always hold a special place in my heart. Thank you to Terry Duffy and @cmegroup for really making a difference in women’s golf by putting on a world class event. Thank you to all the other sponsors, volunteers and fans this week for making it possible. Also big thanks to all the staff at @tiburonnaples for having the golf course in great shape and treating us so well ! We appreciate you 👏🏼,” Thompson wrote.

She went on to admit her body fought against her all week long: “Going into the week I can’t say my body was up to playing with some pains I’ve been dealing with, but no excuses and I’m happy with how I pushed through and had a top 20 finish. I’m excited to go back in two weeks for the @grantthorntoninv ☺️ time to take a few days off and get the body feeling better 🙌🏼.”

The 30-year-old golfer managed a top-20 finish and $78,071 with 11 under par despite these lingering health issues. But this is not the first time her body has fought against her. She has battled severe hand and wrist injuries for years. A boxing photo shoot in 2015 caused a deep bone bruise. That old injury haunts her aggressive swing to this day. Additionally, she has also fought through a hip injury. These setbacks explain why she stepped away from full-time golf.

While such intensity of pain would stop most other athletes from playing, Thompson goes on. Remember the emotional scene at this same tournament last year when she finished her “final” full-time season on the ninth hole? Fans showered her with flowers on the 18th green, and everyone thought she was walking away for good that November. But she came back to play 13 events in 2025 and earned over $700,000 while playing a “part-time” schedule.

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If anything, Lexi Thompson still has the game to compete with anyone

The Annika stands as an exhibit. Her neck locked up mid-swing during the Pro-Am round, but she used pain–relieving cream and grit to make it to her tee time. And her track record is full of such stories. At the U.S. Women’s Open in 2021, Thompson battled to a third-place finish and led by five strokes entering the final round while grimacing in pain. Then again, in the CME Group Tour Championship, she made clutch birdies while dealing with shaky hands and muscle pulls.

And her hard work sure has paid off, as she is eligible next year. Thompson finished 52nd in the CME points race this year and secured her spot in all full-field events. She can pick and choose her favorite tournaments to play in the 2026 season. The Solheim Cup in the Netherlands is also on the horizon, about which Captain Angela Stanford said Lexi “earned the right” for consideration.

But her life off the course brings her the most peace. She got engaged to Max Provost on New Year’s Day 2025. That excitement helps her handle the tough days on the course. She says this balance “helped put my mind at ease.” It gives her a beautiful reason to step away from the grind. And her dog Leo is also a huge part of this joy as a “secret weapon.”

Basically, Lexi Thompson is writing the final chapters on her own terms.