Lexi Thompson fought with everything she had, came close, stumbled, and rose again, but last year she decided to give up as she announced that she wouldn’t be playing full-time. Ever since, some of the game’s biggest stages have felt dimmer without her. Now, the event she is missing out on is the ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open, a key event leading into the AIG Women’s Open, the final major of the season. This might become an issue when she plays Royal Porthcawl.

The Scottish Open is especially important because it gives players a valuable chance to adjust to links-style golf before the final major of the year. Links courses are very different from what players usually play on American soil. They are often windy, with firm fairways and deep bunkers, requiring a more creative and strategic style of play. The Scottish Open helps players get used to these conditions and find their rhythm before the major.

Lexi knows it, too. She knows how tricky it can be to play links golf. In 2013 and 2014, she missed the cut at the AIG Women’s Open. While Thompson is sitting this one out, other top players like Nelly Korda are gearing up for the Scottish Open.

Korda is set to play the event for the first time and says she’s excited to compete in Scotland, calling it a special experience because it’s the home of golf. She also praised the local fans, saying their energy and passion make the tournament even more memorable. Recently, Lexi was at Baltusrol Golf Club for a Mizuho Americas outing. Thompson’s absence from the ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open may be disappointing, but it’s hardly surprising.

She has played only eight events so far this season and recently skipped the Amundi Evian Championship as well. That marked the fifth straight year she sat out the Evian, a tournament she once played regularly. She finished runner-up there in 2015. But after back-to-back missed cuts by 2019, she seemed to lose patience with the course and quietly took it off her schedule. One possible reason for Thompson skipping the ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open could be her recent lack of comfort or confidence at major championships.

Last year, she missed the cut at both the U.S. Women’s Open and the Chevron Championship. This year, the struggles continued as she missed the cut at the U.S. Women’s Open once again. With Thompson missing cuts at majors and already skipping multiple big events this season, it’s becoming clear fans shouldn’t be surprised if she decides at the last moment not to tee it up at the AIG Women’s Open either. Last year, she was excited to compete in the AIG Women’s Open at St. Andrews.

“It would mean the world to me, honestly,” said Lexi last year on the prospect of lifting the trophy on Sunday. “At the home of golf? It doesn’t get much better than that. And being a major championship, it would be a dream come true. Every fan knows she has stepped away from full-time play, but it’s still hard to grasp. What really made her take that step?” She made her first appearance in the AIG Women’s Open as a teenager in 2012, finishing in a tie for 17th.

Lexi Thompson stepped away from full-time golf last year, following a long stretch of near misses and heartbreak, especially in major championships. It was believed that the 2024 AIG Women’s Open would be her last.

Why Lexi Thompson Chose to Step Away from Full-Time Golf

Her last win came in 2019 at the ShopRite LPGA Classic, and since then, she’s come painfully close without sealing the deal. In 2021, she lost a five-shot advantage in the final round of the U.S. Women’s Open. And in 2022, two late bogeys at the Women’s PGA Championship left her just one shot short of victory. Year after year, she kept fighting, but the wins stayed out of reach. She stepped away from full-time play not because she didn’t love the game, but because she needed space from the grind.

Another major reason behind her decision was personal. She wanted more time for herself and wanted to prioritize family. “Just taking it one at a time. That’s why I’m still playing the tournaments I actually enjoy or want to play in,” she explained during the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. Thompson also shared that the emotional and mental relief of a limited schedule has been important.

“It just has put my mind a lot more at ease, just playing when I want, a more limited schedule, and really looking forward to the events I do play in.” After years of intense competition and high expectations, Lexi Thompson chose to focus on what matters most: her peace of mind, her family, and playing golf on her own terms.

While fans may miss seeing Lexi Thompson in action week after week, her choice reflects a shift that’s becoming more common in professional sports—prioritizing well-being over relentless schedules. Whether or not she plays the AIG Women’s Open, one thing is certain: she’s now doing it her way, and that might just be her biggest win yet.