Golf fans love to debate who’s on top, who’s fading, and who might be next to shock the sport—but sometimes, the biggest headlines come from the players who aren’t even in the field. In a move that turned heads, Lexi Thompson chose the PGA Tour spotlight over a women’s Major. She skipped the AIG Women’s Open for the first time in seven years.

Instead, she headlined Executive Women’s Day at the Wyndham Championship, a key PGA Tour event. Fans expected her at Royal Porthcawl. But Thompson was miles away, no clubs, just a mic. She spoke about mental health, resilience, and redefining purpose in golf. It wasn’t a competitive appearance, but it carried serious weight.

The Wyndham Championship is no small venue. Held in North Carolina, it ends the PGA Tour’s regular season. It’s where FedExCup Playoff dreams are made or broken. And it draws big names and corporate clout. Thompson joined medical leaders for a panel on mental health. She didn’t play—she took the stage. This subject is personal to her. In 2018, she paused her career due to burnout.“I was just struggling with myself,” she once admitted. She has since spoken openly about pressure and isolation on tour.

At Wyndham, she praised the Forsyth Backpack Program for helping kids. She also urged athletes to prioritize emotional wellness. This wasn’t just another appearance; it was a statement. Her absence from the AIG Women’s Open was expected by some. After the Dow Championship in June, she hinted at time off. “I’m not playing for about five weeks,” she told reporters. She planned to rest, recover, and reassess her schedule. With the AIG Women’s Open set for early August, the message was clear. Despite qualifying, she wasn’t going to Wales.

Thompson’s 2025 schedule was unusual—she played a few majors and finished second at Dow, then skipped both the Evian and AIG Women’s Open despite qualifying. Her choice to rest drew mixed reactions, but at Wyndham, her focus on mental health was clear: sometimes, the mind matters more than the majors.

Thompson wasn’t alone in skipping this year’s AIG Women’s Open. Alongside her, two other big names were missing in action. First, Danielle Kang, the 2017 Women’s PGA Tour champion, failed to qualify at the final stages. She shot too high in the final qualifying and didn’t secure a spot despite her significant pedigree.

Then there’s Ally Ewing. After a career-best T6 at Walton Heath in 2023 and a string of top finishes in 2024, she surprised many by retiring at the end of last season. Ewing left the game at her peak, prioritizing personal life—making her absence in 2025 especially noticeable to fans.

With Thompson taking personal time, Kang failing to qualify, and Ewing stepping away, the AIG Women’s Open felt different. Three American stars, each with major credentials, were nowhere near Royal Porthcawl. Their absences reshaped the field and shifted attention toward rising talents. But beyond leaderboard changes, these stories signal something deeper. Golf is evolving. Players are making bold, personal choices sometimes off the course. And fans are learning that legacy isn’t always built by showing up. Sometimes, it’s defined by knowing when to step away.

Lexi Thompson’s New Game Plan, Less LPGA, More Purpose, and a PGA Tour Spotlight

Lexi Thompson keeps swinging—but on her terms. Though many believed she retired, Thompson never actually said the word. She announced her break at last year’s U.S. Women’s Open. The LPGA issued statements. Tributes poured in. Fans cried at the CME finale.

But in 2025, she’s back. Just different. She’s played 8 events already, including a gritty run at the Chevron Championship (T14) and a strong KPMG finish last year (T9). Her schedule looks lighter, yes. But her focus hasn’t faded—it’s shifted.“Every time I tee it up, I still want that feeling of competing to win,” she told Golf Monthly. She still trains, just not for hours on end. She still enters events, but only the ones that matter to her. And when she does play, she’s all in.

At Chevron, her game looked sharp. She hovered near the top before settling for T14. “There’s less stress and pressure… but I’ll always have high expectations,” she said. “It’s nice to have that freedom now.”

That freedom fuels her selective schedule. In February, she listed 10 tournaments—but then added more. The U.S. Women’s Open wasn’t even in her original plan. Still, she showed up at Erin Hills. Not because she had to, but because she wanted to. Even after missing the cut, she didn’t hide. Thompson addressed critics head-on via Instagram: “I never used the word retire… Just taking it one at a time.”

She also defended her pace of play after photos showed Charley Hull appearing frustrated.“We waited on almost every hole. We weren’t warned or put on the clock.”

Her tone was direct. Her message was clear. She’s still in the game, just not chasing every ranking point.“I’ll play the tournaments I actually enjoy or want to play in.” And with her wedding to Max Provost coming up, her life’s bigger than golf now. But that doesn’t mean it’s done with it. She’s not retired. She’s just rewriting the rules.