What Lexi Thompson Critics Keep Getting Wrong About the LPGA Star Amid Retirement Backlash

Lexi Thompson has long been a lightning rod in women’s golf, praised for her talent but just as often picked apart for what she hasn’t done. Critics say she can’t close. But who are these critics? Majorly, the media. Lexi has often found herself at the center of media storms that didn’t always tell the full story. One of the most painful examples was the 2017 ANA Inspiration.

The mid-round penalty of four strokes cost her a near-certain victory. While she pushed the tournament to a playoff, much of the media coverage afterward focused more on the penalty and less on the emotional toll or unfairness of the situation. And that was not just it. Another such instance happened at the 2021 U.S. Women’s Open.

Lexi held a five-shot lead with nine holes to play but fell short down the stretch. The headlines were unforgiving—labeling it a “collapse” and saying she “choked.” Visibly emotional, Lexi skipped the live TV interview and gave only a brief statement in a tightly controlled setting. But instead of disappearing, she walked straight to her fans, signing autographs for young girls outside the scoring tent. Yet, the media focused on the loss, ignoring the grace with which she carried herself. However, recently, a few golf insiders have started to speak up, shedding light on what the media often gets wrong about Thompson.

Lexi Thompson’s career received strong support from insiders during the ‘Golf on CBS’ podcast, where her achievements were defended against common criticisms. “I think Lexi is playing more golf, playing better golf… The thing about Lexi is… Um, she has 11 wins on the LPGA Tour. I think I would have probably guessed less than that, considering how many she kind of likes to punt at the end of tournaments.”

She has 11 LPGA Tour wins and 1 major championship, which is no small feat. She has represented the U.S. at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro and finished T19th, seven strokes shy of the bronze medal position. That’s the kind of resume most players dream of. And yet, there’s this lingering perception that she underdelivers.

Sure, she may falter at the end of tournaments, and in golf, like in any sport, it’s usually only the winner who gets the praise and attention. But the fact that she contends so often is also something that deserves recognition. “She has five third-place finishes in majors… She has nine podiums. Golly. Nine podiums and one win in the major championship.” She especially has a complicated relationship with the majors.

Her best finish at the US Women’s Open was T2 in 2019, and at the Evian Championship, which she now doesn’t play, she was runner-up a decade ago. Last year at the Women’s PGA Championship, she tied for 9th, and in 2022, she finished tied for 2nd but never won the event. And at the recent 2025 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, Thompson got off to a strong start and was tied for fourth after the first two rounds, putting herself in contention for a second major title. She could not win, but her performance was indeed impressive, especially in Fields Ranch East, where the weather was brutal.

Back in 2014, Lexi Thompson shot a smooth 68 in the final round to win the Kraft Nabisco Championship, her first and only major so far. She was just 19 but played like a seasoned pro, staying calm under pressure and keeping things tight all day. “She shot 68 in the final round…. I’m assuming the numbers had been pretty good there,” the host highlighted. The press praised her powerful game, cool composure, and growing star power. Outlets like Golf Digest and ESPN highlighted her as the “future of American women’s golf,” and the win was seen as her breakthrough on the big stage.

While others have come and gone, Lexi’s remained part of the conversation, even when the wins didn’t always follow. But for the media, that consistency was never quite enough. Maybe that’s why she finally chose to step back and take control of her own schedule.

Why did Lexi Thompson decide to play part-time only?

Lexi Thompson didn’t step away from the full-time game because she stopped caring, but because she finally started prioritizing her personal life. “It just has put my mind a lot more at ease,” she said during the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship press conference. “Just playing when I want, a more limited schedule, and really looking forward to the events I do play in.”

After more than ten years of non-stop travel, media attention, and the pressure to deliver, she reached a point where balance mattered more than a packed schedule. Some people criticized her for her retirement announcement, but Thompson clarified that she never said she was retiring. She just said she is stepping away from the full LPGA Tour schedule.

One of the biggest shifts in Lexi’s life came earlier this year, in January, when she quietly stepped into a new chapter with a snowy hillside proposal at Whistler, Canada. Max Provost, her longtime partner, popped the question in a moment that marked more than just an engagement; it symbolized a shift in priorities. “I’m still training and practicing hard for when I do tee it up, but having a life back home with my loved ones is more important,” she said. Lexi is now making space for the parts of life she once had to sideline: family, friends, and time at home.

As Lexi enters this next phase, she’s no longer chasing validation, just fulfillment. Whether it’s a major win or a quiet top-10, she’s doing it on her terms. And in a sport that demands resilience, maybe that kind of self-defined success is the most underrated win of all.