Lexi Thompson has inspired kids for more than a decade on LPGA

NAPLES, Fla. — Lexi Thompson packed all the essentials for her final chapter as a full-time member on the LPGA Tour.

Clubs. Balls. Tees.

And plenty of shoes and gloves.

“I have my usual gloves and shoes to be signed for all the fans,” she said. “I’ll be giving out some shoes. I don’t have that many anymore. I’ve given out so many.”

The tradition started about 15 years ago, when Thompson was a teenage prodigy. Then she started seeing pictures of little girls holding up her shoes. Now, those pictures are on her desk at home.

“To see the smile on fan’s faces and the impact, that means more to me than anything,” Thompson said.

Ready to enjoy and lead a ‘more normal life’

A flood of emotions will come over Thompson on Sunday as she walks down the 18th fairway at Tiburon Golf Club. There will be other Sundays, but not nearly as many as she plans on playing only a few events each year.

But as far as going through the grind of about 20 competitive events and other obligations each year, and traveling around the world to play golf tournaments, those days are over.

Thompson, 29, is retiring from full-time golf. Although she will not be joining the early-bird and pickleball crowd as a full-fledged South Florida retiree, she is looking forward to a much more relaxed schedule. She will be living “more of a normal life,” one that will include spending more time on her business, Lexi Fitness, traveling for pleasure and picking up another hobby or two.

“I am just going to embrace the week,” said Thompson, who made the announcement in May. “After the announcement it was an emotional few weeks not really knowing what to expect with the reaction from everybody, but it’s been incredible.”

And it’s fitting one of the most popular and influential golfers ends her official season at the CME Group Tour Championship (she will be teaming with Rickie Fowler at the Grant Thornton Invitational next month at Tiburon), after not qualifying for the event for the first time last year. She is in the field this week by virtue of finishing 50th on the points list.

Thompson missed four straight cuts during a six-week stretch starting in April but rebounded with three consecutive top 10s, including runner-up at the Meijer LPGA Classic. She has not won on the LPGA in nearly five years, her last victory at the 2019 ShopRite LPGA Classic.

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