These are the last few days of Lexi Thompson playing full-time professional golf on the LPGA Tour. On May 28, before competing at the US Women’s Open, she announced her decision to retire at the end of 2024, after thirteen long years. She stated that golf has made her feel pretty lonely time and time, and moving ahead, she only wishes to enjoy time with her loved ones and see what life has in store for her. She is currently teeing off at the last event of the 2024 season of the LPGA Tour – the CME Group Tour Championship.

After three rounds concluded on Saturday, she is currently at a T29, with three other players, with a score of 4-under. But well, as it turns out, while she might not be very happy with her performance at the Tiburon Golf Club, she at least wanted to end the event with the conventional conclusion. But it will not be possible, thanks to the LPGA Tour. After playing in twosomes for three days of the front nine, the 2024 CME Group Tour Championship will be playing the final round in threesomes. This time from both the front nine and the back nine. Thus, Lexi Thompson will begin teeing off from the back nine at 8:50 a.m. because she is sitting in an odd position.

This disappointed her. But why? Because despite being part of the Tour for such a long time, they just mended the rules, not considering the emotions of players like her who will retire after this. She took to her Instagram and posted a story sharing her disappointment, “Pretty sad when you’re at -4 in the season-ending event, which could easily be the last CME of your career and you won’t even finish on #18 because they decide to double the tee on the final day due to TV coverage window.” The tournament will be streaming live on  NBC from 1 pm to 4 pm ET. The 11X LPGA Tour winner has always been a fan’s person.

Take the 2021 U.S. Women’s Open, Thompson made headlines when she stopped to take a picture with a young girl wearing her shirt and holding a sign with her name. After announcing her retirement when she walked the field of the Solheim Cup, all the fans started chanting her name, one of them even said, “We will miss you.” Having spent so much time with the fans, it is only fair that she gets to enjoy her last Tour Championship being rooted by them. But well, that will not be the case. Disappointed, she also added, “Bummed I won’t be able to embrace all the incredible fans on 18 tomorrow as I finish. Hopefully, some will be out there on #9.”

So, the question is, will the CME Group Tour Championship be the last time fans see Lexi Thompson on the field? Well, as it turns out, her retirement plan comes with a twist.

Lexi Thompson will return to the Grant Thornton Invitational with Rickie Fowler

Lexi Thompson will be coming back to the same course in just a few weeks from December 13 to December 15 to play the second edition of the Grant Thornton Invitational with her teammate Rickie Fowler, the first co-sanctioned mixed-team PGA Tour-LPGA Tour event in over two decades. The twosome finished at T6 in the inaugural edition and will be hoping to take one last trophy before the season wraps up.

While this might be her last event, she has clarified that she will not be stepping back completely. As she put it, “I may tee it up a few times next year.” During a press conference, she confirmed her partial retirement, explaining, “A matter of when and what tournaments, I don’t know. I am just going to take time for myself and take it day by day.”

So, there are chances you might see her teeing up at some of the grand events from the 2025 season. Are you excited to see the duo compete? Let us know in the comments section below!