If you’re a big fan of professional golf, then you definitely know who Lexi Thompson is — it would be almost impossible not to. At just 23-years-old, Thompson is widely considered to be one of the best female professional golfers out there. She competed in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, among countless other achievements, and she has broken many milestones. She’s a truly inspiring athlete, especially for women who are interested in the world of golfing, which has long been a male-dominated sport.
As incredible as Thompson’s career has been, she has had her fair share of tough moments as well. The year 2018 was particularly hard on Thompson, who went through a lot of emotional and personal changes that affected her and her game. Still, through it all, she has shown a determined commitment to golf that helps make her stand out as such as a fantastic player. Below are some things you may not have known about Thompson.
She made history as the youngest golfer to play professionally
When Thompson first appeared on the golf scene, she instantly made history. The New York Times reported that, at 12 years old, Thompson became the youngest player to qualify for the United States Women’s Open. At 15-years-old, Thompson became the youngest female golfer to turn professional when she signed an endorsement deal with Cobra-Puma golf.
When she turned 16, Thompson again made history, that time as the youngest winner on both the LPGA and Ladies European Tours. At the time, Thompson told the Associated Press (via The Globe and Mail), “It feels amazing. I’m just honored they invited me back and I’m just grateful to be here. I’ve been working on my game really hard and it has paid off.” Thompson won her first major championship at the 2014 Kraft Nabisco Championship when she was 19 years old, and that made her the second youngest LPGA golfer to win a major. It’s definitely impressive to see how much she accomplished as just a teenager.
She was home-schooled
Considering Thompson was already making history when she was just 12 years old, she obviously didn’t have a “normal” childhood. According to an interview with American Way, Thompson grew up in Coral Springs, Florida, in a family of golfers — both of her brothers played, and her parents were “golf buffs.” Thompson said, “I grew up off the 12th hole at Eagle Trace. I picked up my first club at the age of 5. I remember riding my bike with my golf bag on my back.”
By the time she was in sixth grade, both Thompson and her parents felt that golf was such an important part of her life that she needed to dedicate as much time as possible to practicing. They made the decision to home-school Thompson so that she could practice for seven hours a day. Thompson admitted that it was tough, saying, “I lost the friends I went to elementary school with.”
She takes being a role model very seriously
As a female athlete, Thompson is fully aware that she is often seen as a role model for many girls who are younger than her. Because of that, she has said that she does everything she can to set a good example. In an interview with IndyStar, she talked about the importance of “loving yourself for who you are,” saying, “I guess I consider myself a role model, just because a lot of people tell me I am.” But it’s not something she’s unhappy with. She added, “As athletes, we should leave our sport better than when we started.”
Thompson’s stance on being a role model is obvious in the way she acts on social media: the golfer is always honest and open with her fans and followers. In an interview with Golf Channel, Thompson said, “I love being a role model.” It definitely shows.
She struggles with body image issues
As a professional athlete, Thompson spends a lot of time in the gym working out and keeping herself in shape for her sport. She regularly shares photos of herself at the gym, and has shared her workout tips with publications in the past. In an interview with CNN, Thompson said, “I’m definitely addicted to the whole training part of it. I love working out. It’s kind of like my outlet; just run.”
But in October 2018, Thompson shared that she was struggling with some major body image issues in an honest Instagram post. In the post, she wrote that she had started doing “brutal workouts twice a day” even though she wasn’t eating much so that she could lose weight. She said she would compare herself to models on Instagram and tear herself down for what she didn’t have. The message ended on an inspiring note, with Thompson adding, “But what I want to share is that you’re not alone in any of your struggles.”
Her brothers are both golfers as well and have inspired her
Growing up with two brothers who were also excellent golfers helped make Thompson competitive and also inspired her. In an interview with American Way, she explained that she spent her childhood practicing with them, saying, “I’d try to out-drive them and beat them in chipping contests. There was a lot of trash talk.” However, her brothers were also her biggest supporters and two of her closest friends. Especially after switching to homeschooling, she spent a lot of time with them.
It definitely seems like it paid off for Thompson in the end. In an interview with Teen Vogue, Thompson had nothing but good things to say about her brothers, explaining that she had been playing with them since she was 5 years old. She added, “I’ve always looked up to them, and having their support has made me into a much better player.” For their family, it really seems like golf was a rite of passage.
She took a break from golf to feel like a “normal” person
In August 2018, when Thompson was 23 years old, she made a huge decision: she needed a break from the golfing world. During a pre-tournament press conference at the Indy Women in Tech Championship, she said (via GolfLink), “I’m not just a robot out there. I need to have a life.” She had had a tough year: her grandmother passed away, her mother was diagnosed with cancer, and she wasn’t playing her best. Thompson said, “The last year and a half, I have honestly been struggling a lot, emotionally, and it’s hard because I can’t really show it.”
In an Instagram post, Thompson wrote that she needed time to work on herself, saying, “I have not truly felt like myself for quite some time. I am therefore taking this time to recharge my mental batteries, and to focus on myself away from the game of professional golf.” The break lasted a few months before Thompson made her return in late 2018.
