Youth is wasted on the young: Lexi Thompson edition

[Krt22]

Most excellent display of man-splaining

[dikaia22]

You do realize she didn't miss a tournament up to this point while dealing with the death of her grandmother and her mother battling cancer. Throw that on top of having a major taken away from you over some bull s*** viewer call in and dealing with that fall out in front of the entire world and lovely trolls like yourself calling her all kinds of lovely names on Social media and forums like this. You can talk double standard all you want but I am pretty sure PGA tour members have taken longer periods of time off for their family members dealing with cancer or other illnesses as well (J. Day, Stewart Cink, Jimmy Walker, Phil). Is it different because it's not her spouse? Is it different because she's a young, attractive woman, who is supposed to smile, look pretty, and not speak back to old men on the internet who are trying to tell her how she is supposed to feel and act. The girl is 23 years old and has had every single minute of her life since she was 16 lived in the spotlight in front of everyone. Could you have lived your life at 23 with everything you did broadcasted to the world? But it's ok, go on preaching about "how you worked 40 hours a week 5 days a week for 40 years" I am sure its a pretty even comparison.

[postfold]

The life of an LPGA pro involves an insane amount of travel with swings in Asia and Europe in addition to locations all over North America. The schedule has expanded so there isn't as much of an off season. The sponsorship demands are endless. And being a celebrity as Lexi is must be draining beyond belief.

 

I'm surprised we don't see more of this, actually.

 

It's unusual for her time off to have included a major, but if that's when she hit the wall so be it. She's already a major champion and will most likely play in dozens more.

 

Glad to see her back this week and I hope the R&R was good for her.

[fraydog]

She should have just come up with the phantom injury so no one on here could question her for it. After all, she wouldn’t be the first to do that on either the men’s or women’s side.

[JellyPig]

Sorry, no sympathy from this old in his late 60's who, along with his wife worked 40+ 8-5 and dealt with parents who had cancer and alzheimer/dementia. And raised 2 kids as well.

 

Boo hoo, it's life. Give me a f****** break, Lexi. Grow up. You don't and haven't had it tough at all compared to a lot of people.

 

"I'm jealous that a woman 40 years younger than me can do what she wants to do with her life".

 

Not even close. But nice try.

You never took a vacation from your job? Ever?

 

I'm still guessing it's a family matter and none of our biz.

 

Mtljeff mailed it imo.

 

Saw Lexi at demo day at the PGA Merchandise Show a few years ago putting on a clinic. Instantly became a huge fan and still am. Defending her mightily on this site during the ANA fiasco and still would defend her and still will pull for her more than any other player in any LPGA tournament.

 

I just think she's mentally weak.

 

[Vindog]

Good for her that she has worked her tail off for years to put herself in the position where she is able to do it! Why focus on the negatives, trying to make her life fit your narrow view?

[Itsjustagame]

What makes any of you think you know anything about Lexi and why she didn't play?

This is the cost of being famous in our society/culture, but the chances are none of you/us have a clue.

[cagecitizen]

Lexi Thompson recently skipped a major. The Women's British Open. Her reasons included 'wanting to find out who I am off the golf course' and 'needing to recharge my emotions'.

 

I have yet to see one critical reaction from the media yet reaction would be swift if such excuses came from a player on the PGA Tour. It's a MASSIVE double standard.

 

 

Thing about Bryson DeChambeau saying he would be skipping The Masters because "I need to find out who I am' or Phil saying he was skipping the U.S. Open because, 'I have not truly felt like myself for quite some time'.

 

 

Yet those were quotes from Lexi Thompson explaining why she withdrew.

 

The media went out of their way to offer possible additional explanations (including the silly 4-stroke penalty she received LAST YEAR) to further coddle and offer support to the star player.

 

 

'Work/Life balance' is vastly overrated. It is an especially ridiculous (and impossible) concept for an elite athlete, yet it seems to be what Lexi Thompson is striving for. Personally, I think the answer is bigger goals, you know, like Patti Berg's 15 majors. (Lexi has 1). Without inspirational goals everything can become a miserable grind.

 

My guess is that motivation is lacking and that CAN come from a lack of proper goals. However, there might be something off with her off-course regimen as well, or the people on her team. A pushy agent would get on anyone's nerves. If you have the wrong people on your team and are reluctant to make changes, well, the result is inevitable. Note to Lexi: I'm not suggesting you fire your caddie every three months like Lydia Ko, but if the team needs some 'rearranging', be ruthless.

 

Additional note to Lexi: You mentioned in a recent article that you want to find out who you are off the golf course. It's very simple. Who you are off the golf course is Lexi Thompson, superstar player on the LPGA. You could be someone else if you really want, like a soccer mom, but being anyone else would require hanging up the sticks.

 

We would miss you.

 

Play well this week.

 

We desperately need a down vote button.

[Hawkeye77]

She had a lot going on, probably wasn't an easy decision. Thought referring to the ANA episode along with some more serious things she was dealing with was a bit odd, but apparently honest, if it haunted her that much, so I hope it part of the conversation for the right reasons.

 

If she wasn't ready and able to give that major her best shot and staying home at that time helped with whatever process she is going through or whatever time off she needs, great. She pulls a muscle and it's a physical thing we wouldn't even be talking about it (okay, some yahoos would still b****).

 

Hope she can enjoy her career and find the balance she needs, and has gotten "real" with herself about some behaviors.

[BlackDiamondPar5]

Sorry, no sympathy from this old in his late 60's who, along with his wife worked 40+ 8-5 and dealt with parents who had cancer and alzheimer/dementia. And raised 2 kids as well.

 

Boo hoo, it's life. Give me a f****** break, Lexi. Grow up. You don't and haven't had it tough at all compared to a lot of people.

 

"I'm jealous that a woman 40 years younger than me can do what she wants to do with her life".

 

Not even close. But nice try.

You never took a vacation from your job? Ever?

 

I'm still guessing it's a family matter and none of our biz.

 

Mtljeff mailed it imo.

 

Saw Lexi at demo day at the PGA Merchandise Show a few years ago putting on a clinic. Instantly became a huge fan and still am. Defending her mightily on this site during the ANA fiasco and still would defend her and still will pull for her more than any other player in any LPGA tournament.

 

I just think she's mentally weak.

Mentally weak? To be a top pro requires mental strength and physical talent. She has the financial means to live her life as she sees proper. That takes strength and vision to not just drone along.

 

She isn't looking for sympathy, so disappointing you went down that route.

[BlackDiamondPar5]

Lexi Thompson recently skipped a major. The Women's British Open. Her reasons included 'wanting to find out who I am off the golf course' and 'needing to recharge my emotions'.

 

I have yet to see one critical reaction from the media yet reaction would be swift if such excuses came from a player on the PGA Tour. It's a MASSIVE double standard.

 

 

Thing about Bryson DeChambeau saying he would be skipping The Masters because "I need to find out who I am' or Phil saying he was skipping the U.S. Open because, 'I have not truly felt like myself for quite some time'.

 

 

Yet those were quotes from Lexi Thompson explaining why she withdrew.

 

The media went out of their way to offer possible additional explanations (including the silly 4-stroke penalty she received LAST YEAR) to further coddle and offer support to the star player.

 

 

'Work/Life balance' is vastly overrated. It is an especially ridiculous (and impossible) concept for an elite athlete, yet it seems to be what Lexi Thompson is striving for. Personally, I think the answer is bigger goals, you know, like Patti Berg's 15 majors. (Lexi has 1). Without inspirational goals everything can become a miserable grind.

 

My guess is that motivation is lacking and that CAN come from a lack of proper goals. However, there might be something off with her off-course regimen as well, or the people on her team. A pushy agent would get on anyone's nerves. If you have the wrong people on your team and are reluctant to make changes, well, the result is inevitable. Note to Lexi: I'm not suggesting you fire your caddie every three months like Lydia Ko, but if the team needs some 'rearranging', be ruthless.

 

Additional note to Lexi: You mentioned in a recent article that you want to find out who you are off the golf course. It's very simple. Who you are off the golf course is Lexi Thompson, superstar player on the LPGA. You could be someone else if you really want, like a soccer mom, but being anyone else would require hanging up the sticks.

 

We would miss you.

 

Play well this week.

 

We desperately need a down vote button.

A down vote button that uses a flaming pile of poop emoji :)

[Mr. Herbert]

Lexi Thompson recently skipped a major. The Women's British Open. Her reasons included 'wanting to find out who I am off the golf course' and 'needing to recharge my emotions'.

 

I have yet to see one critical reaction from the media yet reaction would be swift if such excuses came from a player on the PGA Tour. It's a MASSIVE double standard.

 

Steve Stricker would disagree about any double standard.

[Krt22]

What makes any of you think you know anything about Lexi and why she didn't play?

This is the cost of being famous in our society/culture, but the chances are none of you/us have a clue.

 

Because he is obviously a wise man and she is just a silly young girl

[Z1ggy16]

She's basically spent her WHOLE LIFE golfing. On top of the fact she's going through some major sh!t with her mom and grandma, I think maybe she's having a little mini "crisis" which is induced by this external stress. It's like the guilt/wonder that maybe a person who got married really early to their only bf/gf might feel when suddenly as a mid or late 20 something and they want to go out party, be with other people, etc.

 

She wants to experience what a "normal" life might be like away from golf... Get away from the stress of performing week after week. People may seem happy on the outside but what they feel on the inside could be a whole different ball game. We need to respect and acknowledge that and not make them feel guilty for having emotions.

[dpb5031]

Lexi has done not much more than play golf full-time since she was 8 years old. By the time she was 12 she was in the national spotlight, turning pro at the age of 15. No doubt this type of singular pursuit has consequences. It's not a "normal" life and many developmental experiences growing up that most of us take for granted go missing.

 

She's got plenty of money now and can afford to take a break. Good for her if she feels it's necessary. By all accounts from people who know her personally she's a really sweet and genuine person. The animosity in this thread has me perplexed.

[MarkFromTheUK]

Good for her. What’s the point in playing if you’re not enjoying it? Personal well-being is far more important than teeing it up in a major.

 

I think golf is far too up it’s own arse at times. If you miss a major it’s not a crime. If you miss a tournament with links to a great such as Arnold Palmer, it’s not showing disrespect.

[Spirit76]

Her Mother has cancer and I think that might be a distraction for her.

 

Way overplayed by the media (which sucked you right in) again to coddle her. I would argue the same could be said for a large number of players on the LPGA and PGA tours. Having cancer and being on your death on two totally different things.

 

Most excellent display of man-splaining

 

 

Anyone who uses that word is a man-hater at their core.

[Spirit76]

You do realize she didn't miss a tournament up to this point while dealing with the death of her grandmother and her mother battling cancer. Throw that on top of having a major taken away from you over some bull s*** viewer call in and dealing with that fall out in front of the entire world and lovely trolls like yourself calling her all kinds of lovely names on Social media and forums like this. You can talk double standard all you want but I am pretty sure PGA tour members have taken longer periods of time off for their family members dealing with cancer or other illnesses as well (J. Day, Stewart Cink, Jimmy Walker, Phil). Is it different because it's not her spouse? Is it different because she's a young, attractive woman, who is supposed to smile, look pretty, and not speak back to old men on the internet who are trying to tell her how she is supposed to feel and act. The girl is 23 years old and has had every single minute of her life since she was 16 lived in the spotlight in front of everyone. Could you have lived your life at 23 with everything you did broadcasted to the world? But it's ok, go on preaching about "how you worked 40 hours a week 5 days a week for 40 years" I am sure its a pretty even comparison.

 

Talkin out of your tush and not even remotely addressing my post, nor quoting anything I said, but go on with your bad self. You are a perfect example of someone led by the nose by the media.

[Spirit76]

Lexi has done not much more than play golf full-time since she was 8 years old. By the time she was 12 she was in the national spotlight, turning pro at the age of 15. No doubt this type of singular pursuit has consequences. It's not a "normal" life and many developmental experiences growing up that most of us take for granted go missing.

 

She's got plenty of money now and can afford to take a break. Good for her if she feels it's necessary. By all accounts from people who know her personally she's a really sweet and genuine person. The animosity in this thread has me perplexed.

 

I totally concur that taking breaks is healthy. What I question is not doing it before a major instead of during a major. I would say I'm surprised by the animosity in this thread that you so aptly pointed out but I have become used to it. They are the same guys (assuming they indeed male) who are all over the forums bashing everyone they possibly can. It's a sport they excel at vs. actually playing golf.

[95124hacker]

People burn out all the time, in all aspects of life.

These days kids don’t play multiple sports after 12 years old , in order to specialize in one sport.

My son quit basketball and only plays baseball now.

He’s not alone. I’m afraid he may burn out playing baseball too some day.

You have to have balance in life.

[duffer987]

Lexi has done not much more than play golf full-time since she was 8 years old. By the time she was 12 she was in the national spotlight, turning pro at the age of 15. No doubt this type of singular pursuit has consequences. It's not a "normal" life and many developmental experiences growing up that most of us take for granted go missing.

 

She's got plenty of money now and can afford to take a break. Good for her if she feels it's necessary. By all accounts from people who know her personally she's a really sweet and genuine person. The animosity in this thread has me perplexed.

 

I totally concur that taking breaks is healthy. What I question is not doing it before a major instead of during a major. I would say I'm surprised by the animosity in this thread that you so aptly pointed out but I have become used to it. They are the same guys (assuming they indeed male) who are all over the forums bashing everyone they possibly can. It's a sport they excel at vs. actually playing golf.

 

There's no animosity in this thread directed at Lexi, beyond your posts of course and one other user calling her mentally weak - which is hardly animus and he says he's a fan - no one is speaking negatively of her decision.

You're the one bashing her and bizarrely posting pics of her. So I can only assume you are referring to yourself here?

[Krt22]

Her Mother has cancer and I think that might be a distraction for her.

 

Way overplayed by the media (which sucked you right in) again to coddle her. I would argue the same could be said for a large number of players on the LPGA and PGA tours. Having cancer and being on your death on two totally different things.

 

Most excellent display of man-splaining

 

 

Anyone who uses that word is a man-hater at their core.

 

I actually love myself and all my anatomical tidbits. Something might be said about a person who gets that offended over a word

[4waymiss]

Her Mother has cancer and I think that might be a distraction for her.

 

Way overplayed by the media (which sucked you right in) again to coddle her. I would argue the same could be said for a large number of players on the LPGA and PGA tours. Having cancer and being on your death on two totally different things.

 

 

Totally agree, each case of cancer is different. In fact, they should assign an "index" to each case of the players' love ones, just like the golf handicap index, as a guideline for the player to take the appropriate amount time off from golf.

 

I mean it is a huge inconvenience to not know when my favorite golfers will be on TV, entertaining me.

[Big Ben]

I caught her interview today she was open saying she was emotionally tired and needed a break to recharge have some fun and regroup. Being in the spotlight as a young lady on the road for all of her adult life would not be easy. I think it's wise to take private time and reflect before charging forward. She's 23yrs old probably beginning to feel the sacrifices as well. I'm sure she has friends graduating from College and thinking about marriage, families etc.

[cardoustie]

100 percent support her decision. Your own personal health, physical or mental, is more important than golf, fans, tournaments, media and sponsors.

 

Family first

 

I admire her honesty and not delivering some canned BS from her agent

[Nixhex524]

Her Mother has cancer and I think that might be a distraction for her.

 

Way overplayed by the media (which sucked you right in) again to coddle her. I would argue the same could be said for a large number of players on the LPGA and PGA tours. Having cancer and being on your death on two totally different things.

 

Most excellent display of man-splaining

 

 

Anyone who uses that word is a man-hater at their core.

 

Things I learned on the internet today.... don't take cancer seriously until you're on the deathbed. Its a nothingburger until that point.

 

Let's talk about the real issues in the world, affecting the human race everyday... Lexi taking a break from golf. I mean, who does she think she is?? *insert topless photo*

[Tasals]

Honestly, Im surprised more young women who turned pro in their early teens are not burning out more. I have zero issue with taking a break from a major or any tournament for any reason, maybe she hates long travel days and going to Scotland and the long flights were just too much of a hassle with other stuff she had going on. Taking mental health time is just as important as time to recover your body from any other injury.

[Bad9]

This thread had lead me to use the Ignore feature for the first time on a poster unrelated to a BST issue. Good job OP!

[mallrat]

So let me get this straight young woman who has been working extremely hard for 8+ years to be the best in her chosen field takes a 2-3 week unpaid vacation and the internet is upset.

 

Good lord people.

[IVM]

As I posted earlier her Mother is fighting cancer and she probably needs a break from the constant strain of the tour and to have some time to herself . We as fans do not own the players and neither does the tour . As long as she plays the minimum number of tournaments and earns enough money each year to keep her card she can take as long as she wants off in between and good luck to her .

Even if she wishes to take 2 years off she would still only be approaching 26 when she came back to golf which would be her prime years as a golfer .