Women’s golf star Lexi Thompson announces impending retirement ahead of U.S. Women’s Open

The GIST: The U.S. Women’s Open — the second of five LPGA majors — takes flight from the Lancaster Country Club in Pennsylvania tomorrow, featuring a star-studded field and a $12M purse (the largest ever for a women’s golf tournament!).

• And with 11-time LPGA Tour winner Lexi Thompson announcing her impending retirement yesterday, this weekend is bound to be one for the books.

Lexi Thompson: It’s only fitting that Thompson chose U.S. Women’s Open week to share her plans to retire at the end of the season. In 2007, the then-12-year-old became the youngest golfer to qualify for the event before eventually turning pro in 2010. From there, she went on to become one of the most recognizable players in the sport.

• Among her long list of accolades, highlights include her lone major title at the 2014 Kraft Nabisco Championship (now the Chevron Championship), two Olympics appearances, and becoming the seventh woman to play with men in a PGA Tour event. Truly iconic.

More players to watch: World No. 1 Nelly Korda looks like the one to beat as she seeks her seventh win of the season and third overall major title, but watch for defending champion Allisen Corpuz to come out swinging and break out of her slump.

• Last but not least, Canadian world No. 11 Brooke Henderson certainly has a chance to earn her first win in 2024. She’s notched five top-10 finishes so far this year, including a tie for third at the Chevron Championship, the first major of the season, in April. It’s time to par-tee.