Lexi Thompson issues complaint after not being able to finish LPGA career on 18th hole

Lexi Thompson has taken to social media to complain about not being able to finish out her LPGA career on the 18th hole at the CME Group Tour Championship on Sunday.

Thompson, 29, brought the curtain down on an 11-win LPGA career at Tiburon Golf Club in Naples, Florida.

Despite still not even being 30 years old, Thompson made the shock decision earlier in the season to retire from the circuit at the end of 2024. 

The popular American turned professional in 2010 and immediately won in her first full season at the 2011 Navistar LPGA Classic.

She then went on to win a further 10 times, highlighted by her sole major victory at the 2014 Kraft Nabisco Championship. 

Thompson would come close at each of the other four ladies majors, with runner-up finishes at the Evian Championship (2015), U.S. Women's Open (2019) and Women's PGA (2022). 

She also won twice on the Ladies European Tour with victories coming at the 2011 Dubai Ladies Masters and 2022 Aramco Team Series New York, as well as one on the Japan Tour at the 2016 World Ladies Championship Salonpas Cup.

Thompson also represented the United States at seven Solheim Cup matches from 2013 to 2022 with a record of 10-10-7, as well as at the Olympics in 2016 (19th) and 2020 (33rd). 

But back to the top of the story and Thompson was extremely disappointed not to have been able to conclude her LPGA career in front of her adoring home fans on the 18th hole at the CME Group Tour Championship. 

As a result of being well down the field on 4-under par, Thompson was forced to tee off the 10th hole in the final round due to two-tee start for TV coverage. 

Thompson wrote something of a frustrated message on her Instagram Story once learning of Sunday's split-tee start.

Scroll below to see what Thompson wrote...

'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 tee on the final day due to TV coverage window,' wrote Thompson.

'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. 

'But just know I'm grateful for you all.'

Thompson ended up carding a lacklustre 74 in the final round to finish the week T49 on 2-under par in the 60-player season finale. 

She was greeted on the 9th green - her final hole - by family and friends and hundreds of adoring LPGA fans who congratulated her on her career. 

The LPGA posted a message of thanks to Thompson on social media. 

Jeeno Thitikul went on to finish eagle-birdie to prevail by one shot over Angel Yin and take an LPGA record first prize of $4m. 

GolfMagic got the chance to film some content with Thompson earlier this season during Aramco Team Series Tampa.

Check out our video with Lexi here: