Lexi Thompson — in the golf spotlight since she was 12 and one of the game’s biggest stars — became emotional as she discussed her decision to retire from playing full time on the LPGA Tour at just 29 years old.

“Being out here can be a lot. It can be lonely. Sorry if I get emotional. I said I wasn’t going to,” Thompson said, as she teared up during a press conference Tuesday ahead of this week’s U.S. Women’s Open at Lancaster Country Club in Pennsylvania. “I just think, especially with what’s happened in golf, people don’t realize a lot of what we go through as a professional athlete. I’ll be the last person to say, ‘Throw me a pity party.’ That’s the last thing I want.”

Thompson, who will complete the LPGA season before semi-retirement, appeared to be referencing PGA Tour golfer Grayson Murray, who died Saturday by suicide.

“You know, we’re doing what we love. We’re trying the best every single day, and we’re not perfect. We’re humans. Words hurt and it’s hard to overcome sometimes, but having the people around you that love and support you, I feel like that’s been the biggest thing for me,” Thompson continued.

“I might not have a huge friend group, but to have the people that matter the most around me has gotten me through some really hard times.

“I think it’s a lot for everybody out here, or in any professional sport. A lot of people don’t know what we go through — the amount of training, and hard work that we put ourselves through — it’s a lot, and I think we deserve a lot more credit than what we get.”

Thompson said she only knew golf as life and cited mental health as one of her deciding factors in her decision. It is not clear what her future plans — on or off the course — hold.

“I think we all have our struggles, especially out here,” she said. “Unfortunately in golf you lose more than you win, so it’s an ongoing battle to continue to put yourself out there in front of the cameras and continuing to work hard and maybe not seeing the results you want and getting criticized for it. So it’s hard.

“I will stay, yes, I’ve struggled with it — I don’t think there’s somebody out here that hasn’t. It’s just a matter of how well you hide it, which is very sad.”

Thompson, who burst into the spotlight when she qualified for the U.S. Women’s Open at 12 years old in 2007, has won 11 LPGA tournaments — her first coming when she was just 16 — and one major, the 2014 Chevron Championship.

She almost won a second Chevron Championship, in 2017, but was penalized four strokes for replacing a ball that she wasn’t permitted to and subsequently signing an incorrect score card.

This error pushed her into a playoff with So Yeon Ryu, who ultimately won the major.

The news surprised LPGA players. The notice was posted, and then deleted, a couple of times on various social media channels. Thompson was on the course when it first went out.

“She really dedicated her time to growing the game,” Nelly Korda said. “It’s sad to see that she’s obviously leaving and not going to be out here with us, but she’s had an amazing career, and I wish her the best in this new chapter of her life.”

Thompson’s last LPGA win came at the 2019 ShopRite LPGA Classic; she also finished second at the U.S. Women’s Open in 2019 and the Women’s PGA Championship in 2022.

— With AP