Former LPGA Tour participant Elizabeth Szokol introduced her retirement after lacking the minimize at a golf match.
Elizabeth Szokol speaks after retiring from golf. (Picture: The Annika Pelican)
Elizabeth Szokol introduced the curtain down on her LPGA profession on Friday at The Annika, saying her retirement moments after finishing her spherical at Pelican Golf Membership in Belleair. The 30-year-old’s surprising choice got here on an emotionally charged day, marked by acquainted environment and a press convention that remodeled from normal post-round evaluation to a poignant farewell.
Szokol narrowly missed the minimize by a single stroke following her second spherical, while Kai Trump completed backside of the 108-strong area on 18 over, lacking the minimize by 17 strokes. After her exit from the match, Szokol admitted it felt surreal to bid farewell and much more extraordinary to replicate on 9 years competing on Tour.
“It is onerous to imagine it has been 9 years taking part in, which is fairly loopy,” she stated after the LPGA Tour occasion. “It was nice to retire at house, a golf course I am a member of, and had so many household and pals out in the present day. So it was fairly particular. Would’ve preferred yet one more putt to go in, however that is all proper. I can look again at a profitable profession.”
She revealed that retiring at house held profound significance, as Pelican is a venue the place she holds membership and has devoted years to practising, competing and establishing her life.
Szokol had been considering retirement for a number of years, together with her victory on the Dow Nice Lakes Bat Invitational in 2023 prolonging her profession past preliminary expectations. “The win at Dow in all probability prolonged my profession a little bit bit extra. I’ve had a whole lot of lingering accidents, and the journey bought a bit previous for me, so I simply type of missed being house,” she defined.
“I might say in July I just about made my choice, however knew in all probability the final two years it was probably going to be my final 12 months taking part in. July type of solidified it.”
When requested in regards to the emotion she felt on the 18th and the hugs awaiting her after the ultimate putt, she revealed that she maintained her composure till witnessing two individuals in tears. Szokol added: “I used to be good till I noticed Caroline and Bri crying, to be sincere. I believe it hit me greater than I anticipated.
Elizabeth Szokol in motion. (Picture: Getty)
“I used to be fairly calm about it. I believe I might say I let a lot of the feelings out once I made the choice this was going to be my final 12 months in July.”
Szokol acknowledged that persistent accidents took their toll, while the demanding tour schedule turned more and more difficult, and she or he in the end longed to be at house.
She concludes her profession ranked No. 244 globally, holding a Rolex Ladies’s World Rating and attaining her strongest results of 2025 with a 14th-place end on the Hilton Grand Holidays Match of Champions.
As for her future plans, Szokol confirmed she is going to start figuring out her subsequent steps from Monday, with the potential for remaining concerned within the sport. She prompt having “enjoyable stuff within the works,” although it requires extra time to finalise her choices.
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