Two Time Major Champion And Former World No.1 Announces Retirement At Age 33

So Yeon Ryu has eclared that she would be retiring after investing 17 years as a professional golfer and triumphing 20 times, including two majors. Moreover, her successful career once took her to world no. 1 in the Rolex rankings after winning the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship. Her major triumphs include the 2011 U.S. Women’s Open and the 2017 ANA Inspiration. 

Despite enjoying such a splendid career, the golfer decided to depart from the LPGA Tour at just 33 years old. Her last appearance will be at the Chevron Championship. Also, after she dropped the news on social media, she mentioned that this was one of the most important decisions of her life. In her swansong, Ryu wrote an emotional letter describing all her experiences. Let’s take a look at her heartwarming write-up!

Two-Time Major Winner So Yeon Ryu Announces Retirement In A Heartfelt Message

Before Yeon Ryu, the golf world witnessed Michelle Wie West retiring from professional golf at the age of 33, and Pebble Beach’s Women’s Open Championship was her last stop in the previous year. Another similarity between the two golfers is their shared Korean lineage. 

Recently, after Yeon Ryu reached the climax of her career, she wrote a few heartfelt words regarding her experience. She started her letter by mentioning that Chevron would see her last professional appearance on the golf course. Then, she got emotional and talked about how she’s been lately reminiscing the past days of her career. 

 

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A post shared by 유소연,골퍼 /Soyeon Ryu, Golfer (@1soyeonryu)

She said,

“I am so grateful that I could do what I loved to do, day in and day out, and even make a career out of it. I am not going to lie; I had some hard patches, but despite some of the challenges, I truly enjoyed it all. And more than anything, I feel incredibly grateful for the love and support.” 

Then, she talked about the lessons she received from golf. That includes patience, endurance, and respect for the sport. She wants to do something else to support the sport, which she didn’t clarify but is expecting everyone’s backing in that endeavor. 

Ryu ended the letter with,

“I’m looking forward to giving a big hug to all of my friends on tour soon. I sincerely appreciate all of your love and support throughout the years. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I’ll see you guys in Houston.” 

She turned professional in 2007 after winning gold at the Asian Games. Then her professional career saw plenty more triumphs, including six LPGA wins. Her achievements also include the POY and the Annika Major Award. Thus, it’ll be interesting to see how she performs in Houston.

About the author

Suchita Chakraborty

Suchita Chakraborty is a senior golf writer at The SportsRush. She did her post-graduation at St. Xavier's University. For a year now, she has developed a riveting inclination toward golf, with Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy being her top-tier motivational figures to indulge in the sport. She even lives by the words of the Hall of Famer, "You can always become better", which impels her to excel every day. Her strong suit in golf is covering the LPGA Tour, especially the nooks and crannies of the international event, the Solheim Cup. As a pastime amusement, Suchita also engages herself in reading about golf controversies. Her favorite pick is ‘LIV and Let Die’ by Alan Shipnuck, which covers the PGA-LIV beef.

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