Social media can be a blessing and a curse for people from all walks of life, but as a well-known athlete, the various platforms can do more harm than good if not handled correctly.
As a result, Lexi Thompson, the highest-ranked American player in women’s golf at No. 6 in the Rolex Rankings, announced over the weekend that she would be taking a break from social media because she’s become too invested in the cruel comments that come in from various trolls.
Posting on Saturday, Thompson wrote, “Hey everybody, just want to say I will be taking a break from social media. If I post it will be from my management team for me. I’m too involved with it, and to read some of the hurtful things being said to me lately isn’t fair and I’m not dealing with it. Thank you to my true fans out there I will be back on but I’m going to be focusing on me right now and my life. Thanks for understanding.”
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As a professional golfer, a public figure and one of the faces of various corporate sponsors, Thompson is ripe for criticism from people who are looking to get a rise out of her.
This break from social media isn’t her first — she went on a similar sabbatical two years ago following the passing of her grandmother — nor is the first time her involvement on social media has made headlines.
Lexi Thompson Fires Back At Instagram Trolls
In 2016, Thompson responded to similar mean-spirited comments on one her of Instagram posts, which led to the trolls to backtrack off their criticisms.
Thompson is coming off a missed cut at this past week’s Hugel-Air Premia LA Open, but she finished in solo third place three weeks ago at the first major championship of the season, the ANA Inspiration on the strength of a final round 67.
