One of the most popular and passionate players on the LPGA Tour called it a career this week. Cindy LaCrosse announced her retirement on social media after a decade on Tour.
She wrote, “2019 was my 10th season playing professional golf. After lots of thoughts and prayers I have decided to let me be my last. I feel so blessed to have played golf as my job. I can’t thank the LPGA and Epson Tour staff(s enough) for everything that they do for us, for the things we see and the thousands of things we don’t. Under the leadership of (Commissioner) Mike Whan every single year has gotten better and better.”
The 32-year-old Tampa native also thanked and family and friends in Florida and Louisville, Kentucky where she attended college and won the Big East Championship in 2007. She thanked the LET staff, having played numerous events in Europe, as well as the golf media. She singled out Golfweek’s Beth Ann Nichols for recognition as a champion of the women’s game.
While winless in her 10 seasons, LaCrosse became a fan favorite for what she did off the course. At many of the tour stops she would order pet food from the online company Chewy and deliver it to local animal shelters where she would launch social media campaigns to get abandoned dogs adopted. Her passion for abandoned and abused animals brought her much attention and admiration from fans around the world.
In her retirement note, she wrote, “thank you to (Pastor) Cris Stevens for the chance to have fellowship on the road, for proving a safe, loving place far from home.” She then thanked caddies, coaches and host families who helped defray travel costs, especially on the Epson Tour where LaCrosse was a three-time winner.
“Lastly, thank you to all the players,” she wrote. “It was an honor getting to know a lot of you on and off the course…I’ll never forget traveling around the world with some of my closest friends. I won’t forget how many of you were nice to me…especially when I was at my lowest. I’m so grateful for many conversations with current and retired players. The encouragement and kindness kept me going. I can’t thank the players enough for making me want to be better, to help me know that there is more to life than golf and for helping me enjoy a very stressful job.
“I don’t know what is next for me yet,” she wrote. “I’m a little scared but also excited. Hopefully I will find something I loved half as much as being a professional golfer. And if you made it this far, thanks for reading. (Now) go adopt a dog.”
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