Stacy Lewis

With one swing of her five-iron, Stacy Lewis produced one of the great moments in the history of the AIG Women’s Open.

A remarkable shot from just shy of 200 yards on the daunting 17th hole at St Andrews saw the American end up within a few feet of the pin. It set up the birdie-birdie finish which helped her win the 2013 Championship.

Stacy, whose legacy as one of the game’s great champions is secure, this week announced her retirement from playing at the age of 40, just over a month after she competed at Royal Porthcawl.

Sharing the news, the two-time major winner confirmed her plans to stop at the end of the current season.

“Never in a million years would I have thought this journey playing golf would still be going in 2025, but the time has come to put the clubs away”, she wrote.

“I will finish out the 2025 season but this will be my last on the LPGA. I’m not exactly sure what is next but I’m so grateful for all the Arkansas fans and people that have supported me along the way.”

She added: “I’m going to miss the LPGA Tour family and this part of my life, but my body has told me it’s time. My husband became a part of the team too, fitting in seamlessly [and] providing great balance and stability to my life.

“I’m looking forward to our calendars being more in sync and having more time as a family.”

Stacy’s triumph at the 2013 AIG Women’s Open came having been five behind at the halfway point – and after she, along with several others, had to play 36 holes on the Sunday because of high winds the day before.

In challenging conditions she went on to shoot 69-72 to beat Na Yeon Choi and Hee Young Park by two, joining the pantheon of great champions to have won at St Andrews.

Of the famous shot into 17, she said afterwards: “That might be one of the best [shots] of my career.”

“I thought if I could get to seven [-under] I could maybe make a play-off. Once I made birdie there, my caddie and I walked off the green and we said ‘one more’.”

‘One more’ came and it was enough to secure her second major title.

Her first came two years earlier at the 2011 Kraft Nabisco Championship.

In an illustrious career she also won 11 LPGA Tour titles, recorded three runner-up finishes and secured 15 other top 10s in the majors.

Her four Solheim Cup appearances were followed up by captaining the United States in both the 2023 and 2024 events – the first of which earned her the title of America’s youngest-ever captain at the age of 38.

Now aged 40, she is preparing to tee it up for the final time in the coming months - bringing down the curtain on a stellar career up there with the greatest in the game.