Michelle Wie West has declared that she would retire from professional golf after the US Women’s Open in 2020 to pursue other interests, claiming that her body can no longer handle the rigors of the LPGA circuit after giving birth to her daughter Makenna in 2020.
‘If I play a lot of golf, I’m usually simply in bed [afterwards],’ she said to Golfweek. ‘Or I won’t be able to lift [Makenna], which worried me.’
Wie West, 32, has battled injuries for much of her career, which began at age 12, when she became the youngest player ever to qualify for an LPGA event. Since then, the trail-blazing Hawaii native became the youngest player to win a USGA championship at age 13 and the youngest to make the cut at an LPGA event later in 2003.
And Wie West hasn’t just competed against women. She nearly became the first female golfer to make the cut at a PGA event in 2004, when she recorded a 68 at the Sony Open — the lowest score ever for a women playing on the men’s tour.
She has since competed in another six PGA events, but has dialed back her workload in recent years. She has only one LPGA tour appearance in 2022 — a last place finish at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions in Orlando.
Speaking with Golfweek, Wie West said she still plans to play in next year’s Women’s Open at Pebble Beach, and refused to classify her decision as a retirement.
‘I’m definitely not ruling anything out,’ said Wie West, who won her only goal major at Pebble Beach at the 2014 US Women’s Open.
Her husband Jonnie, a former college basketball player at West Virginia and son of NBA legend Jerry West, has offered to caddy for her at the 2023 US Open.
Wie West and Jonnie welcomed their daughter Makenna in June of 2020
The 6-foot Wie West has pocketed nearly $7 million in LPGA winnings over her career and far more in endorsement deals with companies such as Nike and Sony. She hasn’t won an event since 2018 and has since battled wrist problems and other injuries.
‘I don’t have any regrets because I feel like I’ve always learned from every mistake that I’ve made,’ she told Golfweek. ‘I feel like even if it was a huge major fail, at least it makes for a good story now.’
Wie West said she hopes to continue working with Nike on a variety of endeavors aimed at improving women’s sports.
As for what’s next, Wie West had dabbled in various media commentary positions over the past few years, and says she plans to stay active with Nike, working with the company to help with various endeavors focused on improving the state of women’s athletics.
‘I am living life to the fullest,’ Wie West said.
