Michelle Wie West's bittersweet farewell to pro golf at the US Women's Open

Planet Sport writerStaff Writer21 July 2023
Michelle Wie West

Michelle Wie West

As stars bloom, so do they fall.

Michelle Wie West, as most golf enthusiasts know her as a golf prodigy, has decided to retire from her 17 year long passion. 

She has been the face of women's golf until several sponsors like L.A. Golf, Casa Azul, and even some bonus casino companies were vying for an opportunity to form a partnership with star golfers.

But sadly, the powerhouse of the American golf industry has now wrapped up everything to walk away after the upcoming 2023 U.S. Women's Open.
As she is preparing for her final game, she opened up about the exact reasons for her retirement.
She said: "I really, really wanted to play longer."

As she elaborated more about her body and mental condition, "It is hard to be a mom out here."

At the age of 33, she felt that it was enough for her passion for golf. And has decided to be a good mother to her daughter.

Let's pay tribute to this beacon of light for women. This article will take you through everything you might need to know about Wie West, so drop your pokies real money Australia games for a moment and follow closely to discover the unknown facts about your golf star.

Biography

Wie West is an American professional golfer born on October 11, 1989, in Honolulu, Hawaii and has been a golf star since age 10.

As the youngest player to qualify for the USGA amateur championship, she has lived up to her name until now. She started her professional journey a little while before her 16th birthday in 2005.
She is the single child of her parents, who migrated from South Korea to the U.S. in the 1980s. Her father, Byung-wook Wie, was a former professor.
Her mother, Bo, was the women's amateur golf champion of South Korea in 1985. Wie was born as a dual citizen, and in 2013, she renounced her South Korean citizenship.

History as a pro golfer

Wie, in her early years of professionalism, was not a member of any professional tour. Because of her young age, she was not accepted for an LPGA Tour membership which requires a golfer to be at least 18.
Thus, she had only been allowed to take part in a limited number of LPGA tour events when provided with a sponsor's exemption from 2005 until 2008.
In 2005 she played her first professional event, LPGA Samsung World Championship. Where the cause being signing an incorrect scorecard got her disqualified from a fourth-place finish.
Through the years, she participated in many more events, and by 2007, with annual earnings of $19 million, she was already among the top 20 Earners under 25.

Achievements

As the center of attention from age 10, Wie's journey of achievements was also full of highs and lows. Her publicity also came from her first and only major she won at the 2014 U.S. Women's Open.
Wie is also renowned as the youngest woman ever, at age 14, to play in the Curtis Cup tournament, which the U.S. team won.
She's the first female player to compete at USGA national men's tournament in the U.S. Amateur Public Links 2005. Another stack in her achievements is the Laureus World Newcomer of the Year award.

Reason for her retirement

Wie West acknowledged that she couldn't continue her journey with her new married life. On June 19, 2020, Wie gave birth to her first child. Her husband, Jonnie West, stood with her through all this.

She made her retirement official with these words: "I just had to make a hard medical decision and also a personal decision."

She announced back in 2022 that she would retire in 2023. Admitting her daughter is the main reason for this decision.
Wie suffered from an injury during her career, and because of this, the time she spent with her family during rehab has led her to this decision.

Wrap up

The living legend Michelle Wie West has decided to prioritize her beautiful daughter and husband over her golfing career. Although she did not leave a confirmed note behind that she will not play in the future forever.
However, for the time being, she wants to be available for her family and has decided to step away from professional golf. She says she is very blessed for her journey and is proud of the family she has built.