Michelle Wie West
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Michelle Wie West competed in the final LPGA event at the 2023 Pebble Beach Gold Links, making her a career as one of the most popular female golfers in history. She plays very little now – Hello, tennis! – But still busy in other ways, such as being a mother of two and also a tournament host for the Mizuho Open, which took place May 8-11 at the Liberty National Golf Club in Jersey City, New Jersey, and we recently caught up with the 2014 U.S. Women's Open Championship.
Golf: Hi Michelle, what are you going to do today?
Michelle Wie West: Just a simple adult. [Laughs] Now, really just want to find my groove with two kids and prepare for the golf season. So that means more outings to me. The Ruisui Open is [coming up]so I was very excited.
As a tournament host, why is Ruisui so important to you?
In a sense, it's very unique because we have 24 senior girls and on weekends they can compete with pros and practice with professionals throughout the week, practice with them, and have dinner with them. This is a mentoring program; I am very proud of it. I started attending LPGA activities when I was 12 years old. At that time I really realized that I could do it for a living and I wanted to create a space for juniors to do it in a stress-free way.
How much golf do you play these days?
It's definitely not a regular thing. If I have the chance to play, I will play. Nowadays, I prefer tennis.
Why do some LPGA professionals walk away early? This is complicated (not)
Josh Berhow
How did you get into tennis?
I've never played tennis before because I'm a fading golfer and in tennis you really have to turn it around. So, it always makes me feel anxious and I mess up my golf swing. After retirement, this is always one of the things I want to do. I think I might be joining the league. [Laughs] I would be happy if I could play every day, but obviously that was unrealistic. And, unlike golf, you actually have to find a section that is on the same level.
If you could go back for 15 years, tell Michelle Wie, what would it be?
I've dealt with a lot of injuries, so maybe “just be careful. Listen to your physical therapist. Take a moment.” But I think you have to make these mistakes, right? If you don't have life errors, that's weird. You don't grow up to be a person, it sounds really cliché, but I'm really grateful for the mistakes I made in the past. There are some painful moments, but it just makes me me.
What is the biggest thing about professional golf that you don't think you're willing to?
I miss a lot of things. I miss my friend. Becoming a female golfer is not easy. Our schedule is tough. We go international. We played in Asia for six weeks in a row. You were going, 'Oh, it was painful. I'm very tired; all I have to do is go home. But when you leave, you miss those moments. You will miss the moment you were with your friends and you experienced the same experience together. I think that is so unique and so beautiful. And I've encountered many such moments. And, obviously, the feeling of winning the adrenaline – you just can’t reproduce that with anything else in your life.
Who do you like to play with the most?
I want to say that my closest friends are Alison Lee, Jessica Corda, Marina Alex. I really like playing with anyone who is quick. [Laughs]
This is also a big topic now. What is the key to quick play?
Get ready. I don't understand it was time to start their entire process for the players. Maybe it's because I'm one of the longer players I often have a lot of time, but even if you walk, you have to do your homework. You have a lot of time to get to the ball. Do your thing. Then don't overthink, do you know? Golf, you have to make it a reactionary sport. When you think about it, I think that's when things are bad. You will tear it apart as soon as you wake up. You have to use your own feeling.
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I think playing quickly is a skill.
I agree. I think it has to be taught from an early age. Because I look at these players and you don't get slow overnight, right? That's who you are. This is how you teach. I think it has a lot to do with the way teenage golf and college golf play. There are so many slow rounds that they are used to playing slow speeds, and obviously when things are important, your instinct is to slow it down instead of speeding up. But yes, I think what golf is doing now, and I think we are on the right trend of trying to figure out how to make this sport faster.
OK, let's fire quickly. What courses have you enjoyed the most?
I want to say that Pinehurst 2 is one of my favorites. I love Kings Barnes – I was impressed by it. Then there is the National Golf Link. I think that's my top three.
What's the coolest place in golf?
I love Pinehurst's cradle. I just thought the whole area there was so cool. But there are a lot of huge suspenders: pebbled benches, pebbled faucet rooms. These are two cool golf courses.
