Why Michelle Wie West is Making an LPGA Return This Week at Her Own Event

Despite playing sparingly in recent years, one of the most popular players in LPGA history is teeing it up at the Mizuho Americas Open and will play the U.S. Women's Open next month.

Michelle Wie West is making her first LPGA start in three years this week at the Mizuho Americas Open. | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

Michelle Wie West was feeling anxious. 

A few days ago, she was in Jupiter, Fla., for a quick visit and called up two of her best friends from her playing days, Marina Alex and Jessica Korda, hoping they could relieve some of her stress. 

“I said, ‘We need to play,’” Wie West said. “‘I need to touch a club.’”

Why? Because this week, Wie West is making her first LPGA start since the 2023 U.S. Women’s Open at the Mizuho Americas Open, which she hosts. 

A big reason the 36-year-old is teeing it up at Mountain Ridge Country Club in New Jersey is that she is playing the U.S. Women’s Open next month at Riviera Country Club. 

“It worked out perfectly with timing,” the 2014 U.S. Women’s Open champion said Wednesday. “I think I knew a few people to give me a sponsor invite, so that was an easy part of it.”

Wie West has hosted this event since 2023. Now, she hopes that being inside the ropes will give her a new perspective in that role. 

“I feel like as a tournament host, it’s actually super helpful for me to be on the player side of things and to experience that,” she said. “I can use this experience to hopefully become a better tournament host in the future and give feedback to the sponsors to be like, ‘Hey, this is where we need to keep elevating and this is where we’re doing really well.’ 

“It’s almost like I’m an undercover employee, so to speak this week, so I’m really enjoying it.”

When asked during her pre-tournament press conference which aspect of her game will be the most difficult to excel at this week, she responded, “putting,” with a smile. 

Her expectations are tempered, though. Especially with 41 of the top 50 players in the world playing this week. 

“I feel pretty old right now and everything hurts,” said Wie West, who will also compete in WTGL later this year. “But I would say mental [will be the hardest part this week] for sure. I get hit with moments of being nervous and I freeze up. To be fair, I feel like I have a lot of really good clarity on the feeling of being nervous and whatnot. Been talking to a lot of players about like what to do, how do you do when you handle being nervous. 

“But kind of getting back into the mode of playing, there is really only a few things I do when I get nervous. I need to just not do them. That’s easier said than done.”

Not something you’d expect to hear from one of the most popular players in women’s golf history. But good thing she got some swings under her belt in Jupiter last week.