Michelle Wie West: "Pebble Truly Felt Like The End, This Was Just a Bonus"

PACIFIC PALISADES, Ca. — It was never really about making a comeback for Wiezy.

We first met Michelle Wie West when she was just 12 years old at the 2002 LPGA Takefuji Classic when she Monday qualified for the event. She was poised to be the next big thing in golf, and for quite a while she was women's golf's annointed phenom.

With unlimited swagger and her big ole swing that sent the ball a mile, Wie West became one of the most popular and beloved players in modern golf history—but her career never quite lived up to the sky-high expectations surrounding her.

Her career was riddled with injuries, a tumultuous putting game, and coaches that broke down her golf swing with failed attempts at building it back.

But it wasn't all bad.

The five-time winner's professional journey was highlighted by her 2014 U.S. Women's Open win at Pinehurst, which validated every struggle she had faced until that point.

Getty Images

The last time golf fans saw Michelle Wie West in competition was in 2023 at Pebble Beach, nearly a decade removed from her biggest feat, to take her final bow. But just three years later, Wie West has stormed back into the competitive side of things this year announcing that she'll be playing in the inaugural season of WTGL, along with teeing it up in the Mizuho Americas Open, where she's been tournament host for the last four seasons, on top of this week at Riviera.

RELATED: She's So Back! Michelle Wie West Comes Out of Retirement to Join WTGL

If this tournament wasn't at this course, she wouldn't have even thought about it, but her husband and their family have such strong ties to Riv and the LA area that it felt like a no-brainer. This week was all about family—and boy did she have a squad of folks hootin' and hollerin' for her no matter the score on the card.

"Obviously I would be lying to say I wasn't disappointed. I would have loved to have made the cut today, granted all day," said the 36-year-old mom of two after her second round. "You work so hard for just like really one week. It definitely was nerve-racking, but at the same time, it was a lot of fun to come play. Pebble just truly felt like the end. This was just a bonus, and a great bonus to be able to play at Riv, be able to play another U.S. Open. It's a great honor."

Wie West posted scores of 75-74 to go 7-over for the tournament.

"Honestly, that was like the fun part about this week and about this whole journey really was it was the first time in my career where I really felt like I can get after it again without really managing much pain...I had a year of just working out, no golf, and that never happened in my life. I kind of felt like I built my body from ground zero after my second pregnancy and going through the postpartum, running half marathon, and it felt good. I felt like I was hitting bombs out there today."

It's been full circle to see Wie West as just a teenage girl leaning against her father for physical and spiritual support, to watching her take her final bow with her daughter McKenna in tow.

RELATED: Is The U.S. Women's Open Nelly Korda's Masters?