“I think this might be the farewell”: LPGA legend Michelle Wie reveals 2023 could be her final Majors tournament
Michelle Wie has been a pro on the LPGA Tour since 2005. Wie has had one of the longest and most decorated careers. She knows that her time as a part of the golf world is coming to an end, though.
Wie has been in poor health which forced her to step away, but even the part-time majors appearances may be coming to an end.
According to Golf Monthly, Wie admitted that her latest outing feels like a final swan song:
“I don’t know, you know. Riv is kind of tempting, I have to say, but, yeah, I think this might be the farewell, for now. I’m not closing any doors definitely, but, yeah, most likely a farewell.”
She added that these big tournaments are good for the game of women's golf even if she's not going to stay in them:
“I think it’s just so important for us women to keep playing at these big venues. It’s just so amazing, the USGA, the R&A and the PGA of America now are giving us this opportunity to play at these big venues. It does so much to elevate the game.”
"I think this might be the farewell."
@LPGA legend @MichelleWieWest told @eamonlynch that the upcoming @uswomensopen could be the last time we see her play professional golf. https://t.co/8jrHgmaIse
Wie continued that the current venue is iconic and she's thrilled to be there again:
"It’s Pebble, it speaks for itself. I love the USGA, we have such a long history together and it’s an organisation that means so much to me and a championship that means so much to me. It’s incredible to have a chance to play here.”
She hasn't been competitive recently, but is hoping that the game will come naturally again:
“I’m hoping it’s like riding a bike all over again. I know it’s in there and I have to bring it out. I don’t really have expectations, I have the desire to win. I have the desire to play really well.”
The 33-year-old finished by saying:
“I’m very happy with my life right now. I have an incredible family and all the things that I have time to be able to do now - working with the USGA and The R&A and hosting my own event, trying to help the next generation has been a big happy factor for me.”
Michelle Wie has been retired for a bit but even retired golfers still play. Might this be one of her last chances to do so? She certainly thinks it might be.
Michelle Wie on retirement
A little while after she stepped away from being a professional golfer, Michelle Wie opened up about the transition via Golf Digest:
“There were a lot of tough days. When you're a professional athlete, that's your identity. That's what you live, eat, and breathe 24/7. That's all you think about: playing golf. When I was a student [at Stanford], I had two identities. And now I'm not a student. I'm not a professional athlete. So then the question comes up, Who am I?”
As for the future of golf, Wie said:
“I feel like there's a lot of stigma in golf, and there's a lot of new players that come into golf and have a certain way of what they believe, what golf is. I'm hoping that we can break down barriers. We're hoping that we can use this avenue to make golf seem less intimidating.”
What does the future hold for golf and for Michelle Wie?