GOLF: 'Everything hurts': Michelle Wie West making first LPGA start in 3 years

Serving as tournament host is not what's making Michelle Wie West nervous at this week’s Mizuho Americas Open in West Caldwell, New Jersey.

Wie West, 36, will compete in an LPGA Tour event for the first time since stepping away after missing the cut at the 2023 U.S. Women’s Open. Speaking on Wednesday, she joked that she “knew a few people” who could help her secure a spot in this week’s field, as she prepares for next month’s U.S. Women’s Open.

After three years away from competitive golf, Wie West was asked whether the mental or physical side of the game poses the biggest challenge this week.

“Definitely mental. I don’t know about physical. I feel pretty old right now and everything hurts. But I would say mental for sure,” she said. “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. But getting back into the mode of playing—there are really only a few things I do when I get nervous, and I need to just not do them. That’s easier said than done. Yeah, it’s all difficult.”

A little more than a year after her last LPGA Tour event, Wie West gave birth to her second child. Since then, she has stayed busy with various endeavors, including mentoring youth athletes at events like the Mizuho Americas Open.

Despite the break, her competitive spirit remains strong. In addition to the upcoming U.S. Women’s Open, Wie West is one of 14 women signed to compete in the WTGL, a tech-infused indoor golf league co-owned by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy.

“I think any platform that can give LPGA players a sounding board and opportunity to showcase their talent and personalities is perfect for that,” she said. “We’re going to reach new audiences hopefully. With the innovation and technology, it’s a perfect place to showcase everyone’s talents.”

While Nelly Korda is the most prominent player yet to commit to the WTGL, Wie West hopes the league will eventually feature co-ed competition between PGA and LPGA players.

“From day one, I got very excited about the idea of playing co-ed matches. That would be really exciting,” she said. “LPGA players have such amazing personalities.”

—Field Level Media/Reuters