LPGA Legend Breaks 3-Year Retirement for Last Chance To Use Career Exemption

Several LPGA legends have had their careers cut short or disrupted due to injuries, especially from the repetitive stress of golf swings. However, one legend is returning to golf after a three-year retirement. Retired early due to chronic wrist injuries, Michelle Wie West is back—and she just announced it on X.

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West shared that she is going for one last swing. “With one final year of eligibility from my victory in 2014 and the Championship headed to an iconic venue that means so much to me, I am excited to announce that I’ll be teeing it up at the U.S. Women’s Open at Riviera in June!” She tweeted.

West last played in the 2023 US Women’s Open at Pebble Beach Golf Links. She, however, missed the cut, crashing out in the process. Since then, she has stepped back from the course to focus on her family and prioritize her health.

But now the LPGA great is returning to golf with a point to prove. And this would be a step in the right direction for one of golf’s finest players. But what made her so special?

Looking back at Michelle Wie West’s prodigal career

From the start, West demonstrated that she belonged among the all-time greats of the sport. She turned professional at just 15 and went on to win five LPGA Tour titles, including her lone major at the 2014 U.S. Women’s Open. She became the youngest player to qualify for a USGA amateur championship at age 10.

West has won 5 LPGA Tour titles in her career, finished T3 at the Women’s British Open in 2005 and 2017, and finished 2nd in the 2014 Chevron Championship (ANA Inspiration). However, her best performance came in at the U.S. Women’s Open in 2014 at Pinehurst.

Winners of the U.S. Women’s Open receive a 10-year exemption to the major. West’s exemption was extended two years to 2026 due to maternity leave. This is exactly why she couldn’t let this opportunity pass. West will look to reclaim what once belonged to her.

Back in the swing of things after a disappointing 2023 that saw her miss the final cut at Pebble Beach, West now hopes to makes this opportunity count. But her comments in the 2023 post‑round interview had made it was clear she was going to come back to the sport.

“You never say never,” Wie West said at the time, “but a very slim chance probably.”

Although her comeback once seemed unlikely, Michelle Wie West is returning to her roots. Shortly after, she signed on to join the WTGL, a tech-infused women’s golf league modeled after the men’s version. The league is set to launch this winter.

It’s only natural to wonder if a hiatus has affected her game, yet with a player of her stature, doubt barely figures into the equation.

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