Michelle Wie West mentioned goodbye to aggressive golf at the U.S. Women’s Open, and her remaining gap was one to recollect.
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PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. — Michelle Wie West waited over a 12 months to say goodbye to aggressive golf on the grandest stage. When she reached Pebble Beach’s 18th fairway late Friday afternoon, she needed to wait just a little longer.
Annika Sorenstam, her taking part in companion at the 78th U.S. Women’s Open, had tugged her tee shot into Stillwater Cove and there was confusion as to the place she ought to take a drop. No matter. It gave Wie West just a few extra moments to soak in the remaining 18th-hole stroll of her profession.
The crowds thinned significantly by then, however those that mattered most surrounded her. Jonnie West, her husband, carried her bag beside her, whereas her family and friends shouted encouragement from exterior the rope line. The couple’s 3-year-old daughter, Makenna, was amongst them, sleeping in a stroller. After hitting her strategy into the greenside bunker, Wie West walked over to test in on her sleeping toddler.
Motherhood was certainly one of Wie West’s motives for leaving the recreation. In her remaining interview on the course she stayed true to her phrase. She may love the recreation of golf, however she loves being a mom extra.
“There is nothing I want more than my daughter to be in a better position than I ever was,” Wie West mentioned final summer season. “I want her to get everything that she deserves.”
Those working in Golf Channel’s “Live From” set stood at the rear of the studio and watched the scene unfold. Wie West appeared their route and made a coronary heart along with her palms.
“[I’m] definitely going to miss the people,” she mentioned.
At Pebble Beach, golf is saying goodbye to 1 star, hi there to a different
Zephyr Melton
Those remaining in the grandstands showered her with applause as she approached the inexperienced. This is the first time the greatest ladies in the world have competed at Pebble, and with out Wie West’s trailblazing efforts, it would by no means have occurred.
The putter — lengthy a bugaboo for the 33-year-old — didn’t cooperate this week at Pebble, however Wie West nonetheless proved she had just a little magic left in the wand. With her remaining stroke, she rolled in a 33-footer for par. All she might do was chortle. She shot two rounds of 79 to overlook the minimize by eight pictures, however the scores didn’t a lot matter. This week was all the time fated to be a celebration.
“Making that long putt on 18 definitely was a sweeter sendoff,” she mentioned.
The first cease on Wie West’s farewell parade was with USGA CEO Mike Whan. The longtime commissioner greeted Wie West with a bouquet of flowers simply behind the 18th inexperienced. Tears welled in her eyes as she accepted them and embraced him. LPGA execs Marina Alex and Jodi Ewart Shadoff made certain to pay their respects, as did David Leadbetter, Wie West’s longtime swing coach, who made certain to offer his previous pupil a name.
As Wie West stepped to the podium in the interview space, she held Makenna in her arms, wide-eyed below the beaming lights. Jonnie, her mother and father and dozens of others stood simply out of body, recapping the day that was.
“I’ve definitely held back tears the entire round,” Wie West mentioned. “Everything was just incredible.”
Her remaining presser didn’t final lengthy — simply six questions — however each reply got here with a sentiment of gratitude. For her household, who supported her from begin to end. For her associates, with whom the bonds will final a lifetime. And for her profession, which got here to an emotional conclusion at golf’s biggest assembly of land and sea.
“It feels [like] nothing has changed and everything was changed all at once,” she mentioned. “It’s definitely a strange and surreal feeling.”
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