With Rose Zhang Set for the U.S. Women’s Open, Women’s Golf’s Last ‘Next Big Thing’ Is Retiring

There’s some excellent symmetry at this weekend’s U.S. Women’s Open—a perfect example of the circle of life that is the world of sports.

While Rose Zhang makes the third start of her young career, already with a win under her belt, the last women’s golf prodigy, Michelle Wie West, is retiring.

From role model to friend ❤️

Michelle Wie West and Rose Zhang inspire each other on and off the course. #USWomensOpen pic.twitter.com/t0dQ0SGgAf

— U.S. Women’s Open (USGA) (@uswomensopen) July 5, 2023

Wie West was all the rage two decades ago. She was the youngest (10) to qualify for the USGA Amateur Championship, the youngest winner of the U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links, and the youngest to qualify for an LPGA event after turning pro before her 16^th birthday.

She famously played in PGA Tour, European Tour, and Asian Tour events from 2004-07. Wie West wound up with five wins on the LPGA Tour along with one major victory: the 2014 U.S. Women’s Open.

While she didn’t live up to the highest of expectations, she carved out a nice career for herself and increased exposure of the women’s game. Now, at age 33, she’s hanging up the spikes after the U.S. Women’s Open at Pebble Beach.

She said:

“I’m going to put my clubs in the darkest corner of my garage. Unfortunately, it’s just I had to make a hard decision with my body. It is hard. It is hard to be a mom out here. You have to make a lot of sacrifices. I just had to make a hard, medical body decision and also a personal decision.”

Michelle Wie West speaks on how this #USWomensOpen is her final major tournament. pic.twitter.com/sgeM14Dqfz

— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) July 4, 2023

Her path crossed with Zhang’s on Tuesday, herself an Asian-American golf phenom. Zhang broke all sorts of records while at Stanford and won her first LPGA start. The 20-year-old followed it up with a top-10 at the Women’s PGA Championship last month.

Both golfers are in featured groups for rounds one and two. Zhang will be playing with Brooke Henderson and Lydia Ko, while Wie West tees off alongside Annika Sorenstam and In Gee Chun.

Cover Image Via SBNation