Michelle Wie West signed off her final round as a professional with a remarkable par putt on the last hole at the US Women’s Open.
Before the tournament started, Wie West announced that this US Women’s Open - held at the iconic Pebble Beach Golf Links for the first time - would be the last of her illustrious golfing career.
Despite consecutive rounds of 79 on Thursday and Friday, meaning the American missed the cut by eight shots, there was a moment to savour at the end as she poured in a 30-foot-putt for par on the 18th hole.
"The game is a funny game, and making that long putt on 18 definitely was a sweeter sendoff,” Wie West said after her round. "It was such an emotional day starting from the first tee. I’ve definitely held back tears the entire round. It was fun. It was great to have my last round here at Pebble Beach. It definitely feels surreal right now.”
Wie West has spent almost her entire life in the public eye, having become the youngest player - male or female - to qualify for a USGA Amateur Championship event when she played in the US Women’s Amateur Public Links aged 10.
At 12, she became the youngest player to qualify for an LPGA event before returning to win the US Women’s Amateur Public Links the following year, aged 13. Having turned professional in 2005, she had to wait until 2009 to become an LPGA Tour member due to her age.
Injuries eventually plagued the 33-year-old’s career but, she still went on to win five times on the LPGA Tour, including, most notably, her only Major triumph in the 2014 US Women’s Open at Pinehurst No.2. That victory was historic as it represented the first year a men’s and women’s US Open was held on the same course.
In that sense, it was perhaps equally poignant that Pebble Beach, hosting its first US Women’s Open in an important step forward for the women’s game, served as the backdrop for the final tournament of one of women’s golf’s most iconic trailblazers.
"It was great to have my final round here at Pebble Beach," stated Wie West. “I would have loved to have played better, but this whole experience was truly remarkable. The thing that stands out the most for me was having my husband on the bag. He's my partner in life, and to have him walk down 18 with me this week, to have him there by my side the whole week just meant everything to me, to have my family out here, to be at the US Open at Pebble Beach. Everything was just incredible."
Playing alongside Wie West was the equally legendary Annika Sorenstam, who was also featuring in her final Major. The ten-time Major champion officially announced her retirement in 2008 but accepted an invitation to return this year and play at Pebble Beach.
Like Wie West, the 52-year-old Swede missed the cut, shooting rounds of 80 and 79 to end at +15, but shared her appreciation at the opportunity she was afforded to compete in the tournament.
"It's been a great week in so many ways,” she said. “Thank you to USGA. Thank you to Pebble Beach for hosting this big championship here. And to all the fans out there today, I just really felt the love and the support.
“It was just great to come down here the last few holes just feeling welcome and appreciated and having the family here and friends. It's been a special week in so many ways."
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