Michelle Wie West, coined the title “Big Wiesy” after former World No. 1 Ernie Els’ “Big Easy” swing, is a significant contributor to women’s golf.
She was born on October 11th, 1989 in Honolulu, Hawaii. Besides golf, education was a priority in Wie’s life. Her grandfather and father were both university professors, having taught at Seoul National University and at the University of Hawaii, respectively. For grade school, she attended the Punahou School in Honolulu, Hawaii. In college, she majored in communications at Stanford University in Palo Alto, CA, while playing professional golf. College gave her the opportunity to develop independence and escape burnout. She graduated as a part of Stanford’s class of 2012. Michelle’s determination, trust in herself, and good time management helped her balance both her education and professional sport, proving that nothing could stop her.
She was born on October 11th, 1989 in Honolulu, Hawaii. Besides golf, education was a priority in Wie’s life. Her grandfather and father were both university professors, having taught at Seoul National University and at the University of Hawaii, respectively. For grade school, she attended the Punahou School in Honolulu, Hawaii. In college, she majored in communications at Stanford University in Palo Alto, CA, while playing professional golf. College gave her the opportunity to develop independence and escape burnout. She graduated as a part of Stanford’s class of 2012. Michelle’s determination, trust in herself, and good time management helped her balance both her education and professional sport, proving that nothing could stop her.
In addition to her success in golf, Wie has been a leading force in the #HoodieForGolf Campaign, which worked to support diversifying golf and enhance awareness of the LPGA. This campaign was able to raise over $225,000 by selling more than 10,000 of their unique tie dye hoodies for the LPGA Renee Powell Fund and Clearview Legacy Foundation in 2021. The LPGA Renee Powell Fund works to promote diversity in golf by providing the resources and training to introduce underrepresented groups to the game. The Clearview Legacy Foundation Charity aims to use golf as an aid for people with physical and mental issues. Wie frequently uses her social media to advocate for equality in golf.
Wie married Jonnie West, the Golden State Warriors Director of Basketball Operations and son of NBA Hall of Famer Jerry West, on August 10, 2019 in Los Angeles, CA. They welcomed their daughter Makenna in June of 2020.
At age 32, Wie stepped back from the LPGA to spend more time with her family and to prevent injuries. At the 2019 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, she needed to ice her wrist for 2 entire rounds. In addition to wrist injuries, she has sustained multiple back and leg injuries.
Outside of golf, Wie is a passionate foodie. She documents her favorite foods and shares recipes on her second instagram account, @whatdowieeat, with her over 15 thousand fellow foodies. She uses food as a medium to travel the world. At Stanford, her go-to for snacking and studying was CoHo Coffee House. In addition to food, Wie is interested in art, especially watercolor.
Why Did I Choose to Research Michelle Wie West?
Michelle has been an inspiration to me ever since I was little. When my dad first introduced me to the game, he would constantly play Golf Channel on the TV; he would point out all of the different players and tell me a little bit about them. I admire Michelle’s confidence, mentality, and fashion sense, among much more. I am grateful for all of her contributions to women’s golf. Thank you so much for being an outstanding role model, Michelle!
Works Cited
A Hoodie With a Purpose LPGA Hoodie For Golf Campaign Update | LPGA | Ladies Professional Golf Association. (2021, June 28). LPGA. https://www.lpga.com/news/2021/a-hoodie-with-a-purpose-lpga-hoodie-for-golf-campaign-update.
“CLEARVIEW LEGACY FOUNDATION.” Clearview Golf Club, www.clearviewgolfclub.com/clearviewlegacyfoundation. Accessed 17 July 2022.
Colgan, James. “Michelle Wie West Returns to LPGA with Newfound Motivation: Her Daughter.” Golf, 24 Mar. 2021, www.golf.com/news/michelle-wie-west-returns-lpga-motivation-daughter.
Cradock, M. (2021, February 21). 15 Things You Didn’t Know About Michelle Wie. Golf Monthly Magazine. https://www.golfmonthly.com/features/the-game/things-you-didnt-know-about-michelle-wie-220413.
Crouse, Karen. “Michelle Wie West on Motherhood, Pain and a Possible Return to Golf.” The New York Times, 24 July 2020, www.nytimes.com/2020/07/24/sports/golf/michelle-wie-golf.html.
Ferguson, Doug. “Wie getting the best of both worlds.” Golf Channel, www.golfchannel.com/article/doug-ferguson/wie-getting-best-both-worlds. Accessed 14 Jan. 2023.
Herrington, R. (2022, May 27). 11 memorable moments from Michelle Wie West’s career. GolfDigest.Com. https://www.golfdigest.com/story/michelle-wie-west-most-memorable-career-moments.
Kroichick, R. (2012, March 13). The Education Of Michelle Wie. Golf Digest. https://www.golfdigest.com/story/gwar-michelle-wie-education.
Marksbury, Jessica. “This Is the Best Way to Grow the Women’s Game, according to Michelle Wie West.” Golf, https://www.golf.com/news/best-way-to-grow-womens-game-michelle-wie-west/. Accessed 14 Jan. 2023
“Michelle Wie Quotes.” BrainyQuote, www.brainyquote.com/authors/michelle-wie-quotes. Accessed 17 July 2022.
“Michelle Wie West Announces She Is Stepping Away From The Game | LPGA | Ladies Professional Golf Association.” LPGA, www.lpga.com/news/2022/michelle-wie-west-announces-she-is-stepping-away-from-the-game. Accessed 17 July 2022.
“Michelle Wie West Eats (@Whatdowieeat) • Instagram Photos and Videos.” Instagram, www.instagram.com/whatdowieeat/. Accessed 14 Jan. 2023.
“Michelle Wie West Shares New Phase Of Life | LPGA | Ladies Professional Golf Association.” LPGA, www.lpga.com/news/2022/michelle-wie-west-shares-new-phase-of-life. Accessed 17 July 2022.
“Renee Powell Grant.” Girls Golf, www.girlsgolf.org/about/grants/renee-powell-grant. Accessed 17 July 2022.
This article was published on 3/24/23