Michelle Wie West Shot 82 in Her First LPGA Tournament in 3 Years and the Nerves Were Real

Michelle Wie West stepped back onto the LPGA Tour on Thursday after a three-year absence, and let's just say rustiness showed up in full force. The 36-year-old carded a 10-over-par 82 at the Mizuho Americas Open in West Caldwell, New Jersey, finishing 118th of 119 competitors at Mountain Ridge Country Club. She wasn't hiding from it either. "I got so nervy out there," Wie West said. "I was just shocked at how nervous I got."

The Front Nine Was a Disaster

Things went sideways fast. Wie West bogeyed holes 2, 3, and 4, then absolutely imploded on the par-4 fifth hole with a seven that put her in what she called a "dark, very dark" place. "It got very grim," she said. A double bogey at the par-4 ninth hole pushed her to 8 over for the front nine. The greens were brutal, sure, but Wie West knows the real enemy was between her ears. She hit seven of 14 fairways and landed on 10 of 18 greens in regulation. Then there were the 37 putts. Yeah. Thirty-seven.

The Back Nine Built Some Momentum

Things shifted starting around the back nine. Wie West made a double bogey at the par-4 11th, but then bounced back with her first birdie at the par-5 13th. She went bogey-birdie-bogey over the next three holes and felt the confidence creeping back in. "The back nine, I made some good birdies," she said. "Putting felt a lot better."

Wie West hasn't competed since missing the cut at the 2023 U.S. Women's Open. She gave birth to her second child a little over a year ago and has spent most of her time away from tour mentoring young athletes at events like this one. This tournament was her first real test back, and she's treating it as practice for next month's U.S. Women's Open. "There is literally nothing in the world that compares to the first round of a tournament," she explained. Despite the rough day, Wie West is staying positive. "I'm building from here. I've got to give myself a lot of grace."

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.