LPGA pro Michelle Wie West walked off the 9th green at Riviera Country Club on Friday and straight into her daughter's arms.

The 2014 U.S. Women's Open champion missed the cut at this year's tournament after rounds of 75 and 74, finishing at 7-over par. She admitted her disappointment, but never expected the special moment that greeted her at the green.

At Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles, Wie West was making her first major appearance after three years. Before finishing her final putt, she and her husband, Jonnie West, who was caddying for her, were already looking for their daughter, Makenna, in the crowd.

The almost 6-year-old came sprinting down the hill to the green. West laughed, recounting what Makenna said immediately after the hug.

"As soon as I hugged her, she was like, 'Can I go to daycare?'" Wie West said. "I'm glad I did all this for her."

Makenna wanted to play with LPGA pro Brittany Lang's child. Wie West has known Lang since she was 13. She reflected on watching their kids now become best friends.

"I've known Brittany Lang since I was 13, and now our kids are playing together and are best friends," Wie West said. "It's fun to see the time go by, and I feel blessed."

A 10-year exemption from her 2014 U.S. Women's Open victory, extended two years through a maternity exemption, brought her back to this year's event.

She also missed the cut at last month's Mizuho Americas Open, making Riviera her second start since returning. Still, Wie West said Pebble Beach remained her true send-off, with this appearance being something extra.

"Pebble felt like the goodbye," she said.

Michelle Wie West Opens Up About the Nerves and the Joy of Returning to Major Golf

Wie did not hide the fact that stepping back into major championship golf after a long absence came with real anxiety.

"Definitely felt a little scarier coming back, just being gone for so long," she said. "It definitely was nerve-racking, but at the same time, it was a lot of fun to come play."

She birdied the 17th hole in her final round before closing with a par at 18. Family, friends, and familiar faces lined the course all week. She was direct about what the disappointment felt like, too.

"I would be lying to say I wasn't disappointed," Wie West said. "But I had a blast, honestly, with playing here at Riv, such a special week to have played it."

Wie West announced her return to competitive golf in March after retiring in 2023 following years of chronic injuries. She finished her LPGA career with five Tour wins.

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Written by

Sneha Abraham

Edited by

Pulkit Prabhav