Long before Michelle Wie West had built a life with her husband, Jonnie West, she had a cute little furball. A Pomeranian mix, Lola, was her companion during her early years. 

According to Golfweek, the 20-year-old fell in love with the Pomeranian mix and decided to adopt her in 2009  despite having no prior experience owning a pet. 

The decision came a day before she was scheduled to travel for the State Farm Classic in Illinois, which led her to contact the airline and make arrangements to bring the dog with her.

The first day, Michelle Wie West left Lola in a crate at the hotel while she went to the golf course. Lola got onto the hotel bed and could not get down. When Wie West returned, the room was damaged.

"The hotel didn't know that I had a dog," she told Golfweek. "I snuck her in because it was too late to change hotels," West added. She also found the housekeeper and gave her cash, asking to keep the situation private.

Four-month-old little Lola enjoyed peeling wallpaper off the hotel walls, which forced Wie West to show her artistic talent. Wie West did not complain and understood that the situation came from traveling with the dog immediately after adoption, without preparation or training.

“Thankfully, she got better,” said Wie West. “This is just, you know, we just threw her on the road one day after getting her. None of this was her fault.”

Lola remained with Wie West throughout her LPGA years and during her time at Stanford before she lost the dog to a heart attack in 2022. Wie West said the dog provided company during long periods on tour and returned the same response regardless of results.

“It gets really lonely out there and, you know, I had a lot of tough years on the tour,” said Wie West. “It's just amazing to come back to someone that doesn't care if you're playing bad or not.”

Michelle Wie West now owns three dogs named Rome, Gatsby, and Daisy, living along with her two kids, Makenna Kamalei and Jagger Jerry, and her husband.

Two years into retirement, Michelle Wie West is still in her ‘Dog Mom’ era. 

Michelle Wie West’s Collaboration with Royal Canin

Michelle Wie West began a partnership with Royal Canin at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando during the American Kennel Club National Championship, held Dec. 13–14. Royal Canin served as the presenting sponsor of the event.

“I’m really excited to partner with Royal Canin ahead of the AKC National Championship,” Wie West said. “They showcase amazing dogs there. I feel like I put a lot of work into our dogs. I prioritize their health and their happiness. Our dogs are a huge part of our family, so I get pretty excited when I get to talk about them.”

Wie West said she follows dog shows and connects the preparation required for competition with her experience in professional golf. “I can relate to the prep and focusing on the right nutrition and being at your best when it matters the most,” she said.

Written by

Aditi Singh

Edited by

Sagnik Bagchi