Michelle Wie West, who dreamt of playing the Masters, walked Augusta for first time at ANWA
Michelle Wie West, who dreamt of playing the Masters, walked Augusta for first time at ANWA
AUGUSTA, Ga. – When Asterisk Talley holed out for eagle on the first hole of the Augusta National Women's Amateur on Saturday, Michelle Wie West was in the gallery. Two years ago, the LPGA star came to Augusta National for the first time but never made it past the clubhouse area and Berckmans Place. The final round of the ANWA marked her first time walking the golf course.
'I must have said it a million times,' said Wie West, 'but I was like 'Wow, so slopey! Wow, so elevated!'
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'No. 10 was a lot more elevated than I thought. Two, I didn't realize, like the downhill lies that they have on 2 going in. You see people just casually stopping golf shots on that green.'
Michelle Wie reacts to a par saving putt on the third hole during the third round of the 60th U.S. Women's Open Championship at Cherry Hills Country Club on June 25, 2005 in Cherry Hills Village, Colorado.
As a hotshot amateur, Wie West once had a goal of competing in the Masters. She made it all the way to the quarterfinals of the men's 2005 U.S. Amateur Public Links, a now defunct USGA event that carried an exemption into the Masters field.
On Sunday, Wie West was out watching the Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals in a sundress. The 35-year-old mother of two and LPGA tournament host couldn't recall the last time she hit a golf shot but said she gets emotional watching the kids compete.
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'The amazing part about ANWA is that it's created a platform where now people in the golf industry, outside the golf industry are knowing these girls' names,' said Wie West. 'It's become a topic of discussion.'
A number of players in the ANWA field are weighing when to go pro and Wie West, who turned pro just before her 16th birthday, encouraged youngsters not to put too much pressure on the decision, noting that life is fluid.
'I would always say just try one year,' said Wie West. 'Try one year out of college. It's much easier going that way than the other way.'
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Michelle Wie West walked Augusta National for the first time at ANWA
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