Michelle Wie West Alludes to Golfer’s Mental Health with a Statement

In golf, numbers often define everything. Starting from rankings, earnings, cuts, wins, distance and whatnot!

But for many pros, those numbers can quietly erode joy. Just ask Lexi Thompson, an 11-time LPGA winner who announced her partial retirement last year, citing mental health struggles.

And after doing so, Thompson has looked visibly lighter, happier and healthier, even as she played partially.

Even PGA Tour pros have expressed similar sentiments, including Viktor Hovland and Max Homa.

That same emotional clarity echoed this week from Michelle Wie West, who retired from full-time LPGA competition in 2022.

In a bold and deeply personal Instagram Reel posted on Saturday, Wie West joined a trending audio clip that says, “Hey, you look happier.”

And her response, “Thanks, my entire self-worth isn’t attached to my golf scores anymore,” combined with a montage of joyful moments, just triggered the mental struggle golfers go through in each tournament.

In the caption of her Reel, she wrote: “I don’t care about bogeys anymore. I care that my kids are happy, healthy, and kind. That’s the new leaderboard. 🥹🫶”

The post resonated widely with professionals. Even Jessica Korda, Nelly Korda’s elder sister, commented, “This ^^^^,” while CBS’ Amanda Balionis added, “Why is this making me smile so big?”

Wie West, now 35, has long been candid about the toll professional golf took on her. “When you’re a pro… that’s your identity,” she said in a 2022 interview.

“That’s what you live, eat, and breathe 24/7.”

But her recent appearance at the Travelers Championship Pro-Am alongside Amanda Balionis and Kira K. Dixon showed a different side, one that still loves the game, but no longer lets it define her.

Her Saturday message isn’t isolated. Many LPGA players have spoken about the emotional weight of the sport.

Thompson, during her U.S. Women’s Open press conference, admitted, “It can be exhausting to maintain a smile on the outside while grappling with struggles on the inside”.

She added, “Unfortunately in golf, you lose more than you win… it’s hard. I will say, yes, I’ve struggled with it.”

And it’s not just the women’s game. Rory McIlroy, one of the most scrutinized players in the world, has repeatedly skipped post-round interviews to avoid saying something he might regret.

After a rough Saturday at the 2025 U.S. Open, he finally addressed the media, saying, “It’s more a frustration with you guys”, referring to the press.

In a sport where silence often masks struggle, Michelle Wie West’s post wasn’t just a trend, but a reminder that golfers are first humans.

And it’s ok to take a break from the pressure of leaderboard counts.

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