Michelle Wie West not in favour of LIV Golf for women

Rumours about a LIV Golf circuit for women continue to swirl but one of the most high-profile female professionals of the last 20 years has her doubts.

Michelle Wie West says she would prefer to see the women’s game keep growing independent of the Saudi-funded enterprise that has split men’s golf down the middle.

Speaking at a media day for the LPGA’s Mizuho Americas Open, which she’ll host, former US Women’s Open champ Wie West said: “I always think competition is great. I think unfortunately the source of where the money is coming from, it’s a completely different ball game in terms of men and women.

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“I think that inherently us being a tour of females, comes with its extra set of complications when dealing with a tour that is funded by a certain corporation or country.

“It’s a very complicated answer but we are a tour founded by women, led by women, and I would love for us to keep growing.”

Wie West retired from playing full-time last year but continues to be one of the women’s game’s most recognisable and engaging figures.

The 33-year-old won five times on the LPGA, most recently the 2018 HSBC Women’s World Championship.

She added: “If the money is there, if it creates great opportunities for the women on our tour, who am I to stop anyone from gaining financial stability in the way that we all deserve?

“But it is a complicated scenario as we all know. There is no one right or wrong or good versus evil.

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“It’s very complicated and it gets even more so complicated when it’s about women.”

LPGA commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan has previously indicated a willingness to work with Greg Norman and the rest of the team behind LIV.

“I would engage in a conversation if it would achieve our aim of promoting women’s golf, but there needs to be input from players and sponsors,” she said last July. “There’s a lot of factors to consider before we do business.”

Michael McEwan is the Deputy Editor of bunkered and has been part of the team since 2004. In that time, he has interviewed almost every major figure within the sport, from Jack Nicklaus, to Rory McIlroy, to Donald Trump. The host of the multi award-winning bunkered Podcast and a member of Balfron Golfing Society, Michael is the author of three books and is the 2023 PPA Scotland 'Writer of the Year' and 'Columnist of the Year'. Dislikes white belts, yellow balls and iron headcovers. Likes being drawn out of the media ballot to play Augusta National.

Deputy Editor