Michelle Wie West, the 2014 U.S. Women’s Open champion and five-time LPGA Tour winner, announced Tuesday she is ending her three-year retirement to compete in one last major: the 2026 U.S. Women’s Open at The Riviera Country Club.
Wie West, now 36 and a mother of two, posted the news on Instagram with throwback photos, writing: “With one final year of eligibility from my victory in 2014 and the Championship headed to an iconic venue that means so much to me, I am excited to announce that I’ll be teeing it up at the U.S. Women’s Open at Riviera in June!”
She retired after the 2023 U.S. Women’s Open at Pebble Beach, where she missed the cut but sank a memorable 31-foot putt on her final hole. That appearance capped a solid career that began with immense promise as a teenage prodigy from Hawaii.
Her 2014 triumph at Pinehurst No. 2 earned her a 10-year exemption into the U.S. Women’s Open, extended by two additional years due to maternity leave. The 2026 event at Riviera marks the final year of that eligibility.
Riviera Country Club, a historic venue in Pacific Palisades that has hosted PGA Tour events like the Genesis Invitational (and past U.S. Opens, Senior Opens, and Amateurs), will stage its first U.S. Women’s Open from June 4-7. Wie West cited the course’s special personal significance as a key factor in her decision to return.
The announcement comes weeks after Wie West ended her retirement in a different context, joining the inaugural season of WTGL, a new women’s simulator golf league.
Fans and fellow players are expected to welcome the fan favorite back for what she has framed as a one-off major encore.
The U.S. Women’s Open at Riviera promises to be a highlight of the 2026 LPGA calendar, blending one of the game’s most prestigious events with a landmark venue celebrating its centennial.
