Wie West credited Mark Rolfing for being a mentor throughout her transition into broadcasting
Michelle Wie West is back in the analyst chair this week for the Players Championship, contributing to Golf Channel's "Live From" coverage at TPC Sawgrass. Wie West previously made her Golf Channel debut in '19 as a studio analyst for the net's Solheim Cup coverage. Currently on maternity leave from the LPGA, Wie West said she is looking to "give a fresh perspective" as a player who has experienced highs and lows as well as injuries throughout her career. She said, "I want to be relatable, make the game relatable and really make people understand that the game is hard. There is a reason why players miss putts, a reason why players do the things that they do. You don’t see it all the time on TV. It looks a lot easier. Hopefully I can bring perspective into what the players are thinking." Wie West said she will also lean on fellow analysts Mark Rolfing, who she's known for over 20 years, as well as Notah Begay. She also cited a close relationship with Paige Mackenzie that helped her develop as a broadcaster last year during Solheim coverage.
WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING: In Jacksonville, Gene Frenette notes Wie West for two decades has "occupied one of golf’s more intense spotlights, in varying degrees." But "none of her accomplishments in a polarizing LPGA career" has made her "as happy or content as the multifaceted roles she now occupies." She "glows when talking about being a wife, expectant mother and Golf Channel analyst" (FLORIDA TIMES-UNION, 3/12). GOLFWEEK's Beth Ann Nichols noted Wie West has "indicated that she’d like to do more TV in the future, but still plans to come back to the LPGA at some point after maternity leave" (GOLFWEEK.com, 3/11).
