WTGL: Michelle Wie West comes out of retirement for new team league
Golf icon Michelle Wie West returns and the WTGL gets a star addition. The former US Open winner becomes part of the WTGL.
The golf world is looking forward to the winter of 2026: Michelle Wie West, one of the most influential figures in modern women's golf, is returning to the spotlight. However, her comeback will not take place on the classic Tour, but in the technologically revolutionary WTGL.
The chapter of competitive golf seemed to be closed for Michelle Wie West. After a career marked by injuries and her emotional farewell at the 2023 U.S. Women's Open in Pebble Beach, the now 36-year-old Stanford graduate devoted herself primarily to her young family and her entrepreneurial projects. However, the announcement of the new women's league WTGL has apparently rekindled the fire in the 2014 Major winner.
🚨 ANNOUNCEMENT
- TGL (@TGL) February 23, 2026
The roster just keeps getting stronger: @MichelleWieWest is coming out of retirement to join WTGL 🙌 pic.twitter.com/Szye7YyP9W
Why the WTGL is the perfect format for Wie West
The choice to return to the WTGL is no coincidence. The format, which is in close partnership with the LPGA, breaks with traditional golf conventions. Instead of days-long marches over 18 holes, spectators can expect a fast-paced, team-oriented spectacle at the SoFi Center in Florida.
For Wie West, who is a mother of two, the WTGL offers a decisive advantage: a predictable, compact environment without the travel hassles of a global Tour. "The team component and the unique environment at the SoFi Center are things I really want to be a part of," Wie West explained as part of the announcement. As an investor in the Los Angeles Golf Club (a men's TGL team), she was already familiar with the concept behind the scenes.
The star ensemble of the WTGL: Who else is teeing off?
Like West, the WTGL doesn't pit you against just anyone. The field of participants so far reads like a "who's who" of the current golf elite. The league combines youthful dominance with the experience of a total of 66 LPGA victories.
| Player | Nation | Status / Achievements |
|---|---|---|
| Jeeno Thitikul | Thailand | Current number 1 in the world |
| Charley Hull | England | Solheim Cup icon & world no. 3 |
| Lydia Ko | New Zealand | 3-time Major winner |
| Rose Zhang | USA | Biggest US talent of recent years |
| Lexi Thompson | USA | Eleven-time LPGA winner |
| Brooke Henderson | Canada | Two-time major winner |
| Michelle Wie West | USA | US Open champ & global icon |
Pure innovation: what fans can expect at the WTGL
The WTGL consistently focuses on the "arena character". In a specially developed complex in Florida, shots on huge simulators are combined with real short game on a moving Green. Fans can look forward to microphones on the players, real-time data analysis and strategic tricks such as "The Hammer".
Wie West's entry into the WTGL is a huge reach booster for the sport. Since her youth, Wie West has been a pioneer who pushes boundaries - be it through her early starts in men's tournaments or her current commitment to equality in the sports business.
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Release date
24 Feb 2026
photos
Michelle Wie West will take part in the newly founded WTGL in 2027. (Photo: Imago / UPI Photo)
