Michelle Wie West knew the comeback round would be hard. She did not expect Mountain Ridge to feel quite this big.
The 36-year-old former US Women's Open champion, hosting and competing in the Mizuho Americas Open as a sponsor invite, opened with a 10-over 82 on Thursday in her first competitive LPGA round since the 2023 US Open. Wie West needed 37 putts on a slick set of greens that humbled almost everyone in the field, before steadying herself with birdies on 13 and 15 to claw it back to a respectable finish on the back nine.
It was the first tee, she conceded, that nearly undid her.
"It was funny, I wasn't nervous going in, and I get to the first tee and I'm like, 'Holy s—!'" Wie West said. "I now spell my curse words because I'm a mom. I was like, 'Wow.' Hole all of a sudden looks so small."
The greens at Mountain Ridge, undulating and quick, only amplified the rust. Wie West admitted she was almost afraid to commit to short putts.
"Got to a 2-footer and I'm like, 'I'm not going to hit the hole. No way,'" she said. "The greens are very tough as it is. I got so nervy out there. I think I was just shocked at how nervous I got, then double down on these greens are tough."
Wie West has built the Mizuho Americas Open into one of the LPGA's signature stops since launching the tournament alongside Mizuho, blending an AJGA junior field with the main professional event. Her decision to tee it up herself was confirmed only weeks ago, with the 2026 US Women's Open at Riviera looming as the longer-term target. Thursday's experience, she said, will be invaluable.
"So happy that I played today ahead of the US Open," Wie West said. "As much practice as you can do, as many money games as you can play, there is literally nothing in the world that compares to the first round of a tournament."
With husband Jonnie West watching every hole and walking the ropes between shots, Wie West also leaned on family support to talk her way out of the early ledge.
"My husband was talking me off the ledge the whole round," she said.
A back nine that flirted with single digits over par offered enough light at the end of a difficult day to leave Wie West optimistic for Friday. "I felt like the back nine I made some good putts, hit some good shots, almost brought it back to single digits," she said. "I'm excited for tomorrow."
Wie West was 25 shots behind first-round leader Andrea Lee, who fired a six-under 66, with Lydia Ko and Jeeno Thitikul a stroke back at five-under 67. The cut, however, was less the point. The only number that really mattered for Wie West on Thursday was the one she has been chasing for three years: the simple count of competitive holes back under her belt.
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*Originally published on [Golf News Global](https://golfnews.global/article/michelle-wie-west-mizuho-2026-round-one-82-nervy-return-three-years). Visit for full coverage.*
