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Michelle West has been on the golfing scene for a long time. The American professional golfer has been playing on the LPGA Tour for a decade-and-a-half now. West will now be participating in her 20th US Women's Open for one last time, scheduled to take place between July 6 and 9 at Pebble Beach Golf Links.
Michelle West's journey has been nothing short of impressive. She stormed onto the golf scene at the age of just 10, when she became the youngest player in history to qualify for the 2004 US Women's Amateur Public Links Championship.
She held on to the record to advance to match play in the tournament until 2014 when Lucy Li beat it by being one week younger.
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Michelle West's incredible record-setting journey on the LPGA Tour
In 2001, at the age of 11, she won the Hawaii State Women's Stroke Play Championship and the Jennie K. Wilson Women's Invitational.
She defended her Hawaii Championship title in 2002, winning by an impressive 13 strokes. That year she also became the youngest player to qualify for an LPGA Event, playing at the Takefuji Classic. However, she did not make the cut.
In 2003, Michelle West became the youngest player to make the cut at an LPGA event (the Kraft Nabisco Championship) at the age of 13. But that was just the beginning of a memorable season for West. She went on the card a score of 66 at the Championship, tying the amateur record for a women's major championship.
In June, West won the Women's Amateur Public Links tournament, becoming the youngest player, male or female, to win a USGA adult event.
Michelle West plays on the PGA Tour
In 2004, West was given a sponsor exemption to play at the Sony Open in Hawaii. This also made her the fourth and youngest woman to play on the PGA Tour.
Even though she went on to miss the cut, her second round of 68 was the lowest score by a female at a PGA Tour event- all at the age of just 15.
In 2005, Michelle West played once again at the Sony Open and also played five events on the LPGA Tour before turning pro. She also got an invitation to play at the John Deere Classic on the PGA Tour. Soon after, West turned pro in late 2005 before turning 16.
Michelle West's pro golf career on the LPGA Tour
Due to eligibility reasons, West could not play full-time on the LPGA Tour till she turned 18 in 2008. However, she continued to play on specific LPGA events and even the PGA Tour, where she became a frequenter.
West became only the second woman to make the cut at the SK Telekom Open on the Asian Tour. It was in 2009 that West took her first win on the LPGA Tour at the Lorena Ochoa Invitational. Her other wins over the year include the 2010 CN Canadian Women's Open, the 2014 LPGA Lotte Championship.
Her fourth win was also her first major championship win. West picked up the trophy at the US Women's Open.
After a long and illustrious career, Michelle West will be retiring after the end of the 2023 US Women's Open. Her exemplary records will forever be remembered in golf history.
