Why is Michelle Wie West, legend of women's golf, retiring at just 33 years of age?

Michelle Wie West is preparing to play what will be the final tournament of her professional golf career.

Wie West has been the face of women's golf during her long career, but she is set to walk away from the game after the upcoming 2023 US Women's Open.

Wie West burst onto the scene after becoming the youngest player to qualify for a USGA amateur championship at just age 10, then going on to qualify for an LPGA event two years later at age 12.

She has only gone from strength to strength during her long career, but golf is now set to lose one of its biggest ever stars.

Why is Michelle Wie West retiring?

While permanent retirement is not set in stone just yet, Wie West is walking away from the game for now as she prioritises her family.

Wie West announced that she would retire from golf in 2023 back in 2022, confirming that her daughter, Makenna, who was born in 2020, was central to the decision.

"I really, really wanted to play longer," she told ESPN on Tuesday.

"I really wanted to, especially after having Makenna and her being a girl.

"In an ideal world I wish I was still out on tour and playing. Unfortunately it's just I had to make a hard decision with my body. It is hard."

The golfing superstar has struggled with injury during her career and it has been reported that the time she has spent time doing rehab and recovery, time she feels could be better spent with her family.

But, her story may not be totally finished yet, as Wie West revealed in an interview with ESPN ahead of her final competition.

"I'm definitely not ruling anything out," she said.

"I've been doing a lot of reflecting, and am incredibly blessed for the journey that I have and the family that I've built. It's just a really cool week to be here."

Michelle Wie West's titles and earnings

Wie West has won five career titles on the LPGA Tour, last coming out on top in early 2018.

She won two events during the 2014 campaign, and has won one major title. That win came at the 2014 US Women's Open Championship, and she will conclude her career in the same competition.

The official LPGA Tour page states that Wie West has won a total of 7.28million dollars during her career, with 2014 being her most lucrative year.

During that year, when she won the US Open, Wie West took home just shy of 2m dollars.

But last year, after playing in just two events, Wie West only pocketed 16,156 dollars in prize money.