At a very young age, Michelle Wie West impressed people with her strokeplay. So much so that many started comparing her to Tiger Woods. Her incredible skills and abilities showed that she had what it takes to become the best woman golfer in history. West won her first title in her rookie season in 2009, the Lorena Ochoa Invitational. A year later, she grabbed her second title with the CN Canadian Women’s Open. From there on, West managed a few more titles before her major downfall. Now, after her retirement, she finds herself away from the sport.

Burdened by the comparison with Woods, she also started imitating him and his habits, including the rigorous training regime he followed. It didn’t work for the 82x PGA Tour winner, as he did irreversible damage to his body, and the LPGA Tour pro also suffered from the same issues. She confessed that “training like a man” was the reason behind her downfall. West ultimately retired, the birth of her daughter pushed her to take the final call, and made her last appearance in the 2023 U.S. Women’s Open.

Recently, Golf.com had an interview with the 35-year-old in an attempt to learn about her life now. They asked the retired star, “How much golf are you playing these days?”  To which, Michelle Wie West confessed that it’s not golf that piques her interest these days. She responded, “It’s definitely not a regular thing. If there’s an occasion to play, then I’ll play. I’m more into tennis nowadays.”  Shocked by the response, the journalist inquired, “How did you get into tennis?”

Turns out, West never fancied tennis when she was a golfer. The ex-LPGA Tour star explained, “I never played tennis before because I’m a fade golfer, and in tennis you really have to turn it over. So it would always give me anxiety that I would mess up my golf swing. It was always one of the things that I wanted to do after I retired. I think I might join a league. [Laughs] If I could play every day, I would be so happy, but obviously that’s not realistic. And, unlike golf, you actually have to find a partner that’s sort of on your same level.”  Mixing tennis with golf seems to have been a recipe for disaster for West. But now that golf is in the past, she has finally picked up the racket and is having a ball of a time.

In fact, in an interview with Kira Dixon during the 2025 Masters, West had also mentioned how she substituted for a player in a tennis league match. She ended up scoring the winning smash that helped her team beat their opponents by 12-10. Dixon even mentioned how Serena Williams should be cautious about her records, as Michelle Wie West is planning to join the sport.

While she may have admitted to not going pro, it would be wonderful to see her compete again. Even if it’s a Pro-Am kind of event. Interestingly, she is not the only sports person who has made such a switch. Let’s take a look at a few other individuals who have changed their professional sport and found a bit of success as well.

Others who have followed the same route as Michelle Wie West

Golf legend Tom Watson is regarded as one of the most prolific golfers in history. He won 8 majors and 31 other PGA Tour titles in his career. He began his journey when Jack Nicklaus was still dominant in the league and continued till the early years of Tiger Woods’ surprise. However, after Watson had retired from the PGA Tour, he has indulged in other activities extensively, like sky diving and cutting-horse competitions.

John Brodie was an NFL player and he famously played as a quarterback San Francisco 49ers. However, he also had a keen interest in golf. After he retired, he pursued professional golf on the PGA Tour Champions. As a part of the Seniors Tour, Brodie had an exceptional record of making 227 cuts in 230 appearances. He also had 1 senior title win in 1991. Peter Odemwingie is another great example in this list. Having played a striker role in soccer, he has now started his journey in golf, and he dreams of representing Nigeria in the Olympic Games.

Do you think the retired LPGA Tour star would also find success in tennis? Let us know in the comments section.