Michelle Wie West welcomed her second child, Jagger Jerry YooJun West, on October 19. Interestingly, the 35-year-old former LPGA star underwent IVF to conceive her baby, a process known for its challenges and uncertainty. As women age, the chances of success with IVF decrease, and West openly expressed concerns during the procedure.

She even compared her medical journey with that of her pro golf career recently. “To get through IVF, I drew from my experience in hardship and adversity as a professional athlete,” she said. Playing the game of golf requires a lot of stamina and keeping the body strong and since she was tuned for that, West was able to cope better with IVF.

“That helped me steel myself through the injections and the bruising,” she claimed. “Of course, it’s not a complete one-to-one but I found there were many similarities to sports.” Moreover, frustrations she faced in her career. If you remember her prime, you’ll know West was an unstoppable force. She won one major during her career, the 2009 U.S. Women’s Open at the age of just 19. But things weren’t sustainable. Injuries and time took their toll and eventually only added to her tensions on the course—because of which she eventually decided to step away at just 35.

Her experience with IVF was similar too.

“You can try too hard, get frustrated, and feel stuck. I’ve learned in both that sometimes you have to let the process take over,” added Wie West. “When I think about pregnancy now, I think about it like training for a major.”

Wie West had her first baby Makenna Kamalei Yoona West on June 19, 2020, during Covid, and well, the process was a lot easier. But this time it was difficult, and she had to prepare her body. “I worked with a nutritionist on an eating plan. While I couldn’t work out too much, I was mindful about movement like walking. And I was more intentional in managing my energy levels, and my emotions as well,” she concluded.

It also wasn’t just her physical strength with the sport that helped her during her pregnancy troubles, it was also the metal side.

Golf was Michelle Wie West’s biggest teacher

IVF can also trigger mental health struggles, with depression and anxiety being common among those undergoing it, according to CCRM Fertility. While both the mother and her baby are safe now, Michelle Wie West also spoke about how golf helped her battle through the mental struggles during her journey. 

She shared how she channels the mental training that she developed from hours of golf practice. This takes up a lot of patience and that has helped her. When she is tired, and her baby is crying, she takes a deep breath and does not auto-react. “It’s like hitting a really bad shot on the green and just not letting it get to you. And just like in sports, leaning on other people is crucial too,” she added. 

West also makes sure that she does not take up the entire responsibility for her. She divides the work with partner Jonnie West and has no intention of being a supermom. She makes sure that she prioritizes herself, too. “And then sometimes I’ll just text my husband and say “I’m going to get my nails done. Figure it out,” she added.

So there you have it. Golf is still a part of West’s life, even though not directly!