Michelle Wie West arrived at the U.S. Women’s Open this week a full-time mother, part-time TV broadcaster and occasional golfer, yet the 31-year-old remains as popular as her days as a talented teenager seemingly destined to dominate the women’s game.
Now add fashion designer to Wie West’s long list of interests and accomplishments.
A tie-dyed hoodie she created has become one of the hottest-selling merchandise items in golf, while offering a financial boost for minority women interested in the game.
Emblazoned with the LPGA Tour’s logo, the hoodie sold out in April before it even was officially available, signaling Wie West’s reach, marketability and sense of style.
“She’s that rare transcendent star,” said Roberta Bowman, LPGA’s chief brand and communications officer. “From the moment she burst on the scene in golf, she showed that special blend of talent, optimism and charisma that draws us in.”
Long before she became a mom to daughter, 11-month-old Makenna, and wife to Johnnie West, son of NBA legend Jerry West, Wie West was a teen phenom who captivated the world of golf as a tall, talented teen and a marketer’s dream.
Just before her 16th birthday, she signed a contract with Nike for $20 million, while amid a run of five straight top-five finishes in major championships.
But Wie would reach the winner’s circle infrequently due to a combination of nagging injuries, immense expectations and outside interests, including her pursuit of a degree at academic haven Stanford.
Wie finally captured a major championship during her highly celebrated win at the 2014 U.S. Women’s Open, her fourth win on Tour. She has added just one more victory since, at the HSBC Women’s World Championship in March of 2018.
But few, if any golfers, still will generate the attention Wie West will during this week’s U.S. Women’s Open at at Olympic Club in San Francisco, where she teed off Thursday afternoon with former tournament winners Cristie Kerr and Paula Creamer of Orlando.
“At every stage in her career — whether winning the US Women’s Open, coming back from injury, becoming a wife and now a mother — she connects to a broader group of followers,” Bowman said this week.
Wie West’s broad influence and guiding ethos led her to pitch the hoodie idea to Bowman.
The golfer aimed not only to promote the LPGA Tour and women in sports, but also raise money and awareness for minorities in the game. The Renee Powell Grant and Clearview Legacy Foundation receives all proceeds from hoodie sales.
The Powell Grant provides grants to LPGA-USGA girls golf programs in Black communities. Meanwhile, Powell, one of the first Black Tour pros, is head golf professional at Clearview, founded in 1948 by her father after he served in World War II and still the only U.S. course designed, built, owned and operated by an African American.
“Renee has done so much to help give opportunities to women of color,” Wie West told Golf.com, “and we want to honor her legacy and honor what she’s done.”
Wie West nor anyone else quite envisioned the support hoodie sales would be able to provide Powell’s projects.
The buzz began when NBA players Kent Bazemore and Damion Lee wore the hoodie unexpectedly on April 14, five days prior to the schedule launch. The pullover soon sold out twice, leading to a massive production surge to meet demand. The hoodie is available for $74.99 (plus shipping/handling) through LPGAProShop.com.
“We’re trying to change the face of golf, and nothing says that louder than a tie-dye cotton hoodie,” said Wie West, one of six players who sit on the LPGA Board of Directors.
The athletic 6-foot Wie West has long been known for her presence and fashion sense, two forces now allowing her another way to benefit a sport that has given her so much.
“She’s a magnet for the spotlight — on and off the golf course,” Bowman said. “She’s had a long relationship with Nike for her golf wear. And I think, off the course, she has a strong sense of personal style, as well.”
The limited fans allowed this week at Olympic are sure to be close by cheering Wie West, who lives in San Francisco and graduated from Stanford University, just 35 miles south. Some fans might even don one of her hoodies in the cool Bay Area conditions.
“San Francisco is the perfect year-round climate for the hoodie,” Bowman said. “If any of the limited fans were able to buy them, I expect they’ll wear them proudly. It’s a badge of honor for our players and fans.”
This article first appeared on OrlandoSentinel.com. Email Edgar Thompson at egthompson@orlandosentinel.com .z
