Michelle Wie West’s Journey Through Motherhood and Its Surprising Challenges
Michelle Wie West became a mother for the first time in 2020 when she welcomed her daughter, Makenna Kamalei Yoona West. However, her path to becoming a mother of two was far from easy. The retired professional golfer had to go through IVF treatments to conceive her second child, a son named Jagger Jerry YooJun West, who was born in 2024. The journey was filled with emotional and physical trials, but she eventually welcomed her baby boy with joy.
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Despite the hardships, Wie West remains open about the humorous and relatable side of motherhood. In a candid interview during a casual walk-and-talk session with comedian Andrew Santino, she joked about how pregnancy had impacted her cognitive abilities. Reflecting on her experience, she said she felt “pretty dumb” after being pregnant twice. When Santino questioned her about it, she responded with a laugh, affirming that pregnancy had definitely taken a toll on her brain, saying, “My brain don’t work.”
Santino playfully pointed out the grammatical slip in her comment, which led to an even funnier anecdote. Wie West recounted how she struggled to solve a basic multiplication question (9 x 7) on her daughter’s iPad, part of the parental control settings. To her embarrassment, her daughter Yoona quickly gave the correct answer, making her mother feel even more self-conscious about her “mom brain.”
But behind the jokes and self-deprecating humor lies a story of strength and achievement. Wie West, who started her golf career at age 10, managed to balance academics and sports from a young age. Even during cross-country tournaments, she stayed dedicated to her studies, eventually earning a communications degree from Stanford University in 2012. Her humorous reflections on motherhood don’t take away from her intelligence or accomplishments—they add a human, relatable dimension to her story.
Now focusing on her family, Wie West is dedicated to nurturing her children and preparing them for the future. In a recent interview at Liberty National Golf Club, she shared insights into how life has changed since becoming a mother. She described the shift in her priorities and the emotional transformation that came with having two children, saying she couldn’t imagine her life without them.
She also gave a glimpse into her daughter Yoona’s active childhood. Yoona is involved in several sports including golf, tennis, and T-ball, and is just beginning to explore basketball. While Michelle and her husband, Jonnie West, plan to delay structured basketball training until Yoona is around six, they’re already enthusiastic about her natural athletic ability—especially in golf.
Michelle spoke excitedly about watching her daughter swing a golf club and how impressed they are with her technique. She and Jonnie often review video footage of her swings together and even send clips to golf instructor David Leadbetter for feedback. It’s clear that even though Wie West is retired from competitive play, her love for the sport lives on through her daughter.
At the heart of Michelle Wie West’s journey is a deep commitment to her children and their future, mixed with a healthy sense of humor about the challenges of motherhood. Whether it’s joking about forgetting multiplication tables or obsessing over golf swing form, she continues to embrace her new chapter with grace, humor, and unwavering dedication.