By Steve Keating
(Reuters) – Michelle Wie-West was confirmed as assistant captain of the 2021 U.S. Solheim Cup team on Thursday but has not ruled out a playing role despite not competing in a PGA Tour event for more than a year.
Wie, who has won three Solheim Cups, said she did not wait for Pat Hurst to ask her to be part of next year’s effort but approached the U.S. captain moments after her appointment was announced in January.
“When I actually heard it, I was like, this would be amazing,” Wie told a conference call. “I would love to be assistant captain under her.
“I think as soon as I heard the news I immediately texted Pat, being like, if you haven’t picked your assistant captains yet, I just would love to be even considered.”
Wie joins Angela Stanford as assistants on a U.S. squad that will be out for revenge against Europe after a close loss in 2019 in the biennial competition.
Inverness Club outside of Toledo, Ohio will host next year’s Solheim which is scheduled for Sept. 4-6.
That gives Wie just over a year to pull her game together, having not played since withdrawing from the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship last June.
Since then the winner of five LPGA Tour titles, including the 2014 U.S. Women’s Open, has become a mother. She gave birth to daughter Makenna last month while continuing to recover from 2018 surgery on her right hand that caused her to sit out the remainder of the that season and much of 2019.
Wie is back on the range with baby in tow and the goal of one day having her daughter watch her play and win a tournament.
“I definitely want to compete again,” admitted Wie during a conference call. “It’s been so much fun going out and playing and having her on the range with me and all that and just playing again and being healthy and feeling good.
“Whether or not I’m going to be a playing assistant or not, I’ve talked to Pat about that, and that’s a bridge that we’ll cross when we get there, if we even do get there, but I’ll leave the decision completely up to Pat.”
(Reporting by Steve Keating in Toronto. Editing by Pritha Sarkar)
