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Ever wondered how a golf prodigy hustled her way to her first set of wheels? On the latest We Need A Fourth podcast, retired LPGA pro Michelle Wie West drops a seriously fun confession—she didn’t just outdrive adults on the fairway, she regularly left her father’s poker buddies empty-handed

The retired LPGA pro joined the We Need A Fourth podcast, where the hosts went over her relentless drive even as a young girl. West, who is known to have competed against grown men on the PGA Tour, quickly cited another incident from her life where she paraded the same tenacity. West revealed that she used to play poker with her father and his friends growing up. But that didn’t stop her from becoming competitive even in that.

Her tongue-in-cheek remark brings out that flare: “I used to love taking money from older guys.” In fact, being ever ambitious, West set herself a financial milestone to achieve.

“So, I remember playing with my dad’s friend growing up, and I was like, ‘Oh, I’m going to save enough money to buy a car,’” West told the hosts.

Turns out anything competitive pumped her, with West being a prodigy not only in golf but also in poker. So, she not only beat the older men but also earned enough to buy her first car.

“And I would play with them like weekly. They were big poker players, big bettors, and I was young and cocky, and I actually made enough to buy a car,” West confirmed.

The funniest thing is that West still owns an envelope full of the stash she collected from poker. Apparently, West was the most challenging casino player despite being decades younger than her opponents.

That might have earned her a sarcastic comment from the podcast host, who chimed, “I felt like we were interviewing the Long Island Lolita right there, like taking money from older guys.”

While poker might have bought West her first car, golf was what made her rise to fame. Always having a knack for golf, West began competing in tournaments as a child. Taking on adults, West quickly rose to the major stages. She started qualifying for the national tournaments at just 10. At 12, the young prodigy competed in her first major. Becoming one of the youngest to make the cut, West finished T41 for the US Women’s Open. In the challenging fields against seasoned adults, West’s performance stood as a testimony to her exceptional talent and poise.

However, West is not only an icon for the ladies’ tour. Having challenged men on the PGA Tour, West has displayed her confidence and fearlessness beyond poker.

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Michelle Wie West has braved the PGA Tour

Michelle West’s early success in the LPGA circuit brought significant media attention. In 2003, West became the youngest winner of an adult USGA-sanctioned tournament by winning the U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links. Following this historic milestone, in 2004, West received a sponsor exemption for the PGA Tour’s Sony Open in Hawaii. That became her first golf competition in a male-dominated field.

Heading to the greens, West admitted feeling confident yet nervous. However, fighting the criticisms for being the only girl on the field, West didn’t let the naysayers stop her.

“I was like, ‘Wait, you can’t tell me I can’t do this just because I’m a girl.’”

This was the 14-year-old West’s response to the critics. Sure enough, she silenced the voices that doubted her by shooting a stellar second-round 68, the lowest by any woman on the PGA Tour. However, this milestone wasn’t an easy one, with West practicing against seasoned golfers like Ernie Els and Vijay Singh.

Although she finished 9th, the experience was what stood out the most.

“I was super cocky back in the day, but then I’m watching these guys hit the ball and I’m like, Wow!” West shared. However, this wasn’t her only competition in the men’s tour.

Subsequently, West went on to compete in the 2006 SK Telecom Open of the Asian Tour, making the cut. However, in 2007, West missed the cut by 14 strokes at the 2007 Sony Open, bringing forward fresh attacks on her position in the PGA Tour. She returned in 2008 for the Legends Reno-Tahoe Open, but again missed the cut, finishing nine strokes over par.

Despite not securing a win, Michelle Wie West’s appearances in men’s tournaments showcased her fearless competitiveness, inspiring a new generation of female athletes to challenge traditional boundaries.