The 33-year-old announced last year she would step away from playing the game professionally after a career often plagued with injury concerns to spend more time with her family and focus on projects that have had to take a back seat with the rigours of professional golf the priority for nearly two decades.

While her daily routine at home of three meals a day, Netflix, making pickles and looking after her daughter, Makenna may be the polar opposite to life on Tour, Wie West feels refreshed and is enjoying the change of pace her new lifestyle offers – and she certainly will not miss doing any putting drills.

"I just realised everything I'm doing, I'm doing for the last time. The putting drills that I'm doing, you'd best believe I'm not going to do another putting drill for the rest of my life if I don't need to," Wie West said.

20 years after her maiden appearance at her national Open, the stage is set for Wie West's swansong ... the stage Pebble Beach, which hosts its first U.S Women's Open.

The realisation she is going through the motions of not only a major championship, but a competitive event for the final time has been one that has proven to be understandably emotional for the 2014 champion.

However, she hasn't let her emotions get in the way of looking towards the future and also allowing herself to look in the rear-view mirror and reflect on the time she has spent at the top of the women's game, describing the legacy she leaves as she closes the door on professional golf as "bold". Hoping she helped pave the way for the girls coming through the ranks to be able to express themselves.

"I think that one word comes to mind, bold. Made a lot of bold choices in my career, and I'm proud of it," she said. "I'm proud of being fearless at times and just doing what felt right. I hope that I inspire a lot of other girls to make bold and fearless decisions and choices in their careers, as well."

Wie West made her U.S Open debut as a teenager back in 2003 at Pumpkin Ridge. PHOTO: Jon Ferrey/Getty Images.

Bursting onto the professional scene with a win on debut – at the Mizuho Americas Open, which Wie West hosts – was one such beneficiary and fellow Stanford alumni Rose Zhang, who spoke about Wie West reaching out and becoming a mentor for her at the beginning of her professional career.

"For her to reach out and be that kind and give that advice that she's given me, that just allows everything to be so much easier, free-flowing. And she's a Stanford alum, so we have a lot of common ground in that area. She's incredible. This is her last stretch, but I'm really honoured to be able to just be a part of it," Zhang said this week at Pebble Beach.

With the purses continually improving on the LPGA Tour and the number of young players like Zhang, Lilia Vu and Ruoning Yin thriving, Wie West believes the future of the women's game is bright. The emergence of more iconic venues on the schedule only helping the cause, although she believes it also needs more eyeballs to continue to trend in the right direction.

"I love that all the major champions are so young. That means the next generation is here. They're here, they're powerful, and they're here to stay. It's been so amazing to see our major championships be held on amazing golf courses, Baltusrol, we have here at Pebble Beach. I've talked a lot about that. Venues make a huge difference in uplifting our Tour."

"I do believe that when you have our women on iconic venues such as Pebble Beach, the fans love it. The fans are the ones that are driving the media value. They love to watch TV and recognise the courses that we play at."

"I think it just needs more eyeballs. I think it's getting better, but I think the primetime TV is really helping."

"I've definitely thought about the final walk, and gosh, I hope it's in the final group with everyone watching. That would just be so incredible." - Michelle Wie West.

Although she will be a constant sounding board for LPGA Tour Commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan whenever she needs it, for one last time when Wie West tees off on Thursday, the competitive juices will take over, and she will be trying to make sure her final walk down 18 is late on Sunday.

"I've definitely thought about the final walk, and gosh, I hope it's in the final group with everyone watching. That would just be so incredible. I've definitely dreamt of it, thought about it, and I can't believe it's only a few days away."

Perhaps though, it is unlikely she will be taking that par-5 on in two this week, or attempting anything too risky thanks to some U.S Open scar tissue.

Wie West revealing her choice for one career mulligan as not attempting to drive the green on the 1st hole of the final round at the 2005 U.S Women's Open at Cherry Hills after sharing the 54-hole lead as a 15-year-old amateur. The resulting triple-bogey ejecting herself from tournament contention.

"I really wish I didn't try to go for the green at Cherry Hills on the 1st hole and make a triple. I will not be going for the drivable par-4 this week. Learned my lesson."