[John Moore II]

Garland--Indeed, she probably made more this week than I will make this year. Thats not what I was saying. I mean, maybe she is playing better golf consistently (Men's tour event notwithstanding) and might actually be able to compete on a regular basis out there. This finish (if the LPGA works like the PGA and allows finishers in the top 15 to play the next week) will get her into the field this week and perhaps she can continue the good play. I hope she plays well, though I do sometimes grow tired of hearing about her, and can possibly reach the potential that most saw in her when the won the Women's Publinx when she was 13 (her first and only win to this point)

[Matt_Ward]

JKMoore:

The Wie apologists can't seem to think that maybe, just maybe, the folks like me and countless others, who have always celebrated Wie's vast potential but didn't want to genuflect infront of her greatness BEFORE it actually blossomed in reality, were right from the get go.

Michelle has been badly served by her father and the entire Team Wie clan. The circus like devotion to playing in men's events is beyond old and stale --it's nothing more than a freak show of comedy meant to get around women's golf which she needs to deomonstrate utter dominance before going out and belieiving in her own mind that she can truly beat men on the PGA Tour.

There's no doubt Michelle has tremendous talent but that song is getting a bit old at this point. Team Wie conspired to have Michelle bow out of a women's event because the possibility was there she might not break 88 and thus be ineligible for future LPGA events in a given season. You have the various rules situations and the inability of her closest advisors -- namely her father -- to see that the current road is not helpful to the most important person of all -- Michelle.

If anything Michelle and entire entourage of Team Wie need only follows the sage wisdom of Al Davis, the Oakland Raiders head honcho -- "just win baby" and the rest will take care of itself. Alas, the Wie supporters doggedly cling to their belief that she is the female side of Tiger Woods. I don't doubt the connection to the "woods" dimension -- but she's far from being a Tiger in any meaningful way.

[Garland Bayley]

John,

I think we are seeing the potential of Yani Tseng come to fruition who beat Michelle in the final of the WAPL when Michelle was 14 and Yani was 15. Michelle had that one in hand and let it get away. Much like Michelle has had the PGA Tour cut in hand about three times, and let them get away.

[John Moore II]

JKMoore:

The Wie apologists can't seem to think that maybe, just maybe, the folks like me and countless others, who have always celebrated Wie's vast potential but didn't want to genuflect infront of her greatness BEFORE it actually blossomed in reality, were right from the get go.

Michelle has been badly served by her father and the entire Team Wie clan. The circus like devotion to playing in men's events is beyond old and stale --it's nothing more than a freak show of comedy meant to get around women's golf which she needs to deomonstrate utter dominance before going out and belieiving in her own mind that she can truly beat men on the PGA Tour.

There's no doubt Michelle has tremendous talent but that song is getting a bit old at this point. Team Wie conspired to have Michelle bow out of a women's event because the possibility was there she might not break 88 and thus be ineligible for future LPGA events in a given season. You have the various rules situations and the inability of her closest advisors -- namely her father -- to see that the current road is not helpful to the most important person of all -- Michelle.

If anything Michelle and entire entourage of Team Wie need only follows the sage wisdom of Al Davis, the Oakland Raiders head honcho -- "just win baby" and the rest will take care of itself. Alas, the Wie supporters doggedly cling to their belief that she is the female side of Tiger Woods. I don't doubt the connection to the "woods" dimension -- but she's far from being a Tiger in any meaningful way.

Matt-I disagree with nothing you just wrote.

[Garland Bayley]

...

Michelle has been badly served by her father and the entire Team Wie clan.

...Team Wie conspired to have Michelle bow out of a women's event because the ...

As they say in the court room, "Objection! Facts not in evidence!"

Since you have no idea what actually goes on in "Team Wie", you cannot make the first statement above. If you would simply preface it with, "I believe" then you would accurately label your speculation for what it is.

The second statement likewise is yours (and others) speculation, and tatamount to libel since that accusation has been denied by all that have first hand knowledge of the situation.

[John Moore II]

...

Michelle has been badly served by her father and the entire Team Wie clan.

...Team Wie conspired to have Michelle bow out of a women's event because the ...

As they say in the court room, "Objection! Facts not in evidence!"

Since you have no idea what actually goes on in "Team Wie", you cannot make the first statement above. If you would simply preface it with, "I believe" then you would accurately label your speculation for what it is.

The second statement likewise is yours (and others) speculation, and tatamount to libel since that accusation has been denied by all that have first hand knowledge of the situation.

Garland-Of course the Wie Camp would deny anything about intentionally pulling out of the event, otherwise, they would look like idiots, well, more so than they all ready do.

[Matt_Ward]

Garland:

You're right -- "I believe" you are utterly clueless about the Michelle Wie saga. The 88 fiasco situation I described was a serious breach of manipulating the injury excuse -- if you can recall and that's a big "if" -- Michelle then had the b*lls to show up right after that to hit balls in preparation for the LPGA Championship and wonder what all the fuss was about.

Her competitors called her out -- starting w Annika.

In fact, the LPGA should look itself in the mirror because one of its officials lost site of what their role in such matters should be.

Do yourself a huge favor -- take off the sunglasses you have on this situation and let the light in to clear out the cobwebs you seem to posses.

"I believe" it just might help your understanding of what this matter really is about.

[Garland Bayley]

John,

All I am saying is that statements such as those from Matt should be initiated with "I believe" so that they are identified as not being privy to the facts. The statement may be correct, but it should be written as a fact unless, it is truly know to be a fact ("facts in evidence").

[Matt_Ward]

Direct quote from Annika ...

"I just feel that there's a little bit of lack of respect and class just to leave a tournament like that and then come out and practice here (LPGA Championship at Bulle Rock)," said Sorenstam, who soldiered on for four days despite returning from a back and neck injury.

[Jim Nugent]

Did her finish last week get her into this weeks' LPGA event?  I thought I read before that she had to finish top 3 or so to get her card for next year.  If so, that kind of suggests she doesn't play this week or any other week this year. 

[John Moore II]

Did her finish last week get her into this weeks' LPGA event?  I thought I read before that she had to finish top 3 or so to get her card for next year.  If so, that kind of suggests she doesn't play this week or any other week this year. 

Jim--I am not 100% sure if she gets in this week or not, I know she has used all her sponsor exemptions, but I also know that on the PGA and Nationwide tours, if you finish top 15 in a given week, you are allowed to play the next week. There was also a position she needed to finish last week in order to be able to get unlimited sponsor exemptions, I think she came close to that, but I don't know if she made it for sure.

[Garland Bayley]

... Michelle then had the b*lls to show up right after that to hit balls in preparation for the LPGA Championship and wonder what all the fuss was about.
...

There you go again. We had an orthopedic surgeon on this site explain the injury and how painful it can be and the nature of the healing process, and we had a person that had experienced the injury explain how her behavior was entirely consistent with his experience with having had the injury (the pain comes on intensely without warning, and goes away quickly and completely until the next seemingly random flare up). But, it seem you would prefer to ignore that first hand testimonly so that you can engage in your nth hand character asasination.

Even before I finish this, I see you have quoted Annika in your next quote. Notice her preface "I just feel" which puts it in the realm of her feelings and beliefs as opposed to the realm of "facts in evidence". Annika is not Michelle, so Annika can not truly know what Michelle experienced. It seems that even though she is Swedish and not a professional writer, she has a better command of the proper use of the English language than you. Please notice that I prefaced that with it seems, because I cannot know factually whether she has a better command than you.

[Matt_Ward]

Garland:

You cite a medical professional but this person you mentioned did NOT examine her directly. You have a gal who plays in an event and her Team Wie cohorts sensing the 88 rule is in play then decide to insert themselves -- along with an LPGA official who failed to understand his role -- because they didn't want to have Michelle get sacked because of her poor play that day. It's amazing that a wrist injury can happen when she's playing soooo poorly but when she's under par for any round everything is just fine.

Then she goes the LPGA Championship the next week -- which she previously had been given an exemption (never before) as an amateur and then she's out there hitting balls and wondering what all the fuss is about.

Let's face it -- the girl has been pampered. The LPGA enabled such behavior by bending over backwards when it's role should be more of an even playing field for all its players.

The gravy train ride is OVER. How bout I spell it out for you -- O-V-E-R !

Michelle has tremendous talent but the desire to jump into events that she has no remote business being in (men's events) is quite disturbing and ignores what other competitors have earned through legitimate play. Instead of undertanding this -- you continue to defend Michelle and Team Wie.

Amazing.

[Jeff Shelman]

My only hope is that she goes to LPGA Q school this fall. Then if she earns her card, she can play when she wants, attempt to get some momentum and we can see where her game stacks up. If she doesn't get her card then we'll also have a good idea of where she's at.

My fear is that she'll be advised to again try to get her card through sponsor's exemptions and we'll be stuck with another summer of her being a sideshow.

[Jay Flemma]

Nice to see her play well.  I hope she decides to tryo to make the LPGA tour.

[Craig Sweet]

Everytime Matt Ward posts something about Michelle Wie's early hype and "not genuflecting blah, blah", before she could live up to the hype, I am tempted to post her record as a 10 year old, an 11 year old, a 12 year old, a 13 year old, a 14 year old, etc, and ask him if he see's anything in that record that would warrant the "hype".

Apparently he has NO CLUE how well she performed in junior events and major amateur tournaments in Hawii...and then on the LPGA tour...all before the age of 14.

Very few golfers, male or female, has dominated the competition as she did during those years.

[Matt_Ward]

Craig:

Glad to see all the Wie apologists coming out.

Hey Craig -- answer me this -- what has Michelle done RECENTLY?

Are we going to hear ad naseum about what she did years ago.

That's very nice -- but you seem to have, as many Wie apologists conveniently demonstrate, her overall poor play in the most recent time frame.

How long Craig must the circus sideshow with men's events continue?

Team Wie has always operated under the theory that they shall determine where she plays and under what conditions / rules benefit her. Fine. Just one small issue -- you have to deliver the goods to call the shots.

I'll say this again for those like you who don't seem to understand me clearly -- I have respect for the talent Michelle has but it's time to update the resume with some clear results that show improvement.

Got it now ...

[CHrisB]

Quote from Michelle Wie last week:

Everyone has their own opinion of what I should do, but I think that it's my life. I know there might be wrong decisions that I make and there might be right decisions that I make, but they're decisions that I make for myself.

And I think the only decision I can make is to be 100% supportive of myself and not doubt myself at all.

She's going to chase her own dreams, and do it her way. And as long as she doesn't step on any more toes like the 88/injury/Annika thing and the rules infractions, then I say let her do it.

Why is everyone so interested in what Michelle Wie does, anyway?

It's easy to forget that the people who appear on our television screens don't exist strictly for our entertainment. It goes both ways. They have lives to lead and they get to choose how to lead them. If we don't like it, we don't have to watch but we have no right to demand that they change how they live their lives for our benefit.

So Matt,
Michelle Wie has stated that her goals include playing on both the women's and men's tours. How is she going to get there if she never plays on the men's tour? You realize that she doesn't have her LPGA Tour card, and so she can only play 6 LPGA events per year (not including majors) via sponsor exemptions, don't you?

So if she wants to play more than 10 tournaments this year, what should she do?

Dan King has said that if Ernie Els had his brain, he would have won more than 10 majors by now.

And it sounds like you think Michelle Wie would be faring much better with your expert advice. The easiest thing in the world is to criticize someone who is clearly underperforming--much harder to offer something substantive in the way of an alternative. So let's hear it--what should she play in the rest of the year, and what should her goals be?

[John Moore II]

Chris--I would suspect she can take an additional 6 or 7 exemptions on the Futures Tour, not to mention, she could probably easily Monday Qualify for those events. Given her talent, I would think she could earn her LPGA card in 6 events on that tour, if there are 6 more events that is. If she doesn't want to go to Q-School, she should petition the LPGA or Euro LPGA tour to allow her an exemption. For the amount of sponsor and spectator money she could bring in to those events, they would be clowns not to let her play.

[Garland Bayley]

Garland:

You cite a medical professional but this person you mentioned did NOT examine her directly. ...

you continue to defend Michelle and Team Wie.

Yes, the medical professional did NOT examine her directly. However, her camp announced the specific bone that was broken, and the explanations that were given here were based on those facts in evidence.

I do not see myself as defending Michelle and Team Wie. If you read my post about her and Ms. Tseng, and understood it, you could correctly draw the conclusion that I have my doubts about her. However, I do see myself as correcting you for your boorish behavior.

[Jay Flemma]

Everytime Matt Ward posts something about Michelle Wie's early hype and "not genuflecting blah, blah", before she could live up to the hype, I am tempted to post her record as a 10 year old, an 11 year old, a 12 year old, a 13 year old, a 14 year old, etc, and ask him if he see's anything in that record that would warrant the "hype".

Apparently he has NO CLUE how well she performed in junior events and major amateur tournaments in Hawii...and then on the LPGA tour...all before the age of 14.

Very few golfers, male or female, has dominated the competition as she did during those years.

Craig, junior events don't and shouldn't matter...just like what grades you get in school are meaningless when you get out.  So using your argument, she might be the biggest flop since ty tryon.

Ask the "driven" author what he thinks...or njust buy the book.  Its good.  Craig, I wouldn't read it if I were you, it might spoil your opinion her and her family.

She can play just fine with the women.  She needs to grow up and het a grip on reality.  Sometimes, you CAN'T fight city hall.  That wall feels can't good against her head forever

and WHAT dominance?  She dominated hawaii!  Five guys out of a bar could dominate hawaii.

[Matt_Ward]

Chris:

I have no issue withy anyone -- man, woman, dog, cat, et al, that want to play on the PGA Tour.

How bout Michelle earn the right ?

We've seen the sideshow and she has not made a cut yet. The closet was when she opted to play in her native state of Hawaii.

I like the idea that Michelle has goals -- good fro her. But, it's time for the freebee's -- the wherewithal to bypass the messy part called qualifying is now over. It's time for Michelle to earn her place at the table. Thanks heavens the USGA followed that course with this year's US Open when Michelle had to qualify.

Chris, Michelle doesn't have an LPGA Tour card by design. She -- excuse me -- Team Wie wanted to play the ultimate free agent card. Pick and choose whenever it suited her. Nothing wrong with that save for one thing -- you need to show some results in order to maintain the free agent options.  Let me also point out that the LPGA for the first time in its history a few years back granted an exemption into the LPGA Championship to an amateur. Michelle has eaten very well at the table of automatic invites and the likes. Far beyond just about any other golfer.

Team Wie wanted to exploit any of the tours for their benefit and frankly there's nothing wrong with that PROVIDED you can demonstrate the capacity to win. Michelle has not done that.

I get a big time kick out of the Wie apologists who have ready made excuses for her. Get beyond the girl and look at the forces managing her. She's a big girl now -- it's time to take serious her responsibilities as a professional golfer.

I am neither advising Michelle nor sayign what works best for her. That's for her to decide. All I am saying is that the free-bee train is at an end. Michelle the novelty act has worn out -- to me, and countless others, she is no different than hundreds of other aspiring professional golfers -- she needs to earn her seat on the competitive landscape instead of receiving the largesse of too many enablers who should have known better.

Chris, I have offered something and not just criticism. But, all of you Michelle lovers need to hold her feet, individually and to Team Wie, accountable for the sideshow that seems to follow her wherever she goes.

In regards to goals the following would work ...

1). Commit to being on the LPGA Tour.

2). Win ANY sanctioned LPGA event.

3). Start to contend again in LPGA major events.

4). Stop the nonsense of playing against the men UNTIL she starts to DOMINATE the LPGA Tour in such a way that victories are as automatic as daily sunshine.

5). Start taking responsibility for her actions and stop hiding behind Team Wie -- including her parents. If you want to be treated like a lady then act like one. The teen years showed Michelle she has talent -- now as a young woman she needs to earn her keep and go beyond the promise and start to deliver.

[Richard Choi]

I just don't understand the vitrol attitude toward Michelle on this board.

What exactly did she do to you?

She is just a young woman, still quite early in her career. Even if she makes moves that you do not agree with, that still does not justify all the venom that is being spewed here.

Is it the money? Is it the perceived arrogance?

You guys really need to let it go. She is a beautifully gifted athlete who is still trying to find her form, for all we know she can go out win 1 or 2 woman's major next year. And even if she only plays 6 or 7 sponsor exempt tourneys next year, so what? She is still going to college, why bother going to through Q-School when you have many options available to you?

I just don't get why people are so upset with decisions made by a girl not even 20 years old that they have never even met...

[Bob_Huntley]

Everytime Matt Ward posts something about Michelle Wie's early hype and "not genuflecting blah, blah", before she could live up to the hype, I am tempted to post her record as a 10 year old, an 11 year old, a 12 year old, a 13 year old, a 14 year old, etc, and ask him if he see's anything in that record that would warrant the "hype".

Apparently he has NO CLUE how well she performed in junior events and major amateur tournaments in Hawii...and then on the LPGA tour...all before the age of 14.

Very few golfers, male or female, has dominated the competition as she did during those years.

Hey Craig,

Are you too young to remember Laura Baugh?

Bob

[CHrisB]

Matt,
I appreciate the answer and don't have any problem with it. I believe one can be a Michelle Wie supporter and still acknowledge the mistakes she has made. But it's her right to make them (unless it is really true that the Dad is pulling all the strings--I hope not).

I just have a low tolerance for people sitting on the sidelines overly criticizing players who are actually in the arena (remember the old Teddy Roosevelt quote), not to mention overly criticizing teenage girls.

I think the system will decide if the Wie camp has taken it too far--specifically, the sponsor's exemptions into men's events are drying up and I'm sure that the next one will be hard to come by unless it is in Asia or Europe. Even the Sony Open has cut her off (for now).

But just wait until she wins her first LPGA event, her first major, etc. All of the offers to play with the men will come back and she'll undoubtedly mix those in. And one of these times if she actually makes the cut, everyone will make a huge deal out of that, and I'm sure she won't stop until she gets it done.

Bottom line--she's going to do it her way and again I say let her do it.

Oh, and for those who say she hasn't done anything on the pro level, see below...

-------------------------------------------------------------

Trivia question: who has the most top-5 finishes in major championships?

1) Michelle Wie
2) Morgan Pressel, Paula Creamer and Natalie Gulbis combined
3) The current #3, #4, and #5 ranked women players in the world combined
4) Justin Rose, Luke Donald and Ian Poulter combined
5) Adam Scott, Geoff Ogilvy, Stuart Appleby, Robert Allenby, Aaron Baddeley, and Rod Pampling combined
6) Stewart Cink and Steve Stricker--both top-10 in the world--combined
7) Lee Westwood and John Daly combined

Sorry--that's a trick question. The answer is 6 top-5's in each case. (Did I mention that Michelle Wie is still a teenager?)

-------------------------------------------------------------

BTW Michelle Wie has had 4 top-5 finishes in a row in LPGA majors (all as an amateur). Do you know who else has done that? Annika Sorenstam (once), Joanne Carner (8 in a row once, 5 in a row another time), Pat Bradley (6 in a row, once), Betsy King (5 in a row, once), Lorena Ochoa (once).

Here are some LPGA Hall of Famers who haven't done it: Karrie Webb, Se Ri Pak, Nancy Lopez, Juli Inkster, Amy Alcott, Beth Daniel

I couldn't find data for other Hall of Fame members (there are only 25), but when you start doing things as a 16-year-old amateur that at least 1/4 of Hall of Famers haven't done, I think you've earned the right to try to do things your way and take advantage of whatever opportunities are offered to you.

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