Michelle Wie

[powerlefty]

[QUOTE=wopstergolf]

It's a little bit different, Tiger had won three straight US Amateurs and basically dominated college golf. Michelle has won next to nothing, aside from a womens publinx tournament. That should get her into LPGA events for sure, but mens events, I don't think so.

And after he got his win, he didn't really need a sponsors exemption.

My point is I am getting tired of hearing that people must "qualify" by going to Q-school or Monday qualifying when the Tiger-god did neither. The fact is he started using sponsors exemptions when he was a kid - in fact older than Michelle Wie - and missed the cut by more than she did.

He also got sponsors exemptions after he turned pro for the same reason now being touted regarding Michelle Wie - to sell tickets and to attraact vieweres to TV.

You are correct, after he won his event he was exempt and di not need the sponsors exemption but it was to late for someone else to use it since entries close on the Friday before an event. I specifically remember at the time it pissed off the organizers who were counting on him to sell tickets and had promoted him being there. He was also criticized by some tour members (one might have been Fred Couples) for essentially bad manners by not showing up after he committed the previous Friday.

[Andru]

[QUOTE=powerlefty]

My point is I am getting tired of hearing that people must "qualify" by going to Q-school or Monday qualifying when the Tiger-god did neither. The fact is he started using sponsors exemptions when he was a kid - in fact older than Michelle Wie - and missed the cut by more than she did.

He also got sponsors exemptions after he turned pro for the same reason now being touted regarding Michelle Wie - to sell tickets and to attraact vieweres to TV.

You are correct, after he won his event he was exempt and di not need the sponsors exemption but it was to late for someone else to use it since entries close on the Friday before an event. I specifically remember at the time it pissed off the organizers who were counting on him to sell tickets and had promoted him being there. He was also criticized by some tour members (one might have been Fred Couples) for essentially bad manners by not showing up after he committed the previous Friday.

I'm a huge Wie fan, but I'll admit this she hasn't accomplished what Tiger had in his younger amateur days. Tiger recieved sponsors exemptions after winning some fairly pretigious events like the US Amateur and had dominated Jr. golf for years.

Wie on the other hand hasn't accomplished quite as much. Though winning the Womens Publinx at 14 is pretty good. She hasn't won the US Womens Amateur yet. I think she's under pressure to win it this year. She has 3 weaknesses in her game right now. 1) Short Game (though it's getting much better ) 2) Putting 3) Mental toughness.

3 she will improve as she gets older.

[flagolfnut]

Ideal Tour? Anyone in the Top 100 retains his card. Anyone from 100-125 is automatically in the finals at Q School.
Let's face it, there is enough money on tour now that if you perform well you can easily stay in the Top 100. If you can't earn enough to stay there then back to Q School.

If you put it that way and let's say you win a major one year and automatically get exempt for the next few years and you don't paly well and are not in the top 100, then do you get you're exempt status taken away?? And I'm not arguing here, Wie is an extremely good player for her age but I would like to see her dominate on the LPGA before she gets any exemptions into a LPGA event. And like it was said the PGA is for the best players in the world, and although Wie is good she is not among the best players in the world. Annika got exempt because she has proven herself on the LPGA if she wasnt' winning the way she did or still does on her tour then do you think she would have been invited to a PGA event? I don't

[Golfpeasant]

All I am saying is that she hasn't even had a career yet, let there are so many people saying what SHELL NEVER DO.

Anyone who says what someone will never do before they've even tried is a fool.

[flagolfnut]

All I am saying is that she hasn't even had a career yet, let there are so many people saying what SHELL NEVER DO.

Anyone who says what someone will never do before they've even tried is a fool.

Never say never...right?? O.K she will win a bunch of PGA events, she will soon start to dominate the LPGA and she will beat Tiger and the rest of them in a few years to become the #1 player on earth.

[Golfpeasant]

Never say never...right?? O.K she will win a bunch of PGA events, she will soon start to dominate the LPGA and she will beat Tiger and the rest of them in a few years to become the #1 player on earth.

What are you insane? Shell never make a cut.

[mpare]

What are you insane? Shell never make a cut.

If I touched her putter, she sure as heck wouldn't make a cut. She'd be jinxed, forever doomed to three putting.

[flagolfnut]

What are you insane? Shell never make a cut.

You're right because so far she hasen't

[Andru]

You're right because so far she hasen't

You're right I can't see her finding those 2-3 strokes to make a cut. Besides isn't it downhill once you hit 16 anyway?

This is the truth. I had a clown tell me he thinks Michelle Wie has hit her peak and she's never going to get better.

[Golfpeasant]

This is the truth. I had a clown tell me he thinks Michelle Wie has hit her peak and she's never going to get better.

What makes me laugh is when someone who's handicap is 20+ makes an informed comment like that.

[powerlefty]

She made the cut at The PubLinx yesterday. If she wins 6 matches, Hootie and the boys will have to make a decision as to whether they invite her to Augusta.

[flagolfnut]

You're right I can't see her finding those 2-3 strokes to make a cut. Besides isn't it downhill once you hit 16 anyway?

This is the truth. I had a clown tell me he thinks Michelle Wie has hit her peak and she's never going to get better.

You would be surprised at how many phenoms don't live up to there potential, so yeah maybe once she hits sixteen she will go downhill.

[LobWedge]

Then we should kick Tiger off the tour and send him to Q school and make him Monday qualify because he never did either of these.

Can you believe it, the world's greatest player now actually "snuck" onto the tour through sponsor's exemptions. He made enough money (and I believe, won an event) in the events following his last US Amateur win so he NEVER WENT TO Q-SCHOOL. And HE NEVER MONDAY QULIFIED ANYWHERE. Oh, and by the way after he got his Tour exemption he then snubbed an event the next week (Milwaukee I think) by not showing up to use his sponsor's exemption.

I haven't seen Michelle win 3 consecutive US Junior Amateurs ('91,'92,'93) and 3 consecutive US Amateurs ('94,'95,'96) yet, have you?

Tiger was the dominant amateur golfer in the 1990's. He deserved those exemptions. Miss Wie hasn't done anything yet to warrant her exemptions, other than the fact that corporate America wants to parade around some underage eye candy to sell tickets and fatten their wallets. She's got her entire life to make gazillions of dollars. Why now? She's only 15. Wait another 3 years. Be a kid for a while longer. This entire exercise is all about greed. Michelle Wie is an innocent victim here.

Mark my words, if this continues the way it is, there's a very good chance that there will be an unhappy ending.

[flagolfnut]

I haven't seen Michelle win 3 consecutive US Junior Amateurs ('91,'92,'93) and 3 consecutive US Amateurs ('94,'95,'96) yet, have you?

Tiger was the dominant amateur golfer in the 1990's. He deserved those exemptions. Miss Wie hasn't done anything yet to warrant her exemptions, other than the fact that corporate America wants to parade around some underage eye candy to sell tickets and fatten their wallets. She's got her entire life to make gazillions of dollars. Why now? She's only 15. Wait another 3 years. Be a kid for a while longer. This entire exercise is all about greed. Michelle Wie is an innocent victim here.

Mark my words, if this continues the way it is, there's a very good chance that there will be an unhappy ending.

Agreed.

[spidey]

She's got her entire life to make gazillions of dollars. Why now? She's only 15.

Why would you imply that she's doing this for the money? She's an amateur. She's not making anything on it.

Tiger was the dominant amateur golfer in the 1990's. He deserved those exemptions.

Maybe, but Phil entered a PGA tour event as an amateur and won it. Tiger never did.



There's no point comparing Michelle Wie with Tiger. It's a different generation, and the gender difference and the abundance of ill-will toward Michelle Wie make it an unfair playing field.

Miss Wie hasn't done anything yet to warrant her exemptions,

Obvious blinders. She led the US Women's Open and the LPGA both in the same year. There aren't many women golfers of *any* age that can claim that. Tiger certainly never led any majors before he turned pro, and winning the US Amateur gets you a bye into quite a few majors.

Mark my words, if this continues the way it is, there's a very good chance that there will be an unhappy ending.

So it comes down to prophesizing the future. Putting an exclamation mark on your comments by stating something that hasn't happened yet is much like grasping at straws.

Also, like you with Michelle Wie, the Gread David Leadbetter prophesized that Tiger would win a couple of tournaments, then fold like a cheap suit.

It may be good for her, and it may not. Just like Earl Woods' tough methods on Tiger were probably looked down on before he matured into a major player. We'll have to see whether she's made of sterner stuff than you or I, but the fact that she has made it through the maelstrom of a PGA tour event a few times and still gives interviews without any guile or nerves tells us a lot.

[powerlefty]

I haven't seen Michelle win 3 consecutive US Junior Amateurs ('91,'92,'93) and 3 consecutive US Amateurs ('94,'95,'96) yet, have you?

Tiger was the dominant amateur golfer in the 1990's. He deserved those exemptions. Miss Wie hasn't done anything yet to warrant her exemptions, other than the fact that corporate America wants to parade around some underage eye candy to sell tickets and fatten their wallets. She's got her entire life to make gazillions of dollars. Why now? She's only 15. Wait another 3 years. Be a kid for a while longer. This entire exercise is all about greed. Michelle Wie is an innocent victim here.

Mark my words, if this continues the way it is, there's a very good chance that there will be an unhappy ending.

I never said Tiger did not desrve the exemptions. Clearly he did - he was good PR for the tournaments that gave him exemptions.

I said he never "QUALIFIED" like everyone seems to think Michelle Wie should.

As for Tiger's string of USGA titles, I think they all started after he was older than Michell Wie is now.

Of course it is all about money. Just as it was with Tiger when he had an entourage for all his amateur events.

[Golfpeasant]

Most exemptions go to players with little chance of success anyway: the club pro; a popular sports athlete; a corporate boy; someone's son...I'd rather see someone who burns with desire get the exemption.

[flagolfnut]

Most exemptions go to players with little chance of success anyway: the club pro; a popular sports athlete; a corporate boy; someone's son...I'd rather see someone who burns with desire get the exemption.

Little chance of success those are the key words...right now Michelle Wie= little chance of success on the PGA. It is all about money too. Not for Wie but for everyone else.

[Michael]

She won her match today 1 UP. Looked like quite a battle, back and forth all day.

[NoBack]

Good for her. She has won a match. How many more to go???

Curious about some things though.................

Does anybody know what grade she's in at school? Did she graduate this year? Any plans on finishing high school? Any college or university plans? Any plans on trying to play regulary on the LPGA or is she just going to be used as a sideshow to those money hungry corporate hotshots?

[spidey]

She's fifteen. That would probably put her in grade 9 or 10. She wasn't playing weekly while she was at school. And it's pretty tough to fail grades 9 or 10.

She talked about exams before the LPGA. She said math exams made her more nervous than playing in a major. I think it's safe to assume that she passed.

[Kilroy]

She said math exams made her more nervous than playing in a major.

That is so cool. Go Michelle!

[wopstergolf]

I hope this doesn't sound sexist at all because it isn't, I'm not saying that a woman can't play in mens events and I'm not saying that she should not accept an excemption if offered.

I think the biggest difference between Tiger and Michelle is that he is a man who had completely dominated junior and college golf and was going to play on the mens tour regardless.

Michelle might play on the mens tour, she might not. I'd like to see her win, not just contend, but win tournaments. I don't blame her for taking the exemptions, I'd take them if I was in her position, I blame her parents and all their advisors for urging companies to give her PGA exemptions. She should just be allowed to be a kid for a while, she's going to miss having the chance to do fun things with her friends. i read stories about Tiger doing fun things with all his friends when he was young, having somewhat of an adolescence. I just think that Michelle is missing out on that.

Look how it turned out for Michael Jackson ok bad example.

[Golfpeasant]

She should just be allowed to be a kid for a while, she's going to miss having the chance to do fun things with her friends. i read stories about Tiger doing fun things with all his friends when he was young, having somewhat of an adolescence. I just think that Michelle is missing out on that.

I agree totally. Then again, looking back on my youth, there are a lot of things I'd do differently too...

She might give up golf, that's her choice...I still like watching her try.

[EDSGOLF]

Wie is leading big time in her match play today, 4 up after 4. Imagine if she wins it all and plays at The Master's:

http://www.usapl.org/scoring/MatchCard_44.html

[Barnie]

I hope this doesn't sound sexist at all because it isn't, I'm not saying that a woman can't play in mens events and I'm not saying that she should not accept an excemption if offered.

I think the biggest difference between Tiger and Michelle is that he is a man who had completely dominated junior and college golf and was going to play on the mens tour regardless.

Michelle might play on the mens tour, she might not. I'd like to see her win, not just contend, but win tournaments. I don't blame her for taking the exemptions, I'd take them if I was in her position, I blame her parents and all their advisors for urging companies to give her PGA exemptions. She should just be allowed to be a kid for a while, she's going to miss having the chance to do fun things with her friends. i read stories about Tiger doing fun things with all his friends when he was young, having somewhat of an adolescence. I just think that Michelle is missing out on that.

Look how it turned out for Michael Jackson ok bad example.

Missing out on things.. I've never really understood this point. She's travelling the world. Seeing things most people will never see in her lifetime. It's not like she can't do the kid thing here and there. Hell I'd trade it for what I did. Getting buzzed out of my mind in a park. T'was fun but I'd still trade it up. She's 15.. How can people expect her to win? I think competing with the men is good enough right now.
Everyone say's she should do this or that but no one knows what she actually does in her off time. Maybe for her she feels like playing with the men makes her a better player.. Who are we to say yes or no? I just don't get how someone can have a problem with her playing in a PGA event. It's mindblowing!