Is it already too late for Michelle Wie?
Posted by JamesBond on June 6, 2007
I had never heard of the 88-stroke rule until recently, but it essentially says that any non-LPGA tour player that cards an 88, in any competition round, is ineligible to play on the tour for the remainder of the year. Michelle Wie, playing on a sponsor’s exemption at Ginn Tribute Hosted by Annika two weeks ago, was dangerously close to an 88 when she retired after 16 holes, claiming that she had a wrist injury.
An overwhelming majority of the LPGA tour members feel like she withdrew, not because she was hurt, but because she was in serious jeopardy of carding the 88. 2 pars would have gotten her through at 86, but the way she was swinging the club at the time, managing 2 pars was hardly a given. She had already pelted a car that was parked over 50 yards off the fairway!
It wasn’t so much what she did that angered the LPGA memebers, but how it was done. Before teeing off on what was her 17th hole of the day, Wie hopped into a cart with her parents and headed for the clubhouse. Coincidentally, at the same time, an LPGA tour representative was seen speaking directly to Wie’s agent, Greg Nared. Many believe that the tour rep, who is keenly aware of the impact that Wie’s presence has on the tour, was making sure Nared knew about the rule, and advised him to have his client withdraw. Dirty. Of course both parties are denying that the conversation was of any substance, but the damage has already been done.
To make matters even worse, Wie had already been the subject of tour member’s complaints because she had been playing the RiverTowne CC course (site of the Ginn), the previous week leading up to the week of the actual tournament. Tour members are not allowed to play the the tounament course, for any tournament, for seven days prior to the event, until Sunday evening that week. Remember, Wie, is not an official tour member, so the rule doesn’t apply to her. Needless to say, Michelle didn’t have many shoulders to cry on in the lockerroom after she withdrew.
Can she still be successful? Just my opinion, but I think she’s regressed considerably in the last year. I know she’s been hurt, but I’m pretty sure it’s been all downhill since last year’s US Open. Will the college experience give her the maturity she needs to make it on the tour?
I hope she makes it, but it will take some serious work on her part to win the respect of her peers on whatever tour she eventually joins.
thegolfgirl said
Maybe she never will fully win back her fellow players respect, but she can definitely come back. In a big way too. You’ve got to remember she’s got a huge international fan base. Far more than all the other LPGA players combined… She’s also got a formidible PR machine behind her. She does need to win, but I think most feel she’s capable of that. It’s the desire that she might not have…I’m not convinced she’s as desperate to be a top golfer as others are for her to be one.
Belushi said
Golf Girl is right on target. I think Michelle Wie’s family wants it, her friends want it, her sponsors want it, the LPGA wants it and Nike really, really wants it. But does Michelle Wie really want it? I say no.
She’s not Tiger Woods. She doesn’t have that competitive streak or killer instinct. She’s a young, very talented golfer. So the World is in-front of her. But I just don’t see the drive that you see in other great athletes.
I think she might have some moderate success, but she’ll never have the same success that Annika has had.