Why Michelle Wie has few friends on the LPGA Tour
Michelle Wie finished 12th at the Canadian Open this weekend, which wasn’t good enough to earn her an LPGA card for 2009. If she wants to earn the respect of full-time LPGA Tour players, she needs to go through qualifying school this year and stop relying on sponsors' exemptions.
LPGA players view Michelle with mixed reactions. When she first appeared on the scene, many were in awe of her ball-striking and playing ability. She was welcomed with open arms. The LPGA, in fact, modified a rule to allow her to play with more exemptions. But the tide turned when she made multiple attempts to play with the men at PGA Tour events. To some, it felt like she was snubbing the validity and competitive quality of the LPGA Tour. To make things worse, Michelle got on Annika Sorenstam’s bad side when she withdrew from the Ginn tournament last year after almost breaking the 88 rule. (The LPGA's 88 rule stipulates that any non-LPGA player who doesn't break 88 in a round is not allowed to finish the tournament or play in any other tournaments for the rest of the season.) That is when many of the players started feeling resentment.
While most LPGA players respect Michelle’s ability, it is her career decisions that have hurt her reputation, and many players blame her parents. Helen Alfredsson recently said she felt sorry for Michelle and believes that the people managing her (in other words, her parents) have created the problems.
Michelle now claims she is making her own decisions but hasn’t give any clues as to her desires and goals for the future. The LPGA will welcome her only if she goes through the qualifying process and becomes a full-time committed member. Otherwise, she will lose fans and support by the minute.
(Photo: Michelle Wie during the final round of the Canadian Women's Open/AP)
Posted by: JSL | Aug 19, 2008 3:01:55 AM
Thanks for the article. Michelle has outgrown her "child prodigy" label and now is of an age where many women golfers her age have accomplished far more than she has. Her notoriety seems to be the gifts (exemptions) she receives, and not based on anything she accomplishes. As much as the parents, I blame the PGA that has blatently used her to prop up struggling events. She had no business being at the Last PGA event and it seems that everyone in the world knew it but her.
I would love to see her in Q School, do well and have a wonderful career, but I believe she needs to realize that these things will not be given to her as they have in the past. She needs to earn it!
Posted by: eb | Aug 19, 2008 8:43:21 AM
You all wish you had her talent, and MONEY! She fills galleries and gives the writers something to write about. She will do it her way and surpass all the ladies within the next few years and also start making the cut on the big boy tour!She don't really need the LPGA. Tiger might start his tour when he comes back. go figure.
Posted by: janine west | Aug 19, 2008 1:00:04 PM
michelle wie was never welcomed at the lpga. since the start most players were envious or jealous of her/ admit it she got the star power which no player at the lpga got
Posted by: lefty53 | Aug 19, 2008 1:09:31 PM
You either win or go home at any level of golf.
She was close the day she forgot to sign her scorecard. Duh?
So far she's a sideshow that's getting cheesier each day.
Prove you belong somewhere Michelle and all the criticism will stop.
Posted by: rob | Aug 19, 2008 3:05:00 PM
If MW could play a full LPGA schedule I bet she'd end up in the top-10 on the money list next year. BUT to do it she's got to be humble enough to shed the "teen phenom" label, go to Q-school and then put in the hard work required to play a full schedule next year WITHOUT pretending she's "special" by playing any PGA events.
Posted by: Doug | Aug 19, 2008 4:08:10 PM
Michelle likely will NEVER be Top 10 on the LPGA money list. In fact, I seriously doubt that she will win more than a handful of times on the LPGA Tour, if that! Sure, she has made a small fortune from her Nike, Sony, etc. endorsement deals .... which may have been one of the WORST things to happen to her in her carreer (if indeed being a Professional Golfer is her carreer goal). She needs to go through LPGA Q-School, forget about attempting to play on the PGA Tour (or in men's events in general) and prove that she can beat the ladies of the LPGA. Otherwise, her carreer will never progress beyond that of a circus-like sideshow.
Posted by: Eddy | Aug 21, 2008 10:06:39 AM
Does anyone know if any LPGA players have offered to mentor her? I just don't get the public criticism for a teenager from those players who are, in some cases, twice as old.