THE MICHELLE WIE THREAD

[mr_divots]

The saga continues...

What a stupid move going to college for her. Only thing more ridiculous was going pro.

[SPY ZINGER]

The saga continues...

What a stupid move going to college for her. Only thing more ridiculous was going pro.

I would disagree with the first sentence in most cases.  However, It's true in this circumstance.  One should have come before the other.  Like everything else she does, it's backwards.  She has set herself up to fail at everything.

[Jack from Canada]

Wie doesn't get Sony Open exemption, questionable for other men's events
Associated Press

Updated: December 20, 2007, 7:12 PM ET



 Michelle Wie might start her 2008 season in Hawaii, but not at the Sony Open.



Wie, who has played the PGA Tour event every year since 2004, did not receive one of the four unrestricted sponsor exemptions, tournament director Ray Stosik said Thursday.



Swing coach David Leadbetter said the 18-year-old from Honolulu likely would ask for exemptions at one or both of the LPGA Tour events in Hawaii that kick off the women's golf season in February. He also said competition against the men would probably be on hold until she gets her health and her game back together.



"She's not ready to play in that yet," Leadbetter said of the Sony Open, where Wie first rose to fame by shooting 68 at age 14 and missing the cut by one shot. "Her health is getting better, her game is getting better, the confidence is growing. The plan hasn't been made totally for this year yet, but she's looking to play one or two Hawaiian events against the women.



"The whole goal is to get back on track after the debacle last year."



The debacle included Wie trying to play despite both wrists being injured. She made only three cuts in nine starts, withdrew twice and only broke par two times. She also endured harsh criticism from Annika Sorenstam, who was angered by Wie pulling out of the Swede's tournament, only to be seen hitting balls on the range at the next tournament.



"She knows she's got to earn people's respect back," said Leadbetter, who has been working with Wie this week at ChampionsGate Resort outside Orlando, Fla. "She's grown up in some ways. She seems a little more independent. She's a lot happier."



Wie finished her first semester at Stanford, and Leadbetter said the family was trying to decide a balance between golf and school for the spring semester. He said the plan was for a full schedule, although it's no longer that simple.



Wie is not exempt for any of the majors, although she could try to qualify for the U.S. Women's Open and Women's British Open. If she doesn't play against the men, that would leave her only eight starts on the LPGA Tour, unless she complemented that with women's events in Asia and Europe.



But she essentially will be starting from scratch.



"The sad part about it is if she had taken the year off, nobody would think the less of her," Leadbetter said. "You don't go from being in contention in every LPGA event to not being able to break 80 without something being wrong. Everybody was too gung-ho for her to get out there and play. She used to leave high school for a couple of days and be competitive. And it didn't happen this year."



The Sony Open still will have a couple of teenagers from Hawaii in the tournament that starts Jan. 10.



One exemption went to Tadd Fujikawa, who last year became the youngest player in 50 years to make a cut on the PGA Tour. The Sony Open also saves an unrestricted exemption for the low amateur in local qualifying. That went to 17-year-old Alex Ching, Wie's former classmate at Punahou School.



Wie and Ching were teammates in the Pro-Junior Skills Challenge last year at the Sony Open, which they won in a playoff. Not many could have guessed then that Ching would be the one who returned.



Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press

[jsfain]

She's grown up in some ways. She seems a little more independent. She's a lot happier

let's hope so.

[KenHoLio]

She is done, put a fork in her.

[RickB]

She is done, put a fork in her.

Don't you mean take the fork away from her?

[XtremeCruiser]

She is done, put a fork in her.

Don't you mean take the fork away from her?

Who let KenHoLiO out ?

[DaveT319]

She is done, put a fork in her.

Don't you mean take the fork away from her?

Who let KenHoLiO out ?

That guy scares me...

Dave

[SVonhof]

Dave, I like your new Avatar...  Come to me, you little cheerleader!

[dmac4g]

Question #1

How many events does she play in this year until the "recurring" wrist injury fires back up again?

Question #2

How long does it take for her Dad to blame the recurrence on too many term papers at Stanford?   

[Jack from Canada]

Leadbetter says wie won't play men's events in '08


 By Ron Sirak
Golf World

Updated: December 21, 2007, 4:01 PM ET

 Here we go again. David Leadbetter, the one person in the Michelle Wie camp whose relationship to reality is more than casual, says the talented teen is done playing against the men -- for now -- and that she's going to focus on getting her game and, more important, her confidence back. The concern here is that these are very similar to the words Leadbetter uttered last May, only to be overruled by Wie's parents. This time, Leadbetter, insists, everyone in the Wie camp is listening.


While this is good news -­ perhaps the worst thing that happened to Wie was missing the cut at the Sony Open by one stroke in 2004, creating the misperception she was that close to being able to compete with male professionals ­- somewhat disturbing is the news Michelle is also going to disrupt her education at Stanford to get back to golf. One of the things that was clearly lacking as Wie stumbled through a painful 2007 season was any indication she was having fun. Many hoped the college experience would get her back to being a kid.

At this stage there is no real plan to play any men's events," Leadbetter told Golfdigest.com by phone from Orlando, where Wie was practicing with him the week before Christmas. "Maybe late in the year in Asia. Right now her goal is to get in really good shape, to get really healthy."

As for her freshman year at Stanford, which began in September, Leadbetter said: "That's the plan, to miss the spring quarter and focus on golf. She just didn't want to [compete] last year. It wasn't a whole lot of fun. She's looking forward to getting back in the mix, She's talking about joining the LPGA."


Wie's season was disrupted when she tripped while jogging last February and injured her left wrist, compounding a problem that already existed with tendonitis in her other wrist. After failing to make the cut at the 2007 Sony Open by 14 strokes Wie missed two months of competition because of the injury and then returned before she was healthy enough to play. In eight LPGA events she missed three cuts, withdrew twice, finished last among those to make the cut twice and next to the last in the other. She's hasn't played against the men since last year's Sony, her market value clearly plunging.

Along the way Wie alienated other LPGA players by flaunting rules that, as a non-tour member, she did not have to follow. She constantly showed up to play tournament courses the week before an event ­- LPGA members can't set foot on a tournament venue until after 5 p.m. on the Sunday before the event ­- and at the Ginn Tribute she quit after 16 holes when it appeared she might not break 88, which would have meant she'd be disqualified for the rest of the season. When Annika Sornetsam said that showed a lack of class and a lack of respect ­- words applauded by nearly every LPGA member -­ Wie responded by saying she had nothing for which to apologize.

"She realizes the year was a debacle in every way, on the course and PR wise," Leadbetter said. "She's healthier than she has been in more than a year. She's down here now working really, really hard and she is starting to get it back. She's probably about 90 percent of the way there. Because of the injury she wasn't able to hang onto the club."

Stanford's winter quarter ends March 16, 11 days before the Safeway International, an event Wie has played in the past and a week before the Kraft Nabisco Championship, the first LPGA major of the year. But part of the dilemma Wie is facing is that because of her poor play in 2007 she is currently not qualified for any of the women's majors in '08. The only way she can get into the Kraft Nabisco as a non-tour member is to win a tournament before the event, which means we will likely next see her on the golf course in February.

"There is a strong possibility she is going to play early in Hawaii, one maybe both of the events there," Leadbetter said. "She's dug a hole for herself. Right now she is not in any of the majors. She has to play a lot. She hasn't complained once this week about her wrist. Playing in Hawaii will give us an idea where she stands."

Let's flash back to last May, when Leadbetter said: "She hasn't got any PGA Tour events planned at the moment. She's going to commit herself to the LPGA and play a number of events, and next year she'll probably take up membership."

No sooner did those words hit the Internet than Jesse Derris of the Ken Sunshine Agency, which handles public relations for the Wie family, was on the phone to Golf World saying: "It's fair to say no options have been ruled out." A little more poking around by this intrepid reporter elicited this quote from a source extremely well plugged into the Wie camp: "I wouldn't jump to any conclusions that she's not [playing against the men]."

The message here is that Leadbetter was out of the loop last May when it came to Wie's schedule. What he seemed to be doing was using a public forum to give his advice on what she should be doing, hoping her parents would listen. They didn't. Sure enough, a week later Wie's camp announced she was going to play the John Deere Classic, a decision she had to rescind later in the summer as her game continued to unravel.

"Her attitude is really great," Ledbetter says of Wie's state now. "She went out today and came back and said, 'I really played good.' She hasn't said that in a while. She was mismanaged this year," he said. "It was just bad planning. Hopefully, everyone has learned. They got into this mindset that, 'This is Michelle, and she can do anything.' "

Asked for comment from B.J. and Bo Wie about Leadbetter's comments, Derris said he was still waiting to hear back from them.

This 18-year-old needs to regain balance in every aspect of her life. The swing needs to regain its once glorious rhythm, and she needs to somehow rediscover the reason she started playing golf to begin with -- to have fun. The love/hate relationship we all have with the game was clearly out of balance for Wie all year. Putting playing against the men on hold would be a great first step. Clearly, Leadbetter knows what's best for the kid. He just has to get the other adults onboard.

"If she digs herself out of this, if she has one good tournament people will take her back in their hearts and minds," Leadbetter says. "I told her you don't become a bad player over night. The talent is still there. She's got a bit of sparkle in her eye again. Last year she was suffering." That was something apparent to most everyone -­ including Leadbetter -­ except the Wie inner circle. Hopefully this time his advice will be heeded.

Ron Sirak is the executive editor of Golf World magazine.

[Mr. Desmond]

Ledbetter describes 2007 for what it is -- a debacle.

She won't be playing men's events unless it is at year's end in Asia.

She is not qualified to play in any women's majors and she is apparently only set for 8 women's events.

Starting from scratch. Indeed, Ms. Wie, indeed.

____________





Michelle Wie might start her 2008 season in Hawaii, but not at the Sony Open.

Wie, who has played the PGA Tour event every year since 2004, did not receive one of the four unrestricted sponsor exemptions, tournament director Ray Stosik said Thursday.

Swing coach David Leadbetter said the 18-year-old from Honolulu likely would ask for exemptions at one or both of the LPGA Tour events in Hawaii that kick off the women's golf season in February. He also said competition against the men would probably be on hold until she gets her health and her game back together.

"She's not ready to play in that yet," Leadbetter said of the Sony Open, where Wie first rose to fame by shooting 68 at age 14 and missing the cut by one shot. "Her health is getting better, her game is getting better, the confidence is growing. The plan hasn't been made totally for this year yet, but she's looking to play one or two Hawaiian events against the women.

"The whole goal is to get back on track after the debacle last year."

The debacle included Wie trying to play despite both wrists being injured. She made only three cuts in nine starts, withdrew twice and only broke par two times. She also endured harsh criticism from Annika Sorenstam, who was angered by Wie pulling out of the Swede's tournament, only to be seen hitting balls on the range at the next tournament.

"She knows she's got to earn people's respect back," said Leadbetter, who has been working with Wie this week at ChampionsGate Resort outside Orlando, Fla. "She's grown up in some ways. She seems a little more independent. She's a lot happier."

Wie finished her first semester at Stanford, and Leadbetter said the family was trying to decide a balance between golf and school for the spring semester. He said the plan was for a full schedule, although it's no longer that simple.

Wie is not exempt for any of the majors, although she could try to qualify for the U.S. Women's Open and Women's British Open. If she doesn't play against the men, that would leave her only eight starts on the LPGA Tour, unless she complemented that with women's events in Asia and Europe.

But she essentially will be starting from scratch.

"The sad part about it is if she had taken the year off, nobody would think the less of her," Leadbetter said. "You don't go from being in contention in every LPGA event to not being able to break 80 without something being wrong. Everybody was too gung-ho for her to get out there and play. She used to leave high school for a couple of days and be competitive. And it didn't happen this year."

The Sony Open still will have a couple of teenagers from Hawaii in the tournament that starts Jan. 10.

One exemption went to Tadd Fujikawa, who last year became the youngest player in 50 years to make a cut on the PGA Tour. The Sony Open also saves an unrestricted exemption for the low amateur in local qualifying. That went to 17-year-old Alex Ching, Wie's former classmate at Punahou School.

Wie and Ching were teammates in the Pro-Junior Skills Challenge last year at the Sony Open, which they won in a playoff. Not many could have guessed then that Ching would be the one who returned.

[isogood]

Michelle and father BJ, just to illustrate a little this topic

[SBR67]

Michelle and father BJ, just to illustrate a little this topic

  The Kilroy pic.

[RickB]

That's got to be an old picture. Neither one of them has their hands over their eyes following the swing.

[Jack from Canada]

according to the geniuses at the gc they say she is the 5th top draw for an lpga event and expects her to be in 2 majors

[Jack from Canada]

15 days with nothing but non wie talk...............am i in heaven

[RickB]

We've got Daly to pick on, we don't need Wie.


What would we do if they both stopped getting sponsors exemptions so they could withdraw under mysterious circumstances?

[SBR67]

http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5jDTf8uj1D9YCgLCmjRYDrctEhjLw

Michelle Wie begins golf season in Hawaii, this time against women

KAPOLEI, Hawaii - Michelle Wie will begin the season in Hawaii for the fifth straight year, this time against the women.

Wie accepted a sponsor's exemption Monday to play in The Fields Open at Ko Olina, hopeful of getting her career back on track after a troublesome season of injuries, missed cuts and withdrawals.

An 18-year-old freshman at Stanford, Wie has started her season at the Sony Open on the PGA Tour the last four years and nearly made the cut as a 14-year-old when she shot a 68. But she has yet to make a cut in seven tries on the PGA Tour, and she did not play the Sony Open this year, a sign that she plans to concentrate on the LPGA while trying to regain her form.

The Fields Open, where Wie tied for third two years ago, is Feb. 21-23 and is the second event on the LPGA Tour schedule.

Wie injured both wrists last year and kept playing, making only three cuts and breaking par twice in 19 rounds against the women.

[SBR67]

and she did not play the Sony Open this year, a sign that she plans to concentrate on the LPGA while trying to regain her form.

A sign that she wasn't invited.

[DaveT319]

and she did not play the Sony Open this year, a sign that she plans to concentrate on the LPGA while trying to regain her form.

A sign that she wasn't invited.

It's called "spin". Make it her choice that she didn't play, not that the Sony Open "snubbed" her. It's always sunny in Wieland...

Dave

[stan]

I'm not sure if this is true, but it says here that she won't have her dad as caddie.
Instead she'll have one of Leadbetter's guys.

Scroll down to 15 Feb update.
link

I think that's a good choice. A swing coach could make a good caddie.

[Dr.Green]

Could Michelle Wie, right now, make the travel squad Stanford ladies team?

[kamtile]

She looks like she's trying to fart

[SBR67]

I'm not sure if this is true, but it says here that she won't have her dad as caddie.
Instead she'll have one of Leadbetter's guys.

Scroll down to 15 Feb update.
link

I think that's a good choice. A swing coach could make a good caddie.

I wonder how long he will last.