Michelle Wie and the Canadian Open

[geezer]

And now, not much later, T35. She'll clearly make the cut, too, and if she can shoot a few more 70s she should get that top 25.

Fingers crossed, eh?

You have to go way on up the leaderboard to see a round 2 score lower than hers...

[iacas]

Fingers crossed, eh?

I'd like to see her do well. She'd be good for the LPGA Tour.

[BASHERBAKER69]

Nice to see Gulbis in contention again, four out at T12. Wie's T87, nine out. Not a good start on the quest for the card. Even without the double, she would not have been close to Lorena's -6.

Gulbis is my favourite!

[geezer]

With all the 2nd rounds completed (play was suspended before completion yesterday), Michelle Wie is now T-32.

I remember a while ago someone was asking about Michelle's driving distance compared to other women in the same events (as opposed to the men). I'm checking the stats for round 1 and round 2 and I can't find anybody longer than Wie. Her driving distance is (effectively) 270 and Lorena Ochoa is the nearest to her at about 266.
Of course, those stats are pointless without taking into account how many 3-woods/irons players took from tee boxes as opposed to drivers. I can't say anything else about this having not been able to see any of it.
Maybe somebody else has seen some of the golf and can comment about clubs taken from tees?

Edit: I just checked Morgan Pressel: 216yards!! whats up with that!?

[iacas]

Edit: I just checked Morgan Pressel: 216yards!! whats up with that!?

She's a short hitter. Always has been. That's why I think her potential on the LPGA Tour is severely capped. She's ranked 158th on the year (I even recognize a few names beneath her) out of 168 at 232.3.

And she ain't hittin' a bunch of 3-woods from the tee. I wonder if they're in meters, though. Doubtful, as that would put Michelle at 295 yards. But Morgan would at least be at 236. Still, I don't think so - it's got to be in yards. And they measure, like the PGA Tour, on two flat holes on which players are likely to hit driver and ideally facing opposite directions. Someone at the PGA Tour told me that nearly 97% of the measured tee shots for that stat are hit with driver on the PGA Tour - probably about the same on the LPGA Tour, particularly given their generally wider fairways. P.S. Third round has started, so now she's T34 after starting par par.

[Eore]

She's a short hitter. Always has been. That's why I think her potential on the LPGA Tour is severely capped. She's ranked 158th on the year (I even recognize a few names beneath her) out of 168 at 232.3.

thats why i watch the LPGa more than the PGA, because they hit it distances similar to me (well, the ones near the bottom/middle)

but they're still better than i am but, on topic, i think its great that Wie made the cut and is playing well but she's an awful interviewee-"People, um, say that, um, the decisions that were made were like, um, bad. But I'm, um, making my own decisions, so I'm, like, choosing what to, um, do with my life now.

[iacas]

but she's an awful interviewee-"People, um, say that, um, the decisions that were made were like, um, bad. But I'm, um, making my own decisions, so I'm, like, choosing what to, um, do with my life now.

Yeah, she either gets nervous, really needs to take a public speaking course, is a typical teenager, is incredibly stupid, or some combination of the above, depending on who you ask. But everyone agrees she needs some help there. I think she just needs to take a public speaking course at Stanford or something.

P.S. She's currently T23 with a birdie on the fourth hole. I've recorded the coverage on Golf Channel, but that's not on until like 9pm.

[geezer]

She also birdied number 5 to move up to p-19 on her own.

I agree with the public speaking part. But I have to admit, I'd probably be the same, if not, worse! Not the mannerisms, but equally nervous/stupid sounding.

[worst_shot_ever]

T17 with a great round of 69. 3 birds, no bogies. Nice work.

Edit: didn't realize players were still on the grass, so T17 may change. But so far, 69 is tied for the low round today.

[geezer]

Nearly right. Yani Tseng and Se Ri Pak both posted the lowest round of 68 (Yani with a 4 shot lead over Se Ri going into a final round).

Michelle's (apparently (I didn't see it)) flawless round of golf has catapulted her into a tie for 14th! Good job!

[Alex B]

... didn't realize players were still on the grass ...

I didn't either.

As for Wie's public speaking difficulties, I think it stems from a fear of saying something for which the media and general public will skewer her. When Wie was younger (around 13 or 14), she was quite well spoken, both humorous and charming. As she entered a career downturn, however, some of her comments were (perhaps) blown out of proportion and used against her. (For example, the "I'm not going to apologize to Annika" comment and the numerous "I've made no mistakes in my career" assertions, a tune which she has recanted.) IMO, she's gotten defensive in her public speaking, and her attempts to avoid a gaffe lead to her bumbling diction and general aphasia. A good comparison would be President Bush: articulate and well-spoken as Texas governor, he public speaking ability has greatly declined under the spotlight of the Presidency. Too defensive against making yet another verbal error, he inarticulately bumbles. Wie has likely succombed to the same pressure and fear as Bush. Either that, or she's on the grass.

[iacas]

As for Wie's public speaking difficulties, I think it stems from a fear of saying something for which the media and general public will skewer her. When Wie was younger (around 13 or 14), she was quite well spoken, both humorous and charming. As she entered a career downturn, however, some of her comments were (perhaps) blown out of proportion and used against her. (For example, the "I'm not going to apologize to Annika" comment and the numerous "I've made no mistakes in my career" assertions, a tune which she has recanted.) IMO, she's gotten defensive in her public speaking, and her attempts to avoid a gaffe lead to her bumbling diction and general aphasia. A good comparison would be President Bush: articulate and well-spoken as Texas governor, he public speaking ability has greatly declined under the spotlight of the Presidency. Too defensive against making yet another verbal error, he inarticulately bumbles. Wie has likely succombed to the same pressure and fear as Bush.

That's a good point. Now that you say that, she

was pretty well spoken when she was younger. So yeah, I'll chalk it up to nerves and what you've said. Even still, a speaking class wouldn't hurt. And T14, wow. She won't win, and a top four is likely not in the cards, but it looks like Michelle may be playing a lot more LPGA Tour golf next year if she can keep playing well. She moved from T39 or whatever to T14 in one day, so she can go right back just as easily, but hopefully she shoots another 69 or so.

[TigerCurtis333]

Unless her parents turn around, what's the point of her getting an LPGA card? Seriously.

I'm so sick of her parents, I'd LOVE to run into them on the street and give them a piece of my mind. I do hope she does well and gets her card - maybe then she will be able to focus on her tour, and not what her parents/coaches want (to see her enter a mens tournament with none in the top 50 and still see her fail). I'm sick of the people around her setting her up for these huge falls while she's still maturing - that can't be good.

Anyways, best of luck to her.

[iacas]

I'm sick of the people around her setting her up for these huge falls while she's still maturing - that can't be good.

If she ends up inside the top 10 and gives credit to her preparation - which included playing in the Reno-Tahoe - will that convince anyone that perhaps she knows what's best for her?

Something tells me no...

[PEZGolf]

Congratulations to Michelle. You guys are right----she probably will not finish in the Top Four because even shooting "lights out" will not be enough. However, her 70 and 69 in the last two rounds shows that she can still play----------------when she plays with the ladies on the LPGA Tour.

[worst_shot_ever]

I didn't either.

Now that's funny. Gotta give some applause to Rosales. Haven't heard much of anything about her in a long time, seems like, but she's playing well. Currently T-9. Nice to see her in the hunt again. Gulbis appears to be choking pretty hard, two doubles with one hole left.

[iacas]

Michelle bogeyed the second hole and parred the other eight on the front before back-to-back birdies at 10 and 11 (and a par at 12) have gotten her to T15.

So, unless she really falls apart at the end, it looks like she'll be able to get unlimited sponsor exemptions next year, and given that, I highly, highly, highly doubt she'll be heading to Q School (which I didn't think she'd do anyway).

[geezer]

So all the final rounds are now complete. Wie has finished tied for 12 position.

It was a really good performance from her, and I look forward to her playing more on the LPGA Tour next year!