Michelle Wie, Solheim Cup

[sean_miller]

its sad that i objectify women or that you dont think shes pretty? which one? relax bro, its just my opinion.

Relax yourself. It's sad that she

is probably one of the 12 best looking US women golfers. As much as people want to keep sports pure - love of the game and all that shite - they're trying to sell tickets too, so it should be entertaining. I think there should be a "no fat chicks" rule for major tournaments. Christie Kerr used to be one - now she's a honey and a winner. It's all good.

[Awsi Dooger]

Length is intimidating in that format. Wie belongs, on form and sheer ability, although I would worry about potential for missed short putts in vital situations.

There are reports the LPGA might have only a handful of events prior to Nabisco next year. In fact, it could be as few as one. Nabisco is in April. To salvage anything from this season and provide a boost toward 2010, the LPGA needs a compelling and surprisingly interest-laden Solheim Cup. Hard to see how that unfolds minus Michelle Wie.

I've noticed the Wie haters are more subdued this year. Last season at about this time they were still clinging to the idiocy that Wie was not merely a winless player, but a subpar player. I remember one prominent poster on a golf message board insisting Kim Welch was far superior to Michelle Wie. Now, I'm a fan of both players, but that was absurd.

[colin007]

Relax yourself. It's sad that she

lol, have you seen the "No Fat Chicks" bumper stickers?

[neophyte]

If I had too much money wagered on the US to win the Solheim. Would I want Wie on the US Solheim team? Wie is way ahead of a lot of players when my wallet is involved.

[alf174]

Beth Daniel's captains picks were Julie Inkster and Michelle Wie.

On TV Saturday, Daniel was praising Wie's play this year, building a case supporting what sounded like a conclusion she may have already come to before actually announcing it. Good choice IMHO.

[GaijinGolfer]

I vote, "hell no". She hasnt yet proven that she can handle the pressure of getting the job done in major tournaments.
Wie is doing better, but she still has a long way to go.

[iacas]

I vote, "hell no". She hasnt yet proven that she can handle the pressure of getting the job done in major tournaments.

Like Paula Creamer? Angela Stanford? Kristy McPherson? Nicole Castrale? Christina Kim? Brittany Lang? Gulbis?

Face it - if you used "can get the job done in a major" as the criteria, the U.S. would have to forfeit as they'd only have a few players. And the ones they would have, most of 'em would be 45-60 years old. Michelle earned something like the third or fourth most points this year of any Americans. Someone said she's the only one not to have missed a cut, and the only two people above her have yet to finish in the top 20 this year!

[Harkus]

I wonder... will Michelle Wie be inducted into the LPGA Hall of Fame as the "Greatest Player Who Never Won an LPGA Tournament"?

This is ridiculous. Some people have said that Laura Diaz and Stacy Prammanasudh got most of their points last year. So what? Is this a two-year event, or not? If only the wins from this year count, than only count the wins from this year -- that's pretty simple.

Also -- the way the Solheim Cup points are set-up, you already get credited MORE points in a Solheim Cup year than you do in the proceeding year. For example: A 1st place finish last year was worth 40 points, this year it's worth 60 points.

So (for example) if Stacy Prammanasudh had the exact same placements last year, that Michelle Wie had this year, Michelle Wie would have ended up with half-again as many points.

So Stacy Prammanasudh doesn't get to play, even though she had more points than Julie Inkster or Michelle Wie. And how do you justify passing over Laura Diaz for Michelle Wie?

This is how: "Hello commissioner, this is Nike, we're a huge sponsor, and we want Michelle Wie to play in Solheim Cup -- thank you."

Ooooo, look, Michelle Wie "earned" something else. Yay, Michelle! Aint' she the greatest?!

[SubPar]

I vote, "hell no". She hasnt yet proven that she can handle the pressure of getting the job done in major tournaments.

More to the point, she has often been in a position to close the deal (making a PGA cut, winning an LPGA event) and manages to throw it away over a few holes. She has star power and potential, but no proven ability to squeeze out a win of any kind at this level.

I figure once she gets her first win she will surge forward with better performances and more wins. It's okay they put her on the team but it would be nice if she could just once show she has some nerve. SubPar

[iacas]

This is ridiculous. Some people have said that Laura Diaz and Stacy Prammanasudh got most of their points last year. So what? Is this a two-year event, or not?

No, it's a three-day event, and if you're outside the top 10, in no way are you automatically qualified.

If Diaz and Prammanasudh wanted to lock in their spots, they should have gone for the top 10. Beyond that and it's a crap shoot, and they didn't play well enough to earn a captain's pick. End of story.

And how do you justify passing over Laura Diaz for Michelle Wie?

Uhmmm, because Beth Daniel isn't the biggest idiot in the world? Why on earth would you pick a player without a single top-20 this year?

Paul Azinger picked hot players. Beth Daniel passed up on two VERY COLD players to pick one who's rather hot compared to the competition. Heck, if anything, Inkster is the "questionable" pick.

[SubPar]

... Heck, if anything, Inkster is the "questionable" pick.

This was a surprise but one has to assume the possible value of having her there motivate and inspire the team out weighed picking one of the hotter younger players.

SubPar

[Acropo]

I voted 'only if she earns it on points' but forgot the British Open was the last qualifying event! I felt she would get there given a couple more events, given her play this year. Anyway, she got to 13th, with fewer events, so that indicates she's on a hot streak, right now, and justifies the Captain's Pick.

Whether she will be the female Tiger in the longer term that some claim remains to be seen. But she certainly has got talent and a lot of potential.

As for Inkster - yes, I think a good pick. she's been there, done it all and has had some pretty good results this year - and Tom Watson's performance in The Open suggests it's a year for the older player...! There will be a lot of players on the team who haven't got Inkster's solid experience - especially Wie - and she should help, I think. Comparisons with the inspired Ryder Cup picks of Montgomerie and Poulter?

Who will win? Well, thank goodness Korea doesn't have a team, coz they'd walk it! I think the balance is in favour of the USA but there are quite a few pretty handy players on the other side, even without Anneka. Catriona Matthews' great win in the British Open may be inspirational to Europe, so I expect a tight match. And a lot of shouting and cheerleading from Christina Kim!

[sooperstring]

Relax yourself. It's sad that she

I think it should also be mentiond that the LPGA is almost by definition an exhibition tour. It exists as a secondary tour to the PGA in an effort to get a different demographic (women) more interested in the sport, and because they think that by excluding men, they can profit from a different audience. They're obviously not wrong for doing this, but that's kind of how it is.

If they aren't selling tickets, they're not doing their job, and frankly, Wie playing makes me much more likely to pay attention than if she weren't. Oh, as an aside, Wie was not just the right choice from a performance standpoint, she was the obvious choice based on this year's results.

I vote, "hell no". She hasnt yet proven that she can handle the pressure of getting the job done in major tournaments.

This is hindpsychology. For some reason, nobody wants to admit that the results of 2 rounds of golf can be random. And also - not for nothing - but even if pressure is a huge deal, you think the Solheim cup is the same level of pressure as the last day of a major when in contention? If nothing else, having a team that's hugely favored can't hurt.

[bobsuruncle]

she did enough to justify her position as a Captain's pick...she's Top 5 in consistency among the American girls...the other potential Captain's picks aren't exactly "on-form", including Juli Inksters (although no one except iacas seems to have picked this up).

if the criteria for a Captain's pick is "past performance / track record" or "brings leadership" heck, why wasn't the greatest European Ryder Cupper - Monty - picked to play the last Ryder Cup? As far as performance is concerned, he's well past his prime and as for leadership (he's good enough to be selected to Captain the coming Ryder Cup team) what is the non-playing Captain for? Is there no one else who can fill a playing captain role? Christie Kerr, perhaps? Exactly how many captains does a team need? Ask Zingers - ONE.

[Harkus]

No, it's a three-day event, and if you're outside the top 10, in no way are you automatically qualified.

It's a "three day event". So they really don't keep points for two years. I'm confused. Why set up a point system then? Let the captain pick all the players according to how they played the past month or past week or whatever. It's idiotic to have it both ways. Either have a point system and use that or don't have a point system. And why do they have to do well this year just for the last two places? Couldn't you use the same justification for the top ten places? Has Nicole Castrale been a world beater "this" year? Michelle Wie is not a good choice. When the going gets tough, she chokes. Maybe eventually she'll start winning -- maybe not. But this Michelle Wie cult is ridiculous. She's not the female Tiger Woods -- no where close. And she never will be if she never has to earn anything.

[iacas]

It's a "three day event". So they really don't keep points for two years.

The event is three days. The points are accumulated over two years, but you can't call points accumulation an "event."

Why set up a point system then?

So that some of the team can qualify automatically. The rest can be chosen.

Michelle Wie finished 13th. As far as I'm concerned, the burden of proof is on you if you don't think she should have been a captain's pick, particularly given the lousy performances of the two non-automatic qualifiers directly above her.

It's idiotic to have it both ways.

Disagree. It's how teams like this have been chosen for quite a long time.

Couldn't you use the same justification for the top ten places? Has Nicole Castrale been a world beater "this" year?

No. But she wasn't last year either.

If you're suggesting that the LPGA use a system more like what Paul Azinger used - which placed a LOT of emphasis on the current year and very little on the prior year - then I'd be in favor of that as well. Would have kept Laura Diaz from even coming close to consideration, and I think it gets you the "stronger" AND "hotter" team.

But this Michelle Wie cult is ridiculous. She's not the female Tiger Woods -- no where close.

I've never said such a thing, and I've voiced my opinion on Michelle Wie repeatedly on the podcast and in the forum - it's not been close to all positive.

I haven't seen anyone else compare MW to TW either unless they're talking about the potential to bring attention to their sport - certainly not based on any sort of records to date. And Tom Watson was labeled a "choker" early on in his career too. He ended up with a pretty nice career. I wonder what the "cult of anti-Michelle Wie" will have to say when she breaks through and kicks some butt, should it happen.

[trumps4]

I went with "I'm a wimpy fence-straddler." Having said that, I think I personally would use a captain's pick on her if I was the captain. Reason being, she may be more intimidating to opposition.

[SubPar]

I think she belongs. She's sixteenth, yet she has only accumulated points this year. Christina Kim, who is pretty "safe" in eighth place currently, is 54th on this year's money list with $132k while Michelle Wie is 18th with $470k! Michelle's 20th in the Player of the Year race (done on points), while Christina Kim is T43...

I guess she does belong. Wie hit some great shots, made some clutch putts and seemed to grow up over this weekend.

After her performance this at The Solheim, it would not be a surprise to see her collect a win shortly. Most importantly, I think she proved to herself she can stand up with and against the best players out there. SubPar