Wie almost shoots 88

[elivate]

Wow she really doesn't want to play on the LPGA tour, does she!

  None said:

MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. -- Hawaii's Michelle Wie withdrew from the Ginn Tribute on Thursday after shooting 14 over par through 16 holes, aggravating a wrist injury that sidelined her since January. Wie wore bandages on her wrists during the round and said her withdraw was because she "tweaked" the injury and not because of an LPGA rule that bans nontour members for the year if they shoot 88 or higher. Wie was two bogeys from that scenario when she stopped.

[lamebums]

Everyone's gone mad about the hype and everything...she isn't that good, doubly so under pressure, it seems. And she pisses me off because she wanted to play in the men's tournament, what was it, last year?

Hell, I can shoot below 88.

Edit: Snagged this off the comments section of ESPN.com.

"That's great she can hit the ball far, but just becuase she can hit the ball far, does not mean that she will ever be able to compete with the men. The reason why, is that she does not know how to win. Top 10s are great, but they are not wins. I think Wie should stay at the teen level, go and play college golf, and then after she get used to winning, go to the LPGA with a capital L. Once she is dominant there for a number of years. Then she should start playing from the mens tees in practice rounds. IF she can shoot under par at the mens tees in her practice round, ONLY then, should she consider going against the men. Anything before that is an insult to all the men who are on all those mini tours, paying $1200 to enter, living out of a car, just for the slim chance that they can compete on the Nike tour, not to mention the PGA tour, considering that all of the men on those mini tours and the nike tour could beat the pants of Wie on any day of the week."

[GoingfortheGreen]

Another wrist injury - seems to be going around the Pro tours today. Looks like the 'Divas' have called it a day

[Dent]

Im sure she did consider the fact that she was going to shoot 88. Playing 16 holes and then withdrawing is kind of odd. But we will never know.

[laconic517]

the haters on espn.com are sickening, many of them dont even think about her being a 17 year old girl. Everyone has bad rounds and who knows just how much her wrist affected her. Wanting to play with the men is fine, the PGA Tour is the best tour in the world, whats wrong with wanting to play with the best ? If she was a 17 year old boy no one would shoot her dreams down. Sure she may not get as many invites or be as popular, but thats not her fault. Shes never talked down about anyone or any tour in the media, she just simply has dreams and goals. Ya shes looked a bit shaky mentally, but even players like Tom Watson and David Duval (before the vertigo etc) had the "can't win/close out a tournament" hanging over their heads for some time. She cant play a full time schedule on the LPGA tour because of her age and shes a kid, name me a 17 year old boy whos a scratch that would turn down invitations to play in PGA tour events. Ya just because she hits the ball far it doesnt mean shell make it to the PGA tour, but she has game, and her length gives her an advantage over pretty much every other LPGA player if she tees it up with the men.

[GoingfortheGreen]

I don't want to rain on anyone's parade, but this whole incident S-T-I-N-K-S. I just got done reading the ESPN.com article, and if it's accurate, Wie and her camp are a bunch of phony’s. Short of calling her cheater, what happened out there today was a bunch of crap. I don't care if she's 17, 27, or 37 - her family needs to butt out of her playing. The sh*t BJ pulled was not right. I mean c'mon this is a LPGA event, not some weekend game in Hawaii.

The PGA Tour???? Ha! This woman can barely compete with the LPGA women now. Yes, I know she's done well before, but of late she's done squat. I don't think she's broken 70 or 72 in her last couple of events - men’s or women’s. I can give her some slack if she's injured, but why play and risk further injury and humiliation?? Yes, she was humiliated out there today. And, I think the LPGA (thinking of future ratings) are probably in cahoots with her and schemed with her agent to get her to withdraw.

Take a year off Michelle – your “performance” out there was worse than shooting a legitimate 88!

There, my rant is over.

[Clubswinger21]

The subject really is tire some. She's basically dropped off the map. She hasnt been practicing, her focus has been else where. Obviously she wasnt ready to play with the injury.

Fact is the girl can play and she's what 17 now? when she dedicates herself to a full season i gaurantee we'll see her win her 1st year. Dont forget she was 16 and came in 2nd in a US womens open. To me, thats incredible stuff at the level these women play.

The issue shouldnt even be that she cant play with the men yet, cuz really you dont know how good this girl is going to get. Eventually she'll grow out those teenage bone's and become a 280 avg. hitter which opens alot of doors for her. By no means am i saying she'll play on the PGA tour but its not impossible. I completely agree its dumb to even mention that she some day wants to play with the men. Its dumb to take those exemptions even, when she obviously isnt fully dedicated to the game right now. Either play full time or not at all, its an insult to LPGA and PGA players alike that earned their way.

[Ogg]

She is a spoiled little brat, plain and simple. Her over-bearing parents and endorsement driven handlers are a disgrace. The fact that she makes over $19 million a year for not even being able to break par at an LPGA event is disgusting. GoingfortheGreen is correct in saying that this incident stinks.

Who cares if she is only 17? The other players don't care if she is 17. The results don't care if she is 17. Golf doesn't care.

If she was smart, she would do as others have said here. Take the time off and re-focus, get healed and come back and compete in the real world.

[iacas]

  lamebums said:

Everyone's gone mad about the hype and everything...she isn't that good, doubly so under pressure, it seems.

No? And how about those top-fives (or was it top-threes?) she posted in 3 of the 4 LPGA majors last year? Who on the PGA Tour can say that? Oh, right, Tiger Woods can.

She didn't win any, but she didn't lose them either. She nearly qualified - QUALIFIED - for the U.S. Open. The men's version. She didn't crumble or be "not that good" then, either. I personally would like to see her WIN something on the LPGA Tour, but to say she's "not that good" is just ignorant of the facts.

  lamebums said:

Hell,

With an injury and at the course the LPGA uses? I highly, highly, highly doubt it. Maybe once a year if you play four times a week. But unlikely.

I've already commented on her playing with men, and I've already said I think it's been detrimental to her game trying to hit it as far as the guys, so I won't rehash those comments here.

[wengerlaw]

I feel bad for Wie and know she is under a tremendous amount of pressure. Keep in mind she is only 17. Can you imagine having managers, coaches and fans breathing down your neck while you try to perform up to everyone's expectations with the world watching (and hoping you fail because it makes good headlines)?

However, I do think that it was unethical for her to withdraw with 2 holes left. Wie may truly not have thought about the "88 rule" when she withdrew, but I bet her handlers (who stand to make a lot of money by keeping Wie in the spotlight) sure did. It's an unfortunate scenario and I think highlights the problems with allowing 16-17 year olds to turn pro so early (see also: Ty Tryon).

[Ogg]

Again, who cares that she is 17? She and her family and handlers made all their own decisions. She doesn't get extra strokes taken off for being only 17. The game of golf doesn't care how old she is, it only cares what she shoots. She had some good showings last year but during the second half of the year, she did not break par in any LPGA event. She obviously has some talent but that doesn't get you wins.

[elivate]

It really does seem that she is not choosing the best path for herself, as far as her golf career goes, anyway. Or her "handlers" are not... Money is not an issue, so maybe that is why there seems to be no hunger to go out and win. Give me $19 million when I was 17 and I would be a mess. How can you put in the hours of practice, travel and mental focus that it takes to compete at the highest level when you have almost been handed a free pass? I say almost because I know she had to work hard to get where she is, but now she really is being given every opportunity and she certainly is not making the most of any of it right now...

I honestly had forgotten about Ty Tryon, that is a shame...

[wengerlaw]

  Ogg said:

Again, who cares that she is 17?

OGG, I'm not saying her age is an excuse for her poor play. I'm just saying it is sort of tragic when young players who are likely not ready for the pressures of professional play are pressured into the pros by family and managers who stand to profit from the teenagers raw talent.

[Ogg]

Understood. And I agree with you 100%. The worst part of all of this is she may be today's hero and tomorrow's scapegoat all for the sake of a newspaper story.

[Clubswinger21]

  Ogg said:

She is a spoiled little brat, plain and simple. Her over-bearing parents and endorsement driven handlers are a disgrace. The fact that she makes over $19 million a year for not even being able to break par at an LPGA event is disgusting. GoingfortheGreen is correct in saying that this incident stinks.

Im sure intelligent golf fans will take her age into consideration. I take in to consideration where my golf game is at 22, and where hers was at 10 (shooting 64). I take into consideration her stats in LPGA majors at different ages, also considering she's only allowed to play something like 7 times a year as a non-member?

at 14 years.. T13 US womens open T3 Kraft Nabisco 15 years.. LPGA Champ. 2nd Kraft Nabisco T13 Womens British T3 16.. LPGA Champ. T3 Kraft T3 LPGA T5 Obviously I dont have the hatred for this girl as alot of bitter people do. I personally want to see her play a full LPGA schedule and do some serious damage, thats the only complaint I have. She's got her school or college to deal with, which can be looked at respectfully, but I just feel she needs to fully dedicate herself to golf or just not play on any tour what so ever. At this point i could care less how she got to where she is because I've seen what she can do at this age. I dont want to watch her earn her spot on the LPGA tour, I just want to see her play and play well. The notion that her camp is projecting is she came in 3rd in 1 of the 4 toughest LPGA events at age 14.. so maybe she's to good for the LPGA. The fact is she hasnt won yet so its rubbed some people the wrong way, and I can understand that.

[jb1982]

She's obviously a great player with incredible talent.... BUT she should have learned how to win at her own level first. Look at Tiger for example. He dominated every level he ever played at. And by the time he turned pro, he was ready to WIN at that level; not just compete. I think Wie should prove she can win on the LPGA before trying to compete on with PGA players.

I do think we're going to see something pretty special out of her on the LPGA in the next few years though.

[asianpsuation]

god do i hate wie, and it takes alot for me to hate a fellow asian lol. she has talent, but she refuses to focues on the LPGA, her play on the pga tour is just a stupid novelty. "oh lets go see Michelle miss the cut again!". i dont even have a problem with women playing with men, if annika wanted to do it again, thats her prerogative. But michelle wie hasnt proved anything, she has as many LPGA titles as i do...0.0

[Jeepthrills]

  iacas said:

No? And how about those top-fives (or was it top-threes?) she posted in 3 of the 4 LPGA majors last year? Who on the PGA Tour can say that? Oh, right, Tiger Woods can.

Well said. She is damn good and the haters need to back off. Has she been shoved down our throats? Yes, but she is a phenom. She has been injured and last I checked, the wrist plays a major role in the golf swing. I love when even good male golfers say that they would be able to dominate on the LPGA Tour. These women can play and Michelle Wie is going to be great. Remember, she is only 17 and has yet to be able to play a full season on tour. Give her the chance to play weekly and she will only get better. She may not be good enough to beat the men ever, but she is good for the game. I hope she gets healthy and starts to win. As far as the 88. Good for her people. They were smart to pull her out. I don't condone quitting, but when you are doing something that could hinder your career, you have to make tough choices. They made the right one.