Michelle Wie...Will she ever return to her previous form?

[Wisguy]

Originally Posted by BallStriker

Yes, but she was so hot that she actually deserved the hype.......seriously.

Anna Kournikova was not the flash-in-the-pan, overhyped dud that so many people (particularly women who have a bit of the jealousy thing going) make her out to be.  She was a semi-finalist at Wimbledon in 1997 in singles and how many women in the past 20 years can say that, maybe a dozen?  She had a WTA #1 ranking in doubles and was a finalist in 3 majors, winning two of them (1999 and 2002 Australian Open).  How many players in the open era have ever won a major, singles or doubles?  Not that many, let alone two of them.  No, she didn't have a hall of fame career, but she was more than just a pretty face.  And in that regard, I can't recall a prettier athlete in history in any sport.

[Joe Coolest]

Michelle will not win another tournament during her career.  So far in 2012, her average score is 77!  In her first rounds this year, she averaged 75 and just barely broke par 3 times out of 18 first rounds.  She just turned 23 and her parents are still treating her like she is 13.  I can not see her playing on the LPGA after she turns 25.

[Joe Coolest]

She was very savy when dealing with finances.  Beieve me, she certainly was not the "dumb blond."  She has been living with Iglesias for many years and does not intend to get married.

[Joe Coolest]

I only give her two more years on the LPGA.  I know she is talking about the 2016 Olympics in Brazil, but, I can not see her making the team.  In 2012 she has really become the "bogey queen" of the LPGA.  Her game has become very inconsistent and she has been averaging 16 bogies per tournament.  When Annika and Ochoa were playing, they may have had 16 bogies during a season!!

[soon_tourpro]

The Leadbetter curse hit her.

another one bite the dust.

[bplewis24]

Originally Posted by Joe Coolest

Michelle will not win another tournament during her career.

Even though I'm on your side of the tracks (in thinking she will never reach the previous form [that she never had to begin with]), saying she will not win another tournament in her entire career is way too presumptuous.  You're suggesting that she will never, for the rest of her career, get to a point where she could put 2-3 good rounds with 1-2 solid rounds and win a tournament.  I'm pretty sure that if she sticks with it, she should be able to.

[soon_tourpro]

Michelle will not win another tournament during her career.  So far in 2012, her average score is 77!  In her first rounds this year, she averaged 75 and just barely broke par 3 times out of 18 first rounds.  She just turned 23 and her parents are still treating her like she is 13.  I can not see her playing on the LPGA after she turns 25.

75-72-70-68 her scores last tournament. The Leadbetter camp move was a bad one. and she needs a putting trainer who can teach her confidence.

[Willie Malay]

Return? I'd say she's right where she's always been. Only difference is the media isn't telling you she's great now.

[Archie Bunker]

When she was still an amateur, we were told that she consistently hits 300+ yard drives, compete with the men, and win The Masters in a head-to-head competition with Tiger Woods. That, plus her tall stature and ethnic heritage, got the attention of Nike. She promptly turned pro to cash in.Other sponsors followed.  End of story. So far, we know that the 300+ yard drives only happen downwind in Hawaii, and she cannot compete with the men. Her success on the LPGA tour has been spotty at best. Time will tell if she has a memorable career, but you can be certain that the original hype was made for the sole purpose of cashing in.

[x129]

I think you forget how good she was in 2005 and 6 when she missing men's cuts by a stroke and finishing top 5 in a 3 of the of the majors. It has been pretty much downhill since then.

Originally Posted by Willie Malay

Return? I'd say she's right where she's always been. Only difference is the media isn't telling you she's great now.

[Beachcomber]

Perhaps her handlers need to sit down with her and talk about getting a sex tape out... Then she will be back in the eye of the media.

[Joe Coolest]

Unfortunately, golf is about number 5 on her priority list.  Her game started to decline four years ago and since then, she keeps getting worse.  She has no idea where her tee shots are going to land and can not hit a pitching wedge closer than 25 feet.  With her parents, it has always been about the money.  Michelle purchased a home in Jupiter, Florida (with her real estate agent mother's help) for $3.9 million and 10 months later, listed the home for $5.9 million.  I am sure she misses the college life and I will not be surprised if she returns to Stanford in the near future.  I do not think her sponsors are going to hang on much longer for her (game in progress) to develop.  It seems that she is "book smart" but, I doubt if she could make her own flight and hotel reservations on her own.  She is 23 years old and her parents think she is still 13.  When you read her twitter comments, you think a 13 year old wrote them.  She has not matured mentally and I am not sure if she ever will.

[Joe Coolest]

It really depends on how long of a career Michelle will have.  The year 2012 has been a disaster and I do not see an improvement for 2012.  She has barely made pocket change in 2012 and if she was not a multi-millionaire, she would be in financial trouble.  I doubt the money she earned paid for her private jets.  She has stated in the past that she makes her own decisions.  I seriously doubt that and I think her parents make all of the decisions for her.  She has become the "poor little rich girl" on the LPGA Tour.  In Malaysia, she was never shown one time during the tournament.  So, she had to wait around for hours so she could become the "drama queen" and spray Suzanne with sticky beer..."I will get on TV one way or the other."  Of course, she will survive and enjoy her millions.  Actually, she is a much better artist than she is a golfer.  Could she be a Rembrandt in the future?

[ctyankee]

Originally Posted by Willie Malay

Return? I'd say she's right where she's always been. Only difference is the media isn't telling you she's great now.

This.  Those covering the LPGA have been trying to build Wie up for years and years because the media *****s need marketable stories.  Problem was (and is) she can't putt well enough to match the rest of her game.  It's only been lately that the commentators have finally addressed what's been holding her back because even they can't ignore the obvious forever.

[x129]

Go back and look how good she was in 2004-2006. Finishing T3,T5,T3,T26 in the majors is the sign of a top 5 player. 6 top 10s out of 8 events entered (4 top 3s). Thats top 10  also if your being conservative. But since then her game hasn't largely regressed.

I don't care how anyone feels about Leadbettter (love him or hate him, this would be what I would be saying about ANY coach) but she really should consider a coaching change. It doesn't matter if the next guy/gal is a better or worse coach. She needs a change of some type.  I have no idea of her recent crappy putting (look at pre 2010 when she was decent) is a result of poor putting, poor short game, or general pressing because of a poor long game.

Quote:

This.  Those covering the LPGA have been trying to build Wie up for years and years because the media *****s need marketable stories.  Problem was (and is) she can't putt well enough to match the rest of her game.  It's only been lately that the commentators have finally addressed what's been holding her back because even they can't ignore the obvious forever.

[ctyankee]

Her putting problems are far from recent.  She lost in the Girl's Amateur.  Crushed the ball past all of her opponents and lost because other made putts and she didn't.  Nothing new.

[x129]

Everyone loses tournaments because of putting. It happens.  And I am not saying she was every a great putter (she lost 2 majors in 2006 because she was a top 50 putter instead of a top 20 one) but the putting was passable. Has it gotten worse (seems like it) or is she not hitting the ball as close (looks that way from the few rounds I have seen).

Again the point was that she was a legit superstar in the early days. You can debate if she was going to be the #1 player in the world or just a fixture in the top 10. Since those days she has really regressed game wise. It is easy to blame her parents (seemed way too involved), coaching (why switch from the guy that has gotten you to the top), and so on.

Originally Posted by ctyankee

Her putting problems are far from recent.  She lost in the Girl's Amateur.  Crushed the ball past all of her opponents and lost because other made putts and she didn't.  Nothing new.

[inthehole]

people forget she went to college.    She had different priorities the last 4 years.    I give her alot of credit for that - where so many other young women go straight to the pro level, and college takes a back seat.      Give her a couple years ... she's got the physical ability, just needs to go back to the woodshed, put in the time to work things out, and most importantly toughen up mentally.     I think a mental coach would help her more than a swing coach.