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

[joekelly]

@joecoolest...you surely are telling us a lot about Michelle. Like maybe you got some soft spot in your heart for her.  Not unknown to look up to our sport heroines, so no offence intended on my part. If she cares enough about competition golf to strive for the top she has the talent and experience to do well.  More commitment and confidence will bring rewards.

[j7620]

When she was younger golf was "fun" to her.  It is not so much "fun" now doing it for a living.  Way over-hyped and undeserving of lucrative endorsements.  Her biggest mistake was trying to take on the men when she could not even win on LPGA.

[BallStriker]

8 figure net worth.....not so bad......she has done well for herself and her family.

If nothing else, she is certainly in financial position to retire, wake up every morning and do whatever the hell she wants........tough to criticize imo

[TMAdidas]

Anyone read the Annika article which addressed this in Golf Magazine?

[GaijinGolfer]

I read it.  To me, it came across as Annika being a hater.  Its kind of funny how Annika said she wanted to step away from golf and close that chapter of her life, yet she keeps popping up on TGC and in golf magazines.

[newtogolf]

She finished school and likely came back to satisfy her endorsement contracts but I doubt she was prepared to play pro level golf and the results have shown it.  Also let's not forget that since she was a phenom in 2004-2006 a number of new young golfers have joined the LPGA and most possess the skills that Wie had/has plus they are better putters.

[gwlee7]

Unfortunately for Wie, anyone who can hold a putter in her hands is most likely a better putter that she is.

[iacas]

Originally Posted by gwlee7

Unfortunately for Wie, anyone who can hold a putter in her hands is most likely a better putter that she is.

I think a deeper look at the stats would tell you that it's not necessarily her putting that is sinking her.

[rowlf]

Just an illustration of how Michelle Wie has fizzled out.

I have completely forgotten about her since Ernie Els called gave her that cringeworthy name that appeared all over the press. I don't even recall when was that.

[BruceMGF]

Originally Posted by iacas

I think a deeper look at the stats would tell you that it's not necessarily her putting that is sinking her.

I hadn't seen her play in ages until this past weekend's LPGA broadcast.

She looks like she's completely changed her swing.  It looks like she's trying to imitate Kuchar's swing and not coming close.  Weird bailout follow-throughs.

And the way she bends over putts.  Remember how low Arnie used to bend over?  Further than that.

[iacas]

Wie is 50th in Putting Average (missing greens helps - it's just putts per round): http://www.lpga.com/stats/stats-detail.aspx?q=putting%20avg

She's 47th in Driving Distance (she should be top ten pretty easily): http://www.lpga.com/stats/stats-detail.aspx?q=avg%20driving%20dist

She's 151st in Driving Accuracy: http://www.lpga.com/stats/stats-detail.aspx?q=Driving%20Accuracy&y;=2013&p;=4

She's 91st in Greens in Regulation: http://www.lpga.com/stats/stats-detail.aspx?q=Greens%20in%20Reg&y;=2013&p;=2

She's 46th in Putts per Green in Regulation: http://www.lpga.com/stats/stats-detail.aspx?q=Putts%20per%20GIR

I rest my case. It's not her putting that's causing her problems. She needs to hit the ball farther AND more accurately.

[GaijinGolfer]

I was hoping she would get the win this weekend.  Its a shame to see someone who looked to have so much talent and potential not live up to expectations.

[dak4n6]

I followed her for a few holes this past week. She has lost a lot of weight compared with the last few years, and her swing looked much quicker, and I don't even want to touch that putting stance of hers.

[Dave40]

While she was at Stanford, two things happened that are detrimental to golfers:

1.  She didn't play much

2.  She physically changed from a teenager to an adult

Golfer's swings change as they get older.  Often it is a gradual process as one ages.  But if you have an injury or take a 4 year vacation from golf, it is a very abrupt change in swing that could take a few years to master.

Plus she seriously needs a sports psychologist for her putting.

[newtogolf]

Originally Posted by Dave40

While she was at Stanford, two things happened that are detrimental to golfers:

1.  She didn't play much

2.  She physically changed from a teenager to an adult

Golfer's swings change as they get older.  Often it is a gradual process as one ages.  But if you have an injury or take a 4 year vacation from golf, it is a very abrupt change in swing that could take a few years to master.

Plus she seriously needs a sports psychologist for her putting.

In addition a lot of other talented golfers entered the LPGA that had similar abilities to hers before she went to college.

[iacas]

Originally Posted by Dave40

Plus she seriously needs a sports psychologist for her putting.

Her putting is not the problem.

I challenge you to prove otherwise.

[dzjc]

I was one that bought into the hype of Wie back when she almost won the Dinah Shore tournament as an amateur.  Playing on the PGA tour with the men was a huge mistake, at least mentally, because she was a young teenager at the time, and was not emotionally ready for that type of pressure.  Sadly, she'll never return to her true form at this point; I think mainly because she realizes that there is more to life than golf.  I applaud her for getting her education at Standford.

Dale

[Dave40]

Originally Posted by iacas

Her putting is not the problem.

I challenge you to prove otherwise.

I dont' think stats are going to prove it, but watching her miss so many putts in clutch situations i can't help but think her putting is a problem.  The "tabletop" putting stance is clearly a desperate attempt to improve her putting.

But i didn't say that putting is her only problem either...