Looks like Michelle Wie decided...

[iacas]

That's fine for the following year, but an exemption's an exemption. She's not qualified for any of the majors this year, which likely won't stop the LPGA Tour bending the rules into pretzels to get her in.

By "this year" I'm assuming you mean 2008? And if she comes out and wins an early tournament - albeit on a sponsor's exemption - in early 2008 then she will likely qualify for one or several of the majors.

John Daly played 24 times this year on sponsor's exemptions alone. It's not like Michelle is the only person in the world to take advantage of them. As long as they're offered, I have no problem if she takes them. It's simple supply and demand - if she's no longer in demand, the supply of exemptions will run dry.

[crazy_horst]

Right or wrong, a tournament is better off with her than without her.

Why? That's a completely subjective argument. I think a tournament is better off with the best field, not with the prom queen.

[crazy_horst]

By "this year" I'm assuming you mean 2008? And if she comes out and wins an early tournament - albeit on a sponsor's exemption - in early 2008 then she will likely qualify for one or several of the majors.

All well and good, but my question is this: at what point does she cease getting everything handed to her for being Michelle Wie and start having to earn her spot? And I don't care about "she finished in x place back in..." The LPGA Tour has bent, broken, and dismembered and disposed of rules to allow her to play; they've essentially used their rules officials to help her keep from becoming DQ'd for a year (Ms. 88); Ty Tryon's a great talent, too, and has the same number of professional wins as Michelle. (actually I'd better look that up - Ty may have actually won like the Timbuktu Masters or something).

The qualification rules exist for a reason, but apparently not for her. In fact, I'm hard pressed to find a rule that does apply to her. Why?

John Daly played 24 times this year on sponsor's exemptions alone. It's not like Michelle is the only person in the world to take advantage of them. As long as they're offered, I have no problem if she takes them. It's simple supply and demand - if she's no longer in demand, the supply of exemptions will run dry.

JD is a two-time major winner and coming off a season on a major medical. John Daly has earned a few sponsor's invites. Michelle Wie's entire

career is based on nothing but sponsor's invites or the fruits thereof. I'm just wondering when professional golf became a popularity contest I guess. The LPGA and this Wie nonsense is more like a traveling circus. "Hey kids, have you seen the bearded lady?"

[Jeepthrills]

I'm just wondering when professional golf became a popularity contest I guess. The LPGA and this Wie nonsense is more like a traveling circus.

The day that Tiger won the 1997 Masters and the games exposure went through the roof.

The average fan and most certainly the viewing public, that don't give a damn about the LPGA, would rather see Michelle Wie than the 120th ranked women on tour. So would I. I am a huge golf fan. I will watch whatever I can. However, if I have the choice of an LPGA event with Michelle Wie or say a Champions Tour event, I will watch her. It's far more compelling theatre because there is the blow up factor and the unknown.

[g-funk13]

And despite the hype that swirls around Wie, the best players will always win. Throw in some jealousy and catty comments from other golfers. . . Great golf + a little "somethin somethin".

Who loses out here?

[NM Golf]

All well and good, but my question is this: at what point does she cease getting everything handed to her for being Michelle Wie and start having to earn her spot? And I don't care about "she finished in x place back in..." The LPGA Tour has bent, broken, and dismembered and disposed of rules to allow her to play; they've essentially used their rules officials to help her keep from becoming DQ'd for a year (Ms. 88); Ty Tryon's a great talent, too, and has the same number of professional wins as Michelle. (actually I'd better look that up - Ty may have actually won like the Timbuktu Masters or something).

People tend to forget that the LPGA, and all other tours for that matter, is a business. And if you are going to properly run a business you must make money. Its a simple equation for the sponsors of these tournaments and for the LPGA itself. Michelle Wie= spectators watching= $$$$$. She is a big draw, so she will be put into tournaments.

The LPGA isn't exactly turning people away at the gates due to sellouts. You'll notice too, they have few tournaments on network TV and really rely mostly on cable channels for TV coverage. Networks pay more. The LPGA is a tough sell to the advertisers. All womens sports are. So if you think for a minute, when they have a huge draw like a Michelle Wie, that they're not gonna use her, you're either ignorant or crazy. Its simple economics.

[crazy_horst]

People tend to forget that the LPGA, and all other tours for that matter, is a business. And if you are going to properly run a business you must make money. Its a simple equation for the sponsors of these tournaments and for the LPGA itself. Michelle Wie= spectators watching= $$$$$. She is a big draw, so she will be put into tournaments.

Just as long as we agree it isn't because of her ability, I guess I can start considering your argument...

[NM Golf]

Just as long as we agree it isn't because of her ability, I guess I can start considering your argument...

Ability, thats a slippery slope. Ability wise she has shown she can play with the best players in the world by finishing very high in several majors. Ability wise she is a damn good golfer.

Now performance wise right now she isn't up to snuff. She hasn't done a thing in the last year. So I could agree with you saying performance wise she may not deserve to get the exemptions she is receiving currently. The next few years will be important. She needs to gain some control over her life. She also needs to get some normality into it as well. But at the same time if she doesn't eventually get back on the right track she will notice she will begin to be less of a story, less of a draw, and the exemptions will begin to dry up. She has to walk a thin line between getting her life on track and becoming a good golfer again. She can't wait 5 years until she graduates from college. The next young phenom will take her place, and her exemptions.

[g-funk13]

I remember that like Michelle Wie, Tiger Woods had a crazy father at the beginning of his career. Earl took a lot of flack for making the ambitious prophecies about Tiger and his game:
http://www.goodreports.net/reviews/h...natepeople.htm

BUT, as Tiger says, winning speaks louder than anything-- apparently including outrageous claims by the late Earl.

Wie could overcome all the overbearing-father-blues, and 2007 disaster by winning ONE tournament. Not that the past will be erased--there will just be a bigger story in a win.

[dbornack]

Wie has gotten too much attention from the beginning. She is a whinny girl who thinks that the PGA Tour will hand her spots in tournaments forever, just because of publicity and nothing else. She has shown that at certain times, she can play well, but she has not shown that she can do it over a long period of time. I think she quit playing for a few years, finish college, and then maybe start competitive golf again. I'm tired of hearing the Golf Channel talk about her when she is not playing good. Wie should earn her press time the way tiger did, playing his ass off and winning tournaments, especially majors.

Well said.. End of thread!

[crazy_horst]

People tend to forget that the LPGA, and all other tours for that matter, is a business. And if you are going to properly run a business you must make money. Its a simple equation for the sponsors of these tournaments and for the LPGA itself. Michelle Wie= spectators watching= $$$$$. She is a big draw, so she will be put into tournaments.

So why don't they just give half the spots to Playboy bunnies in bikini's? I mean God forbid we have some sort of competitive standards, right?

If you want to start the XFL of women's golf, fine, but when an organization loses credit with its' own members, beware... The LPGA has been around for 50 years, and it won't fall off the face of the earth if Michelle Wie goes and flies a kite. Perhaps you haven't noticed, but there are plenty of talented, exciting (and attractive) young female golfers on the LPGA Tour right now. The LPGA would today be in the best position it has ever been in if Michelle Wie was never born. The future for the LPGA Tour is quite bright nowadays.

[gbk56]

The LPGA has been around for 50 years, and it won't fall off the face of the earth if Michelle Wie goes and flies a kite. Perhaps you haven't noticed, but there are

Sure what you said is true, but I never really had any interest in watching golf until Tiger came on tour and Michelle came on tour. Never really paid any attention to wathcing Jack or Tom or any of the others on the PGA and really had no interest in the LPGA with Nancy Lopez, Anika, SeRi Park or any of the others.

But when Michelle started competing I became interested in the LPGA and now I do follow the likes of Lorena, Paula, Brittany Natalie etc. With the PGA tour their game is just so phenominal I really cannot relate to it and it still sometimes seems a little uninteresting unless Tiger is playing or there is a heated battle between two great golfers. Without Tiger or Michelle, I would have never really started wathcing golf and really would not have had any interest in the LPGA. I thnk Tiger and Michelle have really done a lot to get the interest of the casual fans and to discount their impact is incorrect. Even with all the new talent on the LPGA I would have never started wathcing without Michelle.

[flash]

Michelle needs to really play well if she wants to make any $ on any tour and I'll bet ya the world she'll be folding diapers before she's 20 so the girl's chances are slim and none and slim just left town.

[follyforhire]

I'll bet ya the world she'll be folding diapers before she's 20

I find this baffling. Could flash or anyone else please explain?

Is it suggesting that she will be pregnant and give birth at some point in the next two years? I really don't follow the LPGA or Michelle Wie closely at all, but I feel certain I would have read about, say, a serious relationship or imminent marriage. And I also think I would have picked up on some narrative about her being rather, um, indiscriminating. Have I missed something? Or is "folding diapers" just some phrase with which I am unfamiliar? Does that even happen anymore? Dreadful... By the way, I don't think she's done.

[Terrier]

So why don't they just give half the spots to Playboy bunnies in bikini's? I mean God forbid we have some sort of competitive standards, right?

That's all well and good. Babe Zaharias vs. Michelle Wie? Not good.

[Jeepthrills]

Michelle needs to really play well if she wants to make any $ on any tour and I'll bet ya the world she'll be folding diapers before she's 20 so the girl's chances are slim and none and slim just left town.

I doubt that that will happen. I hear that in order to prevent Michelle from dating, her father has her wearing a tether and under 24 hour watch. She has strict orders not to enjoy her life.

[Terrier]

She'll be featured on 60 Minutes methinks.

I still think Paula is a wonderful name.

Any Bit around here?

[Jeepthrills]

There was an article about her in the October 20th issue of Golfweek that had a few great quotes from people around her. Gary Gilchrest, her coach before Leadbetter took over, on how her paerents overbearing search for perfection. "It's like Michelangelo trying to paint the Sistine Chapel and his mother-in-law is talking to him every five seconds." He'd want to fall off the ladder and break his neck." Granted this is from a former coach, but he did say one other thing that was pretty interesting "I'd like to see her go back to the swing that inspired Tom Lehman to compare her to Ernie Els. The Swing he saw six years ago on a range in Hawaii.

It also refferenced how she looks miserable on the range and her dad is barking out instructions. I can only hope that she can create some type of balance between her parents, her game and her life.