Michelle Wie

Remember...sponser exemptions have nothing to do with weather they "deserve" it or not...it is all about the sponser's choice. Those that think otherwise are kidding themselves.

A agree with the idea that it is wrong giving an exeption to someone who would not be able to even be competitive. She is. Sponcers choice.

If it was your tourny, and by allowing a young, beautiful, popular phonom to play that increases your revenue by some significant %...the choice is already made. If her popularity wears out, then there you go...no exemtitions and you will see her on the ladies tour. But just pe patient and adjust your idea of what she is capable of. He really is the one in control here, not us.

__________________
I'm a golfaholic, no question about that. Counseling wouldn't help me. They'd have to put me in prison, and then I'd talk the warden into building a hole or two and teach him how to play. ~Lee Trevino

Greg I respect you point of view.

I understand the sponsorship concept and what they're there for after all is the halo effect the event gives their brand. I also understand that MW is probably one of the best golfers the world has ever seen. Male or Female. And she's only 16. No doubt about it she and Tiger are in a class all of their own.

That being said, my point is, the golf world is a "meritocracy". In other words you can play or you can't it's up to your skills and talents. You can buy a better ball and a better driver, but in general, it won't do much for you game. You have no team-mates to lean on as with most sports (except in some situations) so you have to produce every time you step up to the ball. Steroids probably won't help.

Queue jumping doesn't build the game of golf it diminishes it. Yes I understand WHY the exemptions exist, why sponsors feel they should use them, why events are tempted to have a MW attend their events. It all makes sense.

My question is what does the game of golf get out of it? More viewers? More people taking up the sport (the "Tiger Effect")? Maybe I just answered my own questions.

Without Tiger and Michelle wie there wouldent be HALF as many Junior Golfers playing today!

IMHO Michelle Wie playing with the men has more entertainment value than the male golfer she replaced. In other words "MONEY" value. I know if I had a chance to go watch a golf tournament with her in it, I would do so more readily than one with an extra male golfer, who is probably ranked nearer the bottom of the top 150. I am pretty sure she did replace a male golfer who is not really that much better than her. Although she missed the cut again, she was not the only golfer to miss the same cut line. We should all remember that her parents, and her sponsors run her professional golfing life at this time in her career. The proverbial "cash cow" for her handlers if you think about it. "MONEY" again.

If she were my daughter? No, she would not be playing in men's tournaments. She would be learning how to win against her on course equals.

As for the male golfer she replaced? There is always the Nationwide Tour to hone his skills on, so that he won't be replaced by a teen age girl, who is a golfing phenom. GJS

Question and answer period:

1. Is Michelle Wie hot? Yes
2. Should she be playing PGA events? No
3. Does her playing put more people on the couch in front of their tv set? Definately. I watch her closely in the first couple rounds for 2 reasons. 1) To watch her get her a** whopped in an event she shouldn't be in, and, 2) Please refer to question #1. LOL

Well ... she did it again.

Two weeks in a row, Wie ended up dead last in a mens tournament.This week she was +14 after 36 holes at the 84 lumber classic, managing 1 birdie, 13 bogeys and 1 double bogey.

I think she has proven the point by now.

No ... a 16 year old long hitting "lady" CAN'T cut it on the mens tour. Not even in mens tournaments. And that's a "6 times in the top 5 in LPGA tournaments" player.

How many attempts so far? And how many cuts made?

It's fun to see her try, but not THAT much fun!

It's time for her to focus on the LPGA, and getting results from her TALENT not just her "brand".

__________________
//Mox
2008 bag:
Mizuno MX-500 460cc 10.5* Fujikura Tour Platform 26.3 stiff. (about to be replaced by MP-600 10,5* UST Proforce V2 stiff)
Mizuno F-50 3w 15* Fujikura Tour Platform 26.3 stiff.
Wilson Deep Red 5w 18* Graphalloy Fatshaft stiff
Cleveland HALO 3i hybrid 22* graphite regular
Mizuno MP-60e forged 5i-PW True Temper Dynamic gold R300 steel
Mizuno MP Black OX raw haze 50/6 GW, 54/9 SW, 58/10 LW
Heavy Putter B3-M
Titleist NXT Extreme

hi
i dont think she has a choice, think its her sponsers that make the choice for her and her family based on the money the sponsers pay out to her. she said it was her dad that changed her caddy and not her, and all she is doing just now is learning all she can. i agree she is not good enough yet but in a few years who knows, she may be learning more than we know by lossing against them men and leadbetter is her coach and he is changing her swing and changing a few things, give her another 2 years.
bill

Sure ... just make it 2 years playing Annika, Natalie and the other stars of the LPGA.

When she can dominate there, sure, she can play the men again.

Sorry but it's becoming a bit of a joke.

Michelle Wie is gonna get stressed by this with all the pressure from Nike and her dumb dad. Even David Leadbetter does not want her to play in these tournaments.
I can see it now. See will rebel from her parents, run away from home, and start dancing as a stripper in San Francisco. SHE WILL BECOME THE NEXT ASIA CARRERA!! Michelle Wie is gonna become a huge pornstar and her name will be Birdie Hole.
Asia Carrera, who is a member of MENSA (that is a club that flaunts members of high IQ's), was also a progidy to her parents and ran away from home, creeped into porn, and the rest is history. She performed in Cargenie Hall twice as a classical pianist when she was 15. TWICE!! Do you see a theme here?!
GO BIRDIE!!!

HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

Her dad is a ******!

Need we say more? I certainly hope Michelle has more sense than Asia. She may not have the IQ but I have my doubts that she'll end up with a similar fate. I certainly hope she does better.

Don't get me wrong, I feel very bad for MW. She's a superstar there's no doubt. But these hopeless men's event appearances are an embarrassment to the sport. That's all I've ever said.

Personally, I think that she has missed out on many opporutnities for playing on a team in high school and in college. The commraderie of playing with others towards the goal of winning a high school or college tournament is a wonderful experience. Especially in golf, where there are so few opportunities to do this. In addition, she has missed out on a possible great amateur career. To win the US amatuer, would have been something she would have cherished her whole life, and given her confidence and a more solid foundation from which to launch her pro career. But, I guess I am an advocate of the college athletic experience. I don't agree with but can almost understand the push in basketball to turn pro and get the money due to the injury factor. But in golf, this is really not much of consideration.

My only problem with MW entring these mens torny's is the application of it. Had she remained an ameturer, there would be no problems, she could have had a hundred sponsor exemptions and not affected anyone, still promoted golf, still brought in new fans, still had a great time, sponsors would be happy, and no male professional would have lost a spot or money. She probably should have took a que from Bobby Jones, who played for love of the game, he was already wealthy and didn't want to take money from practicing pro's. although not quite the same, this situation is similar, difference is, he backed it up, with his game. Maybe if she agreed not accept any prise money when in these events, but play for entertainment purposes, and get the PGA to maintain the same roster as normal, it would take the sting out it for everyone. Because like Bobby, I don't think she needs the money, her endorsments will cover her quite nicely.

hi
lets be quite sure what were talking about, its her sponsor that's having her play in the mens game so they get there clubs advertised, it was the same with tiger, he still uses a drive that he cant use well and is not aloud to use another brand, tiger to had been sponsored when very young and was made by time he turned pro as the deal with nike set him up for life, it just the same with michelle, she has to do as she is told, thats why she's paid so much, big phill was so diffrent in not taking a big sponsor and stayed a amature till he thought he was ready not someone who wanted to make money out him.
bill