At first it was publications like Golf Digest and the L.A. Times. Then it was golf commentators and people close to the sport. Now it’s Michelle’s own peers that are questioning her strange decisions. Yesterday, Michelle Wie failed yet again in her latest bid to make a cut on the PGA Tour, struggling to an eight-over-par 80 at the Reno-Tahoe Open. She is currently at #244 in the woman’s rankings.
Years of accepting invitations to PGA Tournaments and years of failing to make the cut is causing the chickens to come home to roost. Some of the biggest names in golf are now going public (as well as becoming more frequent) in their criticisms.
Sorenstam, who is chasing her 11th major and 73rd career title, said: “We all have different agendas in life but I really don’t know why Michelle continues to do this.”
“We have a major this week and, if you can’t qualify for a major, I don’t see any reason why you should play with the men.”
Swedish star Helen Alfredsson criticised the guidance Wie gets from her parents, who manage her.
The 43-year-old, fresh from winning the Evian Masters, said: “I feel sad for her and for the guidance that she seems not to have in the right direction.
“I think she’s a very good person but the exhibition time for her is over.”
American Paula Creamer, who has won three tournaments this season and seven in total, added: “I don’t know why you’d want to pass up playing in a major, especially the British Open here at Sunningdale.
“But [Wie] goes a different path and that’s not the path way that I’ve taken.”
Harsh, but making odd decisions over and over again invites these kinds of comments. Michelle continues to be defiant (and hard-headed):
“There are going to be criticisms entering this tournament,” said Wie.
“But at the same time I’m just doing what I feel like I want to do and it’s going to be a lot of fun.”
“People are going to write hateful stuff about me and that’s fine with me. Good rounds and low scores can solve everything.“
Good rounds and low scores can “solve everything?” That statement alone is telling by itself.
{ 31 comments… read them below or add one }
This sounds like another coordinated and insidious campaign of misinformation spread by the Japanese. And in cahoots with the US, naturally.
Don’t forget the brits… it was from the BBC after all, the mouth piece of those insidious islanders who have robbed, stolen and cheated half the world…;)
“Good rounds and low scores can solve everything.”
It ain’t Korea, sweetie. Merely talking big won’t get your opponents to bow down to you. Deliver the goods or get outta town.
She’s done obnoxious stuff, true enough.
But failing to make the cut in PGA events doesn’t mean she sucks, compared with some of these women who play in a ton more events and so are bound to win a couple.
Let’s be realistic about two things: 1) men’s events are way, way more difficult than women’s, and 2) there’s a lot of luck deciding events at this high level, and one can really increase one’s chances for wins with a packed schedule.
Wie isn’t building the good looking resume, not playing sports politics well. But she is a great athlete who seems to be getting better.
I wonder what the folks down at Samwon Garden in Apgujeong are saying about all of this?
If I remember correctly, her relatives own or manage that place, and they prominently advertise the fact on their restaurants brochures.
“People are going to write hateful stuff about me and that’s fine with me. Good rounds and low scores can solve everything.“
Well there will always be some criticism out there if you’re in the limelight, be it hateful or not, but everyone is waiting (have been for the last new years, actually) for these good rounds and low scores to materialize. If they do not, the hype, tournament invites, and future endorsement opportunities are going to be pretty bleak. (I suspect she is already in trouble with regard to future prospects.)
The girl’s got enormous potential, but has been the victim of terrible career planning/decision making. I think she needs to change management. In Wie’s cases, I guess that would mean firing her dad, BJ. Easier said than done, but it might be the only thing that salvages her career.
#4 and #5, Actually, it’s Grace Park’s father that owns that place, I believe.
Good night, get off the girl’s back. She’s 18. I imagine most of her critics, are twice her age. What was I doing when I was 18….hmmm. Trying to cop a feel or buy beer with a fake ID was the zenith of amibition for myself, and I imagine many other young folk…
As time passes, and she becomes more mature, she’ll either dump her family member managers or become more focused on realizable goals if she isn’t that successful over the next several years.
Can’t her family/managers encourage her to dominate the women’s majors and get a ton of experience at the same time, before tackling the men’s majors?
Why is it so important for her to do this when she’s so young and so obviously not ready?
“Good rounds and low scores can solve everything.” Looks like not a lot of either is happening if you’re ranked #244 in the LPGA.
they are just hating bc she’s making crazy money
Serious question here. Why is she even allowed to enter a PGA even? Isn’t that for men only? Could a guy participate in a LPGA tour event?
“Serious question here. Why is she even allowed to enter a PGA even? Isn’t that for men only?”
No, PGA Tour does not have any rules saying that only men can participate. Babe Didrikson Zaharias first played in a PGA event back in 1938, so this goes way back. Also, Annika Sorenstam and Suzy Whaley participated in PGA Tour events a year before Wie did.
“Could a guy participate in a LPGA tour event?”
No, LPGA has specific rules allowing only women.
As an aside, one controversy about LPGA is that it changed the wording of its rules in 1991 so that participants must be “female at birth,” which excludes male-to-female transgender golfers from its events. This is in conflict with most other major female golf leagues around the world, which allow transgener golfers. Even USGA allows transgender golfers to enter U.S. Women’s Open.
Who cares??? Everybody is pissed off with Wee….maybe it’s got something to do with her No.2 (caddy)
Could it be that some people are jealous of the fact that she can basically do whatever she wants with her career and still keep her sponsors?
“Good night, get off the girl’s back. She’s 18.”
Well, the main reason she made/makes all that money is because she’s so young. I think people get angry because she seems to feel no need to justify the investment made in her by all her sponsors. If she did, she would be trying to get into tournaments she has a chance of doing well in.
“Good night, get off the girl’s back.”
Sure… As soon as she gets out of our faces.
#9, they are not men’s majors. This was a men’s tournament lacking most of the big names and inviting her stirred interest.
If her sponsors want to retract their endorsements it is certainly within their legal perogative. That might, in fact, be the best way to throw a dose of reality into her decision making at this time. Not only is she not contending, she’s not even making it to the weekends in alot of these tournaments.
“I think people get angry because she seems to feel no need to justify the investment made in her by all her sponsors.”
She’s still photogenic, isn’t she? That’s as big a reason as her golfing skills that she got such major bucks in endorsements.
19, as long as she’s happy becoming the Anna Kournikova of golf and getting her money from sponsorship deals and photo shoots rather than tournament purses, more power to her
My disappointment falls on the PGA. They are denying entry to a guy who has worked his way into the tour. Michelle may be taking bad advice but what I see is a sense of entitlement. She has the typical “gotta get the cheese” Korean mentality. It is pitiful. Tiger is an asshole, but at least he has talent.
user 81: Photogenic? I dunno. She’s no Kournikova.
She’s no Kournikova…. but she’s about as cute as you want a golfer to be before it distracts people from her game.
But the only thing that’s distracting people from her game is her…
… awful game.
SKFK: Thanks for the explanation!
“Criticism of Michelle Wie Grows”
…along with my apathy…
@ #21
Taken from this article at ESPN
http://sports.espn.go.com/golf/columns/story?columnist=sobel_jason&id=3510676
“But she’s taking a spot in the field from someone who really deserves it!”
Here is the dirty little secret about sponsor’s invitations: This is exactly what they’re for — to give a chance to someone who isn’t already qualified. Every week, these spots are given to old favorites, local pros, feel-good stories or, yes, young players. There was no public outcry when fellow teens Tadd Fujikawa and Philip Francis, for example, received exemptions into this year’s Sony and John Deere tourneys, respectively.
Whatever, just let her play, especially if she brings in money. That’s what pro sports are all about these day right? It stopped being about “the game” a long time ago.
Astonishing how people have so much trouble minding their own business. It’s her life, and she can do with it what she wants.
Same goes for us posters, WJS.
‘sides, as soon as you step in the limelight to become a star — fat chance — you make your life public…
I hope this isn’t another Anna Kournikova syndrome.
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