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Michelle Wie's first round 82 at U.S. Women's Open begs question: Why did she decide to play?

Thursday June 28, 2007 | 13:42:12 282 words, 6191 views
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Michelle Wie shot an 11-over 82 in the first round of the U.S. Women’s Open today. The good news is she’s still breaking 90.

Seriously, if Wie is at Pine Needles to continue her education as a pro - one that she all but completely missed out in her first five plus years in pro golf events - good for her. This 17-year-old showed her first sign of some guts back at the LPGA Championship, battling around the course even though her swing was shaky and her confidence shakier. If that’s what this U.S. Women’s Open week is about to Team Wie, learning how to grind like any other player who doesn’t have close to enough game to even think of winning, there’s something admirable in it.

If that’s the case though, we need to stop hearing about the wrist injury or how close she is to turning it around. There is no reason for Wie to play if she’s truly hurt and you are fool if you think Team Wie would ever let her swing if that was a real issue.

Wie just needs to let the world know why she’s here, how she’s gotten over herself and faced reality.

Michelle Wie is starting over, 82s and all. Who knows if she’ll ever get back to what she once was, let alone ever come within three solar systems of what the marketing magicians wanted you to believe she was.

Remember for Brandon Tucker’s live reporting from the U.S. Women’s Open, stay tuned to the front of WorldGolf.com and his blog. I’ll be interested to hear if Wie used her driver in this round once. The club clearly frightens her right now.


Comments:

Comment from: ToddCommish [Visitor] Email
It's a shame her parents and the corporate sponsors didn't allow her to develop along the tried and true path to greatness, instead choosing the quick and easy path to stardom. Being a star is quite different from being great. Paris Hilton is a star.
Permalink 2007-06-28 @ 13:56
Comment from: Art [Visitor] Email
Even though I would rather sleep with Wie than Paris., the constant excuses would kill me.
Bubble's is done, but Hugh Hefner will make her an offer as he does all celebs.
Permalink 2007-06-28 @ 14:26
Comment from: kampfy [Visitor] Email
Amazing article and full of rich insight. I think there is much to gain by finally allowing her to say what's going on in her head and in her family.

If we are relating her stardom to Paris Hilton, wow. That's sort of scary because Paris begs for attention, Wie gets it simply by just being with the spin doctors. I bet right now, people would just leave her alone. Instead of Hilton, how about a comparison to Capriati.
Permalink 2007-06-28 @ 14:41
Comment from: Art [Visitor] Email
Even though I would rather sleep with Wie than Paris., the constant excuses would kill me.
Bubble's is done, but Hugh Hefner will make her an offer as he does all celebs.
Permalink 2007-06-28 @ 14:44
Comment from: Judge Smails [Visitor] Email
I agree, Mr. Baldwin. Please, though, work on your punctuation. You are a professional writer, right?
Permalink 2007-06-28 @ 14:49
Comment from: ray [Visitor] Email
Really Chris the whole Wie thing is getting old. She just out and out sucks at this point in time. She's irrelevant really in todays world of professional golf.
Permalink 2007-06-28 @ 18:01
Comment from: Stanley [Visitor] Email
My take on it is she didn't play golf for a period of time that she wasn't used to that much time out of the game. She came back from her injured wrist with a bit of pain thinking it would all be easy.

She found it harder to get her swing in order than she thought she would. That didn't help by the fact that her team first sent her to the Ginn Tribute which was full of marsh and basically many unplayable areas. Then onto a fairly hard course at the lpga championship.
Then onto a very hard US Open course, where she knew she would be in trouble if she missed many fairways. If she was nervous about her tee shots, and then she is sent onto a course like the US Open, where missing tee shots into rough is severely punished, that is not the ideal way to build confidence.

The lgpa tour has many easy courses, where the rough is like bum fluff. Why not have had her debut at one of those, where if she drove it poorly it wouldn't matter that much because the rough isn't that bad. That would have meant less pressure to hit the fairway because missing it wouldn't mean a big punishment.
With less pressure to hit the fairways, she would be likely to hit more fairways because it wouldn't be such a worry to hit them.

As she would hit more fairways she would gain more confidence in her teeing off. So basically they should put her on one of those easier lpga courses where the winning scores are often about -20, not the US Open where even par or +2 might win the thing.
Permalink 2007-06-28 @ 18:03
Comment from: Alex [Visitor] Email
Judge Smails,

You've got to give Stanley credit.

Only a Wiebot of the first magnitude could come up with a post so full of Wie apologetics.

He'd prefer if Bubbles were allowed to play only on easy courses, similar to a 4800 yard par three layout.

She might be able to contend on such a course.

Stanley, as my departed Aunt Anna used to say, "You're a stitch!"

Erin Go Bragh!
Permalink 2007-06-28 @ 18:13
Comment from: Tommy [Visitor] Email
Stanley

She hasn't broken par in a tournament since July '06. Somehow you're equating all of her problems to her time-off due to the wrist injury. Her problems started before that--any explanation?
Permalink 2007-06-28 @ 18:26
Comment from: Lance R [Visitor] Email
Stanley,

I am sure that there are many putt-putt courses in the area where Wie lives that she could play on. She would not have to worry about fairways and greens, and she could work on her biggest weakness, the dreaded short game.

I guess though that some of the creative holes where she may have to put the ball hard may be a bit hard on her wrist.

LR
Permalink 2007-06-28 @ 18:33
Comment from: Joe R [Visitor] Email
Stanley,

Do you know anything about golf and what planet do you live on?

Chris,

Good story but you are wrong if you think she is facing reality. Did you listen to her post round interview? No where near reality. She actually it was a very thin margin between shooting 69 instead of the 82 she shot today.

Getting real, I do not think so

Permalink 2007-06-28 @ 19:04
Comment from: putt4par [Visitor] Email
Comment from: Alex [Visitor]
Stanley, as my departed Aunt Anna used to say, "You're a stitch!"

Erin Go Bragh!


bis pueri senes!
Permalink 2007-06-28 @ 19:27
Comment from: Art [Visitor] Email
Comment from Stanley:
If she was nervous about her tee shots, and then she is sent onto a course like the US Open, where missing tee shots into rough is severely punished, that is not the ideal way to build confidence.

If thats not the way to build confidence why were all the wiebots so eagar to see her take a dump against the Men. Now you are all thinking like her. Making no sense
Permalink 2007-06-28 @ 20:27
Comment from: Lance R. [Visitor] Email
Ohh no,

It looks like like someone let Putt4par out of his padded cell. I guess he must have finally quit speaking of sand boxes and playing with himself. Remember Putt4par, even though you were not bright enough to answer my question directly posed to you earlier, the answer was "E".
Permalink 2007-06-28 @ 21:13
Comment from: Limp Wrist [Visitor] Email
"It's shocking because I know I can play better than this. But there's a fine line between shooting 69 and what I shot today."

It's the difference between a champion and a chump.

Permalink 2007-06-28 @ 21:21
Comment from: Lance R. [Visitor] Email
One of the "fine lines" between shooting a 59 and an 81 is hitting a large percentage of fairways. Bubbles only hit 4 fairways today. That considered, she really did not do all that bad.
Permalink 2007-06-28 @ 21:41
Comment from: putt4par [Visitor] Email
Comment from: Lance R. [Visitor
Remember Putt4par, even though you were not bright enough to answer my question directly posed to you earlier, the answer was "E".

and the answer is:
parva leves capiunt animas
Permalink 2007-06-28 @ 22:59
Comment from: Joe Cool [Visitor] Email
"It is a very fine line between shooting a 68 to a 82" What planet is this girl from?? Evidently she had to really "scramble" to shoot the 82. Tomorrow, if they get to play, the course will be playing even longer due to the weather. Now that she is aware of the consequences of shooting an 88, tomorrow should be interesting.
Permalink 2007-06-29 @ 00:07
Comment from: Judge Smails [Visitor] Email
Alex,

Yes, Stan the Man sticks to the plan. He'd be a good spokesman for the Democratic National Committee.
Permalink 2007-06-29 @ 00:38
Comment from: One-Putt [Visitor] Email
Gary Gilchrist is out of a job so maybe the Wie's will shed themselves of Leadbetter and let her work with the coach she had the most success with.

Leadbetter took a Mona Lisa swing and single handily ruined a masterpiece.


Permalink 2007-06-29 @ 07:02
Comment from: Blazer [Visitor] Email
Joe Cool,

I don't think the rule of 88 applies to
the US Open as it's a USGA event, not a
LPGA event.
Permalink 2007-06-29 @ 15:02
Comment from: Alex [Visitor] Email
Lance & Judge,

It looks like putt4pat is back from intense therapy and is on a Latin kick. He wants to demonstrate that he learned something useful in those notoriously poor Canuck schools.

Maybe he should send a Latin letter to Bubbles and the Wie team concerning their all-consuming greed. Perhaps it should read thus:

"Pecunia est principia omnis male."
Permalink 2007-06-29 @ 17:51
Comment from: Paul [Visitor] Email
Someone found himself another playmate!
Permalink 2007-06-29 @ 19:35
Comment from: Joe Cool [Visitor] Email
Thanks Blazer...that fact slipped my mind. MW says that her wrist is a-okay, however, after watching her extreme deceleration out of the rough and hitting the ball about 30 yards makes one wonder. Perhaps the weather will give her a slight edge against the field in order to make the cut. The next two days does not look good in that area.
Permalink 2007-06-29 @ 21:53
Comment from: Joe Cool [Visitor] Email
Thanks Blazer...that fact slipped my mind. MW says that her wrist is a-okay, however, after watching her extreme deceleration out of the rough and hitting the ball about 30 yards makes one wonder. Perhaps the weather will give her a slight edge against the field in order to make the cut. The next two days does not look good in that area.
Permalink 2007-06-29 @ 21:55
Comment from: Joe Cool [Visitor] Email
Thanks Blazer...that fact slipped my mind. MW says that her wrist is a-okay, however, after watching her extreme deceleration out of the rough and hitting the ball about 30 yards makes one wonder. Perhaps the weather will give her a slight edge against the field in order to make the cut. The next two days does not look good in that area.
Permalink 2007-06-29 @ 21:55
Comment from: Blazer [Visitor] Email
NP JC. Looks like Wie has withdrawn from another event. This is getting to be an embarrassing habit of hers.
Permalink 2007-06-30 @ 11:48
Comment from: Alex [Visitor] Email
Blazer,

Her game was getting close and she was going to mount a remarkable rally, but heat exhaustion kicked in.
She was only ten strokes from the cut line and 21 out of the lead. so Obviously she would have been in contention if not for the WD.

Just as Stanley said, she'll really boom out at the Evian and the British.

GO MICHELLE!
Permalink 2007-06-30 @ 12:01
Comment from: putt4par [Visitor] Email
Comment from: Alex [Visitor]
Lance & Judge,

He wants to demonstrate that he learned something useful in those notoriously poor Canuck schools.


==================================
I know, it is very sad, Alex. We had such a good educational system here in no mans land and then the powers that be decided to use the American standard of education and all things educational went to hell.

Very sad indeed.
Permalink 2007-06-30 @ 12:05
Comment from: Joe Cool [Visitor] Email
You KNOW MW parents will make her play at the Evian and the British Open at St.Andrews. Her wrist will be very happy hitting off the hard pan at St. Andrews. The only thing she learned from Tiger was staying positive no matter what. The "fine line between shooting a 68 and a 82" did it for me!
Permalink 2007-07-01 @ 11:24
Comment from: Alex [Visitor] Email
Attention all Wie Warriors,

It is my opinion that the debate over Bubbles' now flamed-out career be put on hold for the foreseeable future.

I admit that I've had a lot of enjoyment out of the verbal sparring with guys like putt4par, One-Putt, Stanley, Norman, Jim C, and the erstwhile Ghet Rheel.

But there isn't anything humorous anymore about the Bubbles debacle. A somber melancholia has settled over the camp of the Wiebots, as well it should.

None of the grandiose predictions assigned to Bubbles have come to pass, not are any likely to happen. I see no point in rubbing salt in the numerous wounds suffered by the Wie-wee's.

Teenage girls are perhaps the most fragile persons extant as far as psychology is concerned. Bubbles has been subjected to far more embarrassment than any adolescent female shoul have to endure.

So as of this moment, I fill confine my reminiscence of the Bubbles saga to re-reading the postings on this blog by the afgorementioned crew of Wiemen, as well as some females like Candace Polski and Patricia.

I will only reply if and when some of the more rabid Wie Warriors, after licking their wounds and regrouping, resume posting of their fantasies concerning Bubbles.

Alex
Permalink 2007-07-02 @ 08:31
Comment from: putt4par [Visitor] Email
Alex, thats the best laugh I've had in weeks.

Yeah, your a stitch alright, roflmao...
Permalink 2007-07-03 @ 09:22
Comment from: Alex [Visitor] Email
putt4par,

"All right" is two separate words.

The schools in Canuckistan probably don't teach that.

Also, "that's," as you can see, contains an apostrophe, as does "you're."

putt-putt, we all make mistakes from time to time, but you are abusing the privilege.

Enjoy your laugh. You haven't had much about which to laugh of late.

Then again, you'd probably laugh if you witnessed a school bus getting struck by a freight train.
Permalink 2007-07-03 @ 09:36
Comment from: putt4par [Visitor] Email
Comment from: Alex [Visitor]

"Then again, you'd probably laugh if you witnessed a school bus getting struck by a freight train."

Now that's pretty warped even for someone as twisted as you, Alex.

You have a very nasty mean streak, don't you old man?

Permalink 2007-07-03 @ 11:24
Comment from: Bill [Visitor]
It is amazing that a bunch of "never beens" can downgrade the accomplishments of Capriati, Kournicova and Wie.The latest thing for this group is to call Danica the next Anna K. A lot of talented athletes never reached #1, world champion or win the Indy 500. While your ripping on them, think about what you have ever accomplished, except being stupid.If Wie never plays again, she surpassed what your sorry ass has done.
Permalink 2007-07-07 @ 19:55
Comment from: Art [Visitor] Email
Hey Bill or whatever you wish to call yourself. I know what I would like to call you. Whatever we do or whatever we have done is irrelevant to the shame and mockerey She has brought upon the Korean Honer
Permalink 2007-07-11 @ 22:02

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