Chris Baldwin lives for the polemic, so it is not unexpected to find him bashing Michelle Wie for the quintillionth time this season. Jennifer Mario takes a more sanguine, logical approach to young Miss Wie, and is a truer if less dramatic read. Both of these fine blogosphere residents recognize that the yardstick by which Michelle Wie is currently measured is none other than the Pink Panther, Miss Paula Creamer. Baldwin claims that Creamer will always be better than Wie, by virtue of the former’s two wins during her maiden LPGA season. He also subscribes to the theory that Creamer knows how to win, having played against and defeated players her own age. If that were the only meter, then Morgan Pressel would be a thumb-and-forefinger LOSER, as she failed to win the USGA Junior, just weeks after nearly winning the Open. Mario goes the other way, ranking Wie a scootch (Danish measuring device) ahead of Creamer at this stage. Who’s correct? I am, dammit! Here is my MMD (Major Measuring Device) for 2005, pitting Wie versus Creamer, when it counts.

Kraft Nabisco (almost called it Dinah Shore): Wie T14 at 288, Creamer T19 at 290 (Wie +2)
LPGA Championship: Wie 2 at 280, Creamer T3 at 282 (Wie +2)
US Open: Creamer T19 at 294, Wie T23 at 296 (Creamer +2)
British Open: Wie T3 at 278, Creamer T16 at 282 (Wie +4)

Why just the majors? Do you honestly think that Tiger cares if Vijay or anyone else defeats him in the Buick/Honda/Nestle/AT&T/Nissan/ Edsel/Philco/Johnson&Johnson Open Classic Invitational? The answer is no. For the same reason, we should not care if Creamer has two wins in regular LPGA events. As such, it is clear that the better of the two ladies for 2005 (and only 2005, oh Bald Eagle) is the delightful Miss Wie, by six strokes (or less than 1/2 a stroke per round over 16 rounds) over Miss Creamer.

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