Michelle Wie fails again: let the excuses rain!
I haven’t heard so many excuses since Bush tried to explain away the lack of weapons of mass destruction.
The sectional qualifier for the U.S. – MEN’S – Open that Michelle Wie predictably failed inevitably turned into an Olympics of excuses. “She’s so young…she’s only 16…there was too much pressure on her…she’s playing against some of the best in the world.”
Well, that’s the whole point, and it’s what I’ve been saying all along. Wie has enormous talent and potential, but her misguided effort to play with the men at this stage of her career is more marketing ploy than any noble pursuit to break any gender barriers…or whatever it is she’s trying to do.
But, as Wie herself said on the Golf Channel: “I want to do what I want to do.”
No matter that she hasn’t won against the women. No matter that she hasn’t earned the right to even try to compete against the men at this stage.
And no matter that it turns a sectional qualifier into a circus – what the hell did Jason Gore do? I couldn’t find out – and it cheapens the women’s game, which comes off looking like the minor leagues. There are better women players than Wie who don’t get a tenth of the publicity or a thousandth of the money.
I admired Annika Sorenstam for trying to compete against the men. She earned the right and she wanted to see where she stood against the best. She wanted to test herself.
The Wie warriors will make their predictable comments, their usual blather. “Hey, did you see all the media coverage…she ALMOST made it…this will only help her down the road…it’s good for the game…Hey, she did better than Morgan Pressel would have…” Ad nauseum.
And, of course, “hey, she’s only 16.”
The only winner Monday was Nike. You think all those Nike commercials on Monday were coincidence?
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83 comments
Who's making excuses, she tried and she didn't make it. Better than last year, but more work to do. Great try!
Regardless of how all naysayers and dimwits feel, MW aquitted her self well today. Sorry, Dim Tim, or blowhard Alex, she didn't humiliate herself as Tim wished.
As Paul W says, great try.
NEXT!
a) Wie is a very very good female golfer, perhaps someday will be great
b) She is the most hyped female golfer of all time
c) She couldn't get out of Regional qualifying against men, most of whom we've never heard of, nor will they ever even compete on the PGA tour.
d) Therefore, female (LPGA level) golfers are much much worse than PGA golfers
We all suspected that, but it validates all of the misogynist commentary out there. SHE ISN'T READY TO DO THIS. She isn't helping the cause, she's exacerbating the problem.
Tim...I know why you're so angry...you're an ugly middle-aged balding 20 handicapper who has nothing to share or give to the world except a great way to scare off Large animals such as bears (by showing them your face)
nothing to share or give to the world except a great way to scare off Large animals such as bears (by showing them your face)"
Is that his face? I thought he was mooning us all.
Don't worry about it. She'll be back. Tell you what: if she wins the LPGA championship, I'll proclaim her ready to go against the men, at least on the Nationwide.
Todd Commish--
Do you even know who played at the Sectional qualifer??
There were PGA tour pros and players from the Nationwide tour there as well as some of the best amateurs in the country.
There were dozens of former winners of majors, and winners of various tournaments on the PGA tour, Nationwide tour and local tournaments.
Check the list of players Michelle Wie played against--if you've never heard of any of them then you DEFINITELY do not follow golf.
That was why most did not think she would make it since the competition was going to be pretty tough.
She was close to being in a play off for the final spot until the last 4 holes in a 36 hole qualifier.
Did you see all the birdie putts she missed? If she could have made a few she could have easily qualified.
Most sane people should expect improvement not immediate success from a kid so young. She played vastly better this year than she did last year.
She actually had a legit chance to make it this year.
One question: Do travelgolf.com take turns on bashing Wie to promote the website? 2005: Baldwin, 2006: McDonald
You are barking up the wrong tree. Let MW pursue her dream. Someday we will read the news without much ado that she wins some or loses some at both men's and women's tours.
Should we be worried about you?
Alex knows Michelle's age right to the exact day. Is he like one of these weirdos who counted down the days until The Olsen Twins, or Lindsay Lohan or Hilary Duff turned 18 years old. Alex you really need to get a grip.
Others of us have the opinion that, while she is undoubtedly a talented golfer, the odd route she is taking to stardom has negative consequences, both for her and others.
These are opinions, freely expressed, which is what bloggers do. You are welcome to comment on them.
I don't understand why you persist with one of your particular lines:
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No matter that she hasn’t won against the women. No matter that she hasn’t earned the right to even try to compete against the men at this stage.
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Tim, perhaps I may suggest that you save this mantra for when she is given more sponsors exemptions to pga events.
In this case she QUALIFIED like everyone else in the field.
So she has earned the right to compete out there.
You should save that argument for sponsors exemptions where you may have a leg to stand on, but using it in this case you just sound very ignorant of the facts.
As regards her performance, it was excellent. I stated many times on these blogs that I did not expect her to qualify, and she did get alot closer than I gave her credit for.
Most times she plays, she really surprised me. This was no exception. She was truly excellent, and her progress is really coming on at a rate I did not predict.
You discussed people making excuses. I am not making any excuses, because no excuses are necessary.
She qualified for Sectional, which was an improvement, and an achievement as the first woman to ever do so.
Then, at Sectional, she performed very credible, and was tied for 58th among the field of 153, of which 136 were full time professional.
4 dozen from the pga tour, many more from the Nationwide Tour, and many top class local pros, many former pga card holders.
No excuses, because no excuses are needed. She turned up. She performed very well and did herself proud.
You write "No matter that she hasn’t earned the right to even try to compete against the men at this stage.". But she has. She won the tournament that got her into the sectional. That's called earning the right.
Now if you want to write that she shouldn't take exemptions -- though since the LPGA won't let her be a member that's not so simple -- do so. But your bias is showing. She's played *two* professional women's tournaments in 2006, and placed third in each of them for a total of $181,449. If she were in the LPGA, she would be 22nd on the money list. If there is a better player who gets a thousandth of the money, name her.
Women golfers better than Wie could be doing the same thing she is. They aren't because of various reasons. They aren't publicity hounds, for one, and they probably aren't being pushed by pushy fathers and corporate sponsors, which Wie almost certainly is.
Greg makes my point: she played two professional women's tournaments in 2006 and palced third in each. I would hardly call that dominating. If she'd won both, it would be a different matter.
But, hey -- she's only 16!
"Equitable treatment of players by the media"????
Is there a sports figure today who's been fawned over by the media more than Wie? Good lord, did you watch the Golf Channel Monday? They did everything but reccommend her for sainthood. The intense media coverage is responsible for that multi-million-dollar endorsement deal.
Your veiled inferences to racism are getting tiresome, as are your blogs and out-of-context comments. You're a classic Wie warrior -- somebody dares question your dream-girl, you throw up smoke and mirrors, which by the way you should take pains to avoid.
Women golfers better than Wie could be doing the same thing she is.
**********************
No they could not. Michelle is definetely the best female player on a mens style course.
Annika is a better lpga player than Wie on those lpga courses, but Wie is far better on pga style courses.
That is just my opinion, but I firmly believe it.
Of course Annika or others could give it a go, and give us a definete answer. However I think they know that they aren't as good as Wie there so they won't bother trying.
Biggest. A**hole. In Golf.
You hurt the game. Please stop.
I am waiting for MW to start to play full-time on the LPGA tour. Does she have the ability to compete week in and week out? Time will tell.
*Andy Bare #3 in 2006 earnings on the Tarheel Tour
*Andrew Svoboda best finish semi-finalist at British Amateur 2004
*Brad Fritsch #785 in the World Golf Rankings, #15 in Canada with 9 career top 10 finishes on the Canadian Tour (2002-present)
Tyler Hall #1001 in the World Golf Rankings $0 career earnings on the PGA Tour
Travis Williams 1 career top 10 finish on the Canadian Tour
Eli Zackheim #1249 in the World Golf Rankings one top 25 finish on the Asian Tour
Brian Lamberti Won 1999 United States Golf Teachers Cup
Brennan Webb #1146 in the World Golf Rankings and winner of $1,268 on the Canadian Tour this year.
Daniel Augustine caddie at Naples National Golf Club and Oakland Hills Country Club
Scott Hawley #1209 in the World Golf Rankings with career winnings on the Canadian Tour of under $35k from 2003-present and 1 top 10 finish
* Qualified of 2006 U.S. Open Championship
Do you even know who played at the Sectional qualifer??
There were PGA tour pros and players from the Nationwide tour there as well as some of the best amateurs in the country.
There were dozens of former winners of majors, and winners of various tournaments on the PGA tour, Nationwide tour and local tournaments."
Ha, I knew if I put bait in the trap, some schlemiel would come by and snap at it. Here's a list of the juggernauts that qualified:
Brett Quigley, Greg Kraft, Mark Brooks, Tom Pernice. Those are the well-known guys.
Kent Jones, Kevin Stadler, Michael Harris, JJ Henry, Rob Johnson, Andy Bare, John Mallinger, Nicholas Thompson, Andrew Svoboda, Chris Nallen, David Oh, Phil Tataurangi, Scott Hend, Brad Fritsch. Wow! Quite the list of notables!
She ended up tied at 143 with Michael Martin, Michael Rinker, Mike Sposa, Remi Bouchard, Stephen Sokol, and two amateurs Carlton Forrester and George Zahringer.
Like I said, we haven't heard of most of these guys before.
Will she eventually qualify? Sure. But I repeat, "Overhyped".
Generally speaking, I agree that Bubbles is the best female on a PGA layout. However, Canoe Brook was no such thing. The South Course was only 6600 yards -- women's tour distance. Thus, I suspect that Sorenstam would have stood a good chance of doing a bit better than the illustrious Bubbles.
1) By saying Wie should not attempt to qualify is like saying the 50+ ranked player should never bother entering a tournament since he cannot win. BS! Why have competitions? It is the mere fact of anticipation that makes sports tick. Besides, you get better by playing the best.
2) Wie will raise the womens tour to new heights ... when they let her in. Fact! Lets be honest, who would you rather watch .. boring, stone faced Annika or butty -licious watch me drive with the big stick Wie. She is entertaining an nice to look at. Above all she's got game. No explanations necessary... don't believe the loosers. If you can't see that fire your shrink, she is robbing you! If you don't have one, get one before you lose it all.
3) She is banking right now! .... those with beatle brains .. ahem!.. and I am not saying John D, Alex and Brian J, cannot get it that financial aspect of it. She won't need to go to the malls or night clubs like you commanded her to, coz she'll own them!
4) Why can't the nay sayers get it in their heads that she is only now beginning her career?? She has been in school! The Anikas and Webbs are like old Aunts to her with mileage. She's a new corvette breaking in the engine.
5) Lastly, Tim McDonald have you been cheating and eating burgers at "Burger King"? It can get you all twisted you know...
Todd your placing bets that she will eventually qualify and make history, yet you call MW "overhyped". And please don't make a living telling up n'coming golfers that they are nobodies, I'm sure they won't appreciate it, just like the bunch of nobodies at the SK telecom. Its not good for making friends.
Judge Smails says, "The South Course was only 6600 yards -- women's tour distance. Thus, I suspect that Sorenstam would have stood a good chance of doing a bit better than the illustrious Bubbles." Judge you can suspect all you want but Annika did not step-up to the plate, michelle did.
Timmy "Old McDonald" - nobody is making excuses for MW, not even MW. Its you morons in the media taking snippets from comments and pasting them together to promote your agenda.
She simply wants to grow, learn, compete and win against the best golfers in the world man or woman. Any other conclusion, thought or suspicion is "overhyped".
Who wants to bet who will finish higher this week?
If Michelle will ever be a factor on any professional field of play she has to make putts at a rate of ninety-five percent inside of five feet, sevety-five percent of her putts inside of ten feet and fifty percent inside of fifteen feet. Outside of fifteen feet she just needs to play for two and sometimes get lucky. She alignes her putts well, but does not have the right speed to finish the putt off.
When she can produce numbers like those above she will not only qualify for Opens or PGA events she will also do very well in the process.
If nobody had shown up yesterday, nothing would have changed. She didn't ask for all the coverage. She can't control what the press does and doesn't do.
And LOL about wondering where are the excuses are. What excuses do Wie fans need? She played well, well enough to be in with a chance of qualifying until the final nine holes. I went on record a couple of weeks ago saying she would miss the cut by 4 or 5 strokes. For a while there I thought I was going to be wrong but, as it turned out, I was correct.
But, just like the other 135 players who missed the cut, there's always next year, and that's exactly how she's dealing with it. I think you sorely misunderestimate Wie's maturity and drive regarding the chasing of her dream. No doubt she was disappointed in not making the cut yesterday but, come Thursday, she will no doubt be on the leaderboard again.
BTW: Your complaint about not being able to find out where Gore finished because of all the Wie obsession is nonsense. If anything, the Golf Channel covered all the sectionals in more detail than they have done in the past. At the very least, it was no harder to find out about other golfers than in previous yeats.
"If Michelle will ever be a factor on any professional field of play she has to make putts at a rate of ninety-five percent inside of five feet, sevety-five percent of her putts inside of ten feet and fifty percent inside of fifteen feet. Outside of fifteen feet she just needs to play for two and sometimes get lucky. She alignes her putts well, but does not have the right speed to finish the putt off."
One-Putt,
Those stats would make her the greatest putter in the game. The average tour pro makes about 65% of 5 footers,
30% of 10 footers, and about 18% of 15 footers.
Michelle Wie is NOT one of the 150 best golfers in the world.
Both things can be true.
Michelle Wie WANTS to play against men on the PGA Tour.
Michelle Wie isn't ready to compete effectively against men on the PGA Tour (but probably could against the Nike/Hooters/Futures tour).
Nike/Rolex WANT Michelle Wie to continue to try to qualify to play against men on the PGA Tour.
Michelle Wie is a nice kid.
The movers behind her consider her a "cash cow" and likely don't have her best interests (outside of money) at heart.
All these things can be true. And probably are.
Really... who cares what you proclaim! She doesn't care and neither do I.
I hope some little girl stomps on your foot the next time you come out from your little cubby "I repent" hole!
How did you find out about my hole?
>>>to go bask to the Amateur Ranks.
***I THINK***
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Personally, I don't believe you ever do
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...she won there, but it has been so long ago, >>>>I can't remember.
...to go bask to the Amateur Ranks.
***I THINK***
---
Personally, I don't believe you ever do
---
(And what the heck is a bask?)
...she won there, but it has been so long ago, ***I can't remember.**** Alzheimers already? You poor sod!
06/06/06 @ 21:23
John D, between you, Alex and Judge Smails, you all share an IQ about the same as Alex's hat size,which is about a 6, so you each get an IQ of 2. Oh wait, I did say share didn't I? Ok, you've been upgraded to a size 6 IQ. Way to go fellas.
Ok, Alex, let your Touretes syndrome lose now.
I decided to put it all together in one post makes a much tidier desk this way.
No excuses. The kid lost her bid to get into the 2006 US Open.
See you next year.
In the meantime, could you learn how to critique professional golfing in golfing terms. Ask your friends from the highest levels of the professional golfing industry to help you.
See you next year at the qualifiers!
****
Others of us have the opinion that, while she is undoubtedly a talented golfer, the odd route she is taking to stardom has negative consequences, both for her and others.
****
How is this route having a negative effect on her? She has close to $25 million dollars in the bank, star-power, and celebrity-status... NOT TO MENTION THAT SHE IS DOING MUCH BETTER ON THE LPGA THAN PAULA AND MORGAN WHO TOOK THE "POSITIVE" ROUTE
Seriously...GET A GRIP! Michelle has two top 3's this season from 2 events. And she now has 6 top 3's in the last 9 LPGA events she has played. MUCH MORE CONSISTANT AND BETTER THAN PRESSEL, CREAMER, MIYAZATO, KIM or THE OTHER YOUNG SHOTS ON THE LPGA
One-Putt Wrote
"If Michelle will ever be a factor on any professional field of play she has to make putts at a rate of ninety-five percent inside of five feet, sevety-five percent of her putts inside of ten feet and fifty percent inside of fifteen feet. Outside of fifteen feet she just needs to play for two and sometimes get lucky. She alignes her putts well, but does not have the right speed to finish the putt off."
One-Putt,
Those stats would make her the greatest putter in the game. The average tour pro makes about 65% of 5 footers,
30% of 10 footers, and about 18% of 15 footers.
Actually the average professional stats from 10 to 15 feet is 40 percent, with amateur 12-18 handicappers making 24 percent on the average inside of ten feet. Once a higher handicapper moves beyond ten feet they are in the 10 percent range.
The difference comes down to what it takes to WIN on any tour that counts. The averages I quoted are for the top of the curve (Winners). If Michelle wants to become the best female golfer and have even a chance to win on the PGA tour these are the type of averages she will need to produce.
SHe is obviously consistant and a threat to every event she enters (especially majors) unlike some other young lpga stars (who talk a big game) that we know of...
There is a difference between making a certain percentage of putts INSIDE 5 feet and making a certain percentage of 5 foot putts. Obviously the former number should be larger.
Michelle Wie is much better than 50% INSIDE 15 feet right now--but I assume ONE PUTT means 50% inside 15 feet but outside 10 feet--just as I assume he means 75% inside 10 feet but outside 5 feet.
"Bo McDowell, I'll admit that when I first read your post , I was somewhat perplexed. Then I came to understand what brought on your epiphany. Just as Winston Smith learned to love Big Brother, you have learned to love Big Wiesy. And you realized the fact that you and I and the rest of the peasants simply were not born with the natural talent, charisma, and star potential as Bubbles. Thank you for your keen insight, I feel much better now. Let me see if I've got the equation correct. Michelle Wie is to golf as Madonna is to real singing. Sounds about right."
Alex, LOL.
Jim COULTHard, What I think they both mean is that Bubbles has got to make MORE PUTTS."
You got the point Alex; Michelle will never have a remote chance of winning on the PGA tour unless she becomes a six-sigma grand master of the flat stick.
She can win on the ladies tour now with the right breaks, but never on the men's tour. The level of putting is so much higher for men who win on tour. She will make some men's cuts, but winning is out of the question.
The good news for Michelle is Alex, she has many more golfing years left to torture you and Timmy.
Wie doubters are villified on this site, but the anger on these boards does not come from the Wie skeptics it comes from her fans, who are in a rage anytime somebody mentions Michelle's win total.
"Just win baby" We all know she has had the amazing talent and skills to win on the LPGA tour for a number of years. Each time she fails, the weight get a bit heavier and the critics get a little louder and even her fans grow a little wearier. This week it was the putter, next week at the LPGA Championship it will be the easier setup of the course that threw her off, or the length, or the wind, whatever, it's time to ditch the excuses and face facts. Girl just does not have IT! Maybe she can buy it with all her endorsement money.
She will win soon. You will soon see Nike commercial.
Chris are hardly objective and can barely be called writers. http://sports.espn.go.com/golf/columns/story?columnist=sirak_ron&id=2473079&campaign=rss&source=GOLFHeadlines
Perhaps you haven't visited Nike.com to see Michelle's picture that is now appearing overseas in print ads. Nike and Sony have images of Michelle with their logo/name published or broadcast around the world each time she plays a match. The Golf Channel will be following her play for nine holes today.
There are different types of stories in journalism: straight news, which is always objective, features, which may or may not have a point of view, and OPINION pieces, which include columns and blogs.
WHAT is so hard to understand about that? This is what happens when you have people who know nothing about journalism offering their ignorant comments.
Expressing one's opinion, positive or negative, does not necessarily presume a bias.
It is an opinion, one which you may freely respond to. You may think my opinion is idiotic -- gee, that's never happened before -- but to say you think that "you and others here are idiots for the the way you write about her" does, I'm afraid, show a fundamental misunderstanding of the basic tenets of free speech and journalistic practice.
What she's being measured by, or should be measured by, is her golfing ability as compared to the people she is competing against. And as such, she appears to have failed. I think the critics aren't so much annoyed at her entering the competition as they are with the ridiculous "Wie Warriors" and hype. It's ironic that those that are pushing so heavily for Wie are probably the ones making it the most difficult for her. If there was no media hype, she'd probably have a shot at playing a bit better. Of course, without the media hype, she wouldn't earn a 10th of what she probably has made already, but at some point you have to place certain things above money.
Serp, your criticisms of these "Wie Warriors" can also be directed at Wie detractors such as yourself. Why the hell to you care if so many people like Michelle Wie? What's it to you? You detractors keep missing the point--that Michelle Wie being a 16 year old girl being able to go up against men IS relevent to the argument. The fact that you cannot grasp the significance of this is mindboggling and suggests that you and Chrissy Balwin and all the other detractors have some kind of deep seated problem with her.
You Dimwitted Detractors are the biggest bunch of whiney crybabies ever, being jealous and spiteful of the attention that a sixteen year old girl is getting. You're pathetic.
You're right!
Why do we care about sports at all? Those guys and gals making all the $$$ aren't going to share it with us and we'll never be invited to their private championship celebrations. Let's stop going to the movies, too. Tom Hanks and AJ aren't going to help us in our careers.
As a matter of fact I'm moving into a cave with my woman and my dog.
Well folks, there you have it. I guess we know who is running the ship after all. Just as many of us suspected, BJ is controlling his daughter's career from where she plays, to who can and can't read putts for her and everything in-between. Makes you wonder whose dreams she is pursuing.
It was also inteesting to note that she seemed to have no idea that the Hawaii sectional only had 10-15 golfers playing in it. She actually asked for a do-over and wished she could have come out of that sectional. I'm beginning to think that there are darker forces controlling her career and perhaps they have not done what is best for her up to this point.
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