Michelle Wie Is the Next Jennifer Capriati -- and That's Not All Bad

Teenage golf phenom Michelle Wie has dropped out of another tournament, and the way she's been playing lately, it's looking like her career peaked around the age of 15.

Wie has been compared, by several sports writers, to the tennis player Jennifer Capriati. Both Wie and Capriati became great players at a shockingly early age, and then both Wie and Capriati looked by the time they got to their late teens like their skills had eroded and they no longer wanted to play. My colleague Ryan Wilson noted another similarity between Wie and Capriati, that they have both been managed by their fathers.

I see the similarity between Wie and Capriati, and in many respects I agree with the comparison. But there's one important thing we should remember about Capriati: She had a great second half of her career.

All those stories about how horrible Capriati's father had been and how no one could possibly grow up to be well-adjusted after being pushed into professional sports as a 13-year-old began to look rather silly in 2001, when Capriatti, then 24, won the first of her three career Grand Slams. A few years after every sports writer in the country had declared that being pushed into tennis had ruined her young life, Capriati conducted herself both on and off the tennis court like a smart, charming, well-adjusted woman.

I have a feeling it's going to be the same way with Michelle Wie. Right now she's going through a rough patch in her career, and it would be easy to conclude that she never should have been playing professional golf as a teenager. And maybe that conclusion is correct. But it would be wrong to conclude that her career won't have a second act. There are many worse things than having a career like Capriati.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

6-22-2007 @ 10:47AM

Bella Reid said...

This was so predictable. I feel sorry for the child, but the parents created a money machine, but at a very price.

6-22-2007 @ 10:45AM

rufus said...

agrree but hope not really.

6-22-2007 @ 7:00PM

Steve Neuenschwander said...

As an American, growing up here, I can appreciate the bad press everyone wants to give Michelle Wie and her parents. Spending 11 years in Korea and having Korean inlaws, I know the culture, customs, and demeanor of that country. This has more to do about love and perpetuating the talent of a child than it does about money. Koreans always have an instinct on how to turn staw into gold. That is just a given. While I personally, think they should have used an Earl Woods model to develop another Tiger, eventually, Michelle will blossom into what the world already expects.

6-22-2007 @ 9:50PM

Art said...

Bubbles will not ever come back and play great golf. The difference is golf is more mental. Tennis is based on physical instint. In golf the mental aspect can kill you as it has in Bubbles case

6-22-2007 @ 9:09PM

verily said...

Michelle Wie and Jennifer Capriati have very little in common. Jennifer Capriati dropped out of school and did drugs. Michelle Wie, since she is pro already and can't play golf for Stanford, got into that prestigious school on ACADEMICS ALONE! Jennifer Capriati took drugs and you never heard much about her mother. Michelle Wie wouldn't be caught DEAD taking drugs and after a tournament, Michelle publically thanked her mother, a sucessful businesswoman, for all she's done for her. Jennifer's father apparently focused just on tennis. Michelle's parents wanted her to be well-rounded.

I agree with MJD that Jennifer was able to turn her life around and become successful again for a while. Michelle is coming back from injury. Jennifer had to come back from a stint in rehab. Like I said, they are pretty much like night and day!
Verily

6-22-2007 @ 9:29PM

blackthunda69 said...

Wie has no one to blame. She wasgiven everything before she proved herself. If this had been a kid from the inner city no one would care about this kid. Maybe now the LPGA and other will put age rules in like the NBA and NFL

6-22-2007 @ 11:28PM

Manoa Mike said...

My child attends the high school Michelle Wie just graduated from (Punahou). Wie was generally disliked because of her lousy attitude - she refused to put a senior photo in the yearbook, wouldn't sign yearbooks (afraid they'd end up on eBay), refused to play on the school golf team (while still an amateur), skipped school regularly for golf (no other student would have been excused so much), turned down a date offer and went to the senior prom solo, and missed graduation so she could fail miserably at a mainland golf tournament. She had very few friends and sometimes got taunted at school events by real students who were sick of her shtick. Her recent failures may be a case of "karma" - bad things come to people who act like jerks. The blame should really be pointed in the direction of her parents and other adult handlers. Good grief, I don't care how good my kid is at golf, I wouldn't let her miss graduation for that. There's another golf tournament every week but only one high school graduation ceremony in your life. Let's hope for her sake that Michelle grows up quickly and gains some independence from her creepy parents.

6-23-2007 @ 2:18AM

bulldogsbulldogs bow wow wow said...

I have a feeling that Michelle didn't get into Stanford solely on academics... I think the fact that she's a celebrity and has oh about $10 million essentially got her in. Now, I don't know her grades, but that's just what I think.

6-23-2007 @ 9:03AM

dan said...

Punahou Academy is the elite prep school that Barack Obama attended starting in the fifth grade, as described in "Dreams from My Father." Based on the comments in this thread, you can get ann idea of the attitudes he had to deal with.

6-23-2007 @ 9:36AM

ron said...

There is a big difference in these two women. If Mike was any kind of report he would know that Michelle has a wrist injury and has come back to soon. She needs some time off to heal she will be back.Mike get some fact before you write stories like this.

6-23-2007 @ 11:38AM

Dan said...

Please do not compare Look at me...I'm worth millions from Nike, I want to play the Men's tour, though I've never won an LPGA event, to Jennifer. They compare in 1 way only......parents wanted to be the star, the kids bought in. Michelle loves the attention, and gives the world the finger. Look at her crap when she was on her way to an 88. Somebody told her she would be done for the year, so she quit. The next week she dogged the LPGA, and Annika. She is a spoiled little brat with some talent and no brains. Jen went through her troubles, was a winner before, and an even bigger winner after. If you want to compare wasted....ohhhh look at me talent....compare her to the porn star from the tennis world. Wie will NEVER win a Major Title. She MAY have 3/4 wins for her entire career. Anna and Wie are a perfect match. Lousy article Smith

6-23-2007 @ 1:22PM

BigDaddy said...

Can't compare the two. Jen was alway in the hunt making semi-finals & finals, Wie doesn't even come close to winning.

6-23-2007 @ 5:01PM

Charles Crane said...

Michelle Wie turned professional at a very young age. Sure, she has made her share of mistakes in the golf world; but; what other 17 year old now can say they made $15 Million in endorsements. That being said I admire the girl growing up so fast; it seems many people either admire her or detest her! Either, way she is a phenom, and may I add a tall, attractive, talented, and soon to be educated one. I'm sure as Annika said she has no "Class" but, what does Annika know about "Class;" isn't she the one whom left her "Husband" for another Woman? What classy woman does that?

6-23-2007 @ 11:14PM

I agree, Dan. It's pretty obvious the people with the "lousy attitude" were SOME of the jealous people at Michelle Wie's high school and/or their parents. Michelle has been pictured with friends from the school who have been loyal throughout the ups and downs of her career. And Michelle Wie's parents are the farthest thing from "creepy." Years ago,Michelle, while watching The Masters, said she wanted to play in the tournament. Ernie Els, winner of majors on tour and one of the best golfers in the world, was paired with Michelle at an event when she was just 14 years-old. Els was so impressed with her skill, he said she could play on the PGA tour. Michelle's parents have merely tried to help their daughter achieve HER own dreams! Michelle's mother is a successful businesswoman and a former beauty queen. Michelle's father is a college professor. And THIS - is AMERICA! EVERYONE should be allowed to go as far in their careers as their drive and talent can carry them. Michelle Wie missed the cut at the PGA Sony Open by ONE shot when she was 14 years-old! And if there had not been such EVIL, misogynistic, racist mess lobbed at her since then, she most likely would have had a top 10 in a PGA event by now!

And the evil poster who likens that INNOCENT 17 year-old girl to a "porn star," says more about HIMSELF than he does about pure, decent Michelle. Btw, I'm glad Michelle went to the prom "stag." I was President of the Senior Class; the prom was held on my birthday; and my mother and sister were beauty queens. And I sidestepped a couple of offers and went "stag" myself. I didn't date at all in high school and was more concentrated on getting college scholarships. I met my husband in college and I can tell Michelle she didn't really miss anything by not dating or going with someone to the prom in high school. There will be plenty of time to socialize later.

The poster who pretended Michelle missed a lot of school for golf was off the mark, too. Michelle played most of her tournaments in the summer last year. If Michelle were to interrupt her education the way Morgan Pressel has done, she would win event after event after event. But Michelle has opted to attend Stanford, which she got admitted to because of her GRADES - since she can't play golf for the school.
Tiger Woods didn't play golf for his high school golf team either, did he? And nobody whined! Some people might even think it unfair for golfers at their level to have competed against golfers at a much lower level of expertise. Michelle Wie was winning events against grown MEN in Hawaii when she was just 9 years OLD!
Sour, jaded, alleged "adults" should leave young innocent Michelle to follow the path SHE wants to take in her career. The downright EVIL talk about her is unwarranted, and as aforementioned, is infinitely more reflective of the person who "criticizes" her than of her. Gooooo, Michelle!

Verily

6-23-2007 @ 11:17PM

Art, both tennis and golf are mental. In fact most sports at the highest level require mental acumen, stamina, and focus. There is strategy and skill in even just "plain" running!

6-23-2007 @ 11:41PM

Michelle Wie, at the time, was the youngest person in HISTORY to win a National USGA event. Michelle Wie posted 2nd place finishes at MAJOR pro events. Michelle Wie got into Stanford on ACADEMICS alone. Michelle Wie is an advertiser's DREAM! Gooooo, Michelle!
Verily

6-24-2007 @ 7:13AM

Mike said...

No, Charles Crane. Annika didn't "leave her husband for another woman". They simply separated and divorced, and she is now planning to marry (a man) again.

Wie's problem is her idiot father B.J.

6-24-2007 @ 12:34PM

Bob Bristow said...

Another difference between Wie and Capriatti is that Jennifer never tried to play in mens tournaments like Wie. She knew she was a female and stayed in womens events like Wie should have all along. Both are sad commentarys on overzealous parents that eploit their children for a financial bonanza.

6-28-2007 @ 4:11PM

J.D.SteinleSr. said...

She will be great . Give her time to be a BIG TIME Winner. Best to her

6-26-2007 @ 11:09AM

james said...

UNFORTUNATELY, MICHELLE NEVER RECEIVED
THE TRAINING ON HOW TO BE "GRACIOUS"!
HER PERCEPTION OF ENTITLEMENT HAS
ALIENATED HER FROM THE WORLD AT LARGE AND NOW SHE IS FEELING THE CONSEQUENCES. MILLION DOLLAR ENDORSEMENT DEALS AND TOURNAMENT VICTORY'S ARE FANTASTIC BUT LEARNING HOW TO GET ALONG WITH PEOPLE IS
PRICELESS!!!