Pinned in a corner with only one true way out, the once heralded "next big thing" in women's golf will head to LPGA Qualifying School to try and earn her player's card the old fashioned way.
Michelle Wie, in a bit of poetic justice, will enter the first stage of Q-School next week at a golf course that made her a household name five years ago.
Wie now faces the biggest fork in the road of her career and it couldn't come at a better time. She has slowly become the punching bag for most on the LPGA tour because of her obsession with competing against men when she can't even produce against women anymore. She has made just $35,038 in seven tournaments, good enough for 140th on the Official Money List, and had a disqualification and more struggles with the men to boot.Her father, B.J. Wie, had said at the U.S. Women's Open that Wie had "no other options" but Q-school if she didn't make enough money to finish the equivalent of 80th of the LPGA Tour money list.
"Nothing has changed since then," he said Tuesday morning from Palm Desert, Calif. "She will go to Q-school."
The first stage will be at Mission Hills in Rancho Mirage, Calif., site of the Kraft Nabisco Championship, where Wie played in the final group of the LPGA's first major when she was in the eighth grade.
According to her father, the balance of professional golf and an elite collegiate education will continue as she plans to go back to Stanford for the fall semester. It just feels like Wie has never been able to focus on one thing and if she can get through Q-School, which most would assume she could, focusing on her golf game 100 percent might be more beneficial.
If she doesn't qualify, life will again get complicated. Wie will face the LPGA once more with just sponsor's exemptions, and that will continue until her name fails to brings droves to the course. Her own sponsors, who forked over tremendous amounts of dough to land the female Tiger Woods, might reconsider supporting a failed project. Her peers will once more look at her like she doesn't belong and until she can prove them wrong, that stigma will continue.
This is the time you either step up or shut up. Wie showed tremendous potential at the incredible age of 13, playing in the final group of a major championship after a third round 66. I think everyone can agree that under the confused brow, there is miles of talent just waiting to be unleashed.
After all the bad decisions that seem to be made with her career, it's nice to see that for the first time, a step in the right direction has been made.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
9-09-2008 @ 5:06PM
Dave said...
Michelle will eventually become the number one lady golfer in the world as she concentrates first on the LPGA and then competing with men after she has many wins to her credit. It is hard to remember she is only 19 when the spotlight has been on her so many years.
Best Wishes Michelle
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9-09-2008 @ 8:37PM
lefty said...
you are out of your mind bubbles is toast
9-10-2008 @ 8:06PM
tricia said...
I think everyone should give Michele a chance, she does need a manager that can help and guide her along the way but I do think she has the talent, she started young and just needs the right guidance.
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9-09-2008 @ 8:01PM
Skippy said...
She's tried out black men (Robin Lopez), why not Q-school?
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9-15-2008 @ 1:58AM
thesby said...
robin lopez is not black.he hispanic mixed with white!
9-09-2008 @ 8:33PM
bigflyer said...
Sorry Dave, you are dead wrong. This immature young woman is also a victim of little league parents who just could not wait to cash in on a 13 year old who innocently could bomb 300 yard drives. Her parents push to enter her in Men's tournaments was one mistake, her father caddying for her instead of hiring a professional looper was another goof.
Her ignorance of the rules of golf while playing in an LPGA event, (she took an incorrect drop and was DQed.) In another event she failed to sign her scorecard, something a beginning tournament player would remember, and again she was DQed. In another tourney she stepped on an opponent's putting line and failed to acknowledge her error. She quit Annika's event 2 years ago with an "injury" and practiced at another event the following day with no apology to the sponsor.
Michelle must decide if she wants to attend college or to try to become a journeywoman pro at this stage in her career. She has failed to develop a short game and sadly her legacy will be a chapter in exploited youth in sports.
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9-12-2008 @ 10:54PM
Duff said...
I believe she will do wonders on the womens tour. Her dad not her needs to put aside the ego and have her daughter play where she should be playing and grow from there. She needs to build confidence as well as her game before she ventures off to the men. The whole team needs to step outside of their inter bubble and look at this from a third view. She needs a manager outside of her parents. Someone who lead her correctly. It seems Tiger has done well with Nike and their management team. Maybe this camp should take note and follow someone who is about to become the first sport billionaire. Maybe have a talk with him.
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9-15-2008 @ 1:58AM
thesby said...
i guess wie has dropped out of stanford and robin lopez is not black.he's white/hispanic!
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