Michelle Wie Will Play Solheim Cup Without Parents Watching Every Move

Posted Aug 18, 2009 3:35PM By Ryan Wilson (RSS feed)

Filed Under: LPGA

Michelle Wie's golf career has been defined as much by her boundless potential as by the fact that her parents have orchestrated her every move. B.J. and Bo Wie have been criticized for being too involved in their daughter's professional life, drawing the ire of LPGA Tour vet Dottie Pepper, as well as Michelle's swing coach, David Leadbetter.

Part of the issue is that Wie accepted sponsor's exemptions to compete on the PGA Tour even though she had yet to earn her LPGA Tour card (much less win an event). This didn't go over well in most golfing circles although it was clear why tournaments continued to extend invites (and why she continued to accept). Behind it all (or so the thinking went): B.J. and Bo.

Michelle appeared to gain some freedom when she enrolled at Stanford in the fall of 2007, but her parents were never far away. Of course, Wie's still a teenager and it's perfectly reasonable to think that she relied heavily on her mom and dad. The problem, though, is that somewhere along the way the Wie's parents apparently went from overprotective guardians to meddlesome busybodies with questionable intentions. I have no proof they were more the latter than the former, but, fair or not, that was the perception.

But as the Solheim Cup begins this week, 19-year-old Michelle won't have her parents shadowing her every move. From Golf.com's Jim Gorant:

The second-youngest participant in cup history (19 years, 10 months), Wie will spend a rare week away from her parents. The ever-present B.J. and Bo Wie have been politely told that they will not be allowed in the locker room or team-lodging area, or at team meals.

Gorant points out that the last time something like this happened -- the 2004 Curtis Cup -- "Michelle played great." (She was 2-0 in singles matches, 0-2 in foursomes.) No idea if there's a correlation, although I am sure of this: should Wie play well, it will be offered up as proof that B.J. and Bo have been detrimental to her growth. Meanwhile, the pair was seen walking the course with Michelle Monday.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

8-18-2009 @ 9:24PM

yappy007 said...

it's a joke she even made the team! wonder how much money her mom and dad gave somebody under the table to be put on the team.

8-19-2009 @ 10:20AM

bikinginor said...

A joke she made the team, I don't think so! Do you realized she was 13th on the cup points list and had only 1 year of competition to do that. The other players had been playing for points for 2 years and many of them would not have made the team if they had not had that extra year of gaining points. I applaud the captians choice, both of them. Michelle is a talent and is proving it in her rookie season on tour, yes, ROOKIE!!!

8-19-2009 @ 8:16PM

mike said...

lets see howm many tournements has she won---none

8-21-2009 @ 11:03PM

Lisa said...

Doesn't matter that she hasn't won YET! She will than the whole world will be eating there words! She is a ROOKIE, just a ROOKie! Many players play for years before winning thier first tourny. Many players play for years and never play in the solhiem cup, she was a captians pick because if you kept points for just 1 tear she would have ben 3rd on that list, if she had 2 years to earn points, she would have easily made the teaa and been at the top!!! She will win and has many ways she already has! you guys are IDIOTS!

8-19-2009 @ 9:15AM

knittel said...

Why do so many parents lose their identity when a their child excels in high profile positions. So sad and pathetic watching them. Hey mom Wie do you even know the difference between a 2 iron and a 5 iron?

8-19-2009 @ 9:23AM

Koch said...

I just hope that this talented young lady stays with the LPGA and forgets about the PGA.

8-19-2009 @ 11:16AM

pd39 said...

She can be very good, but I think her parents hovering over her so much may make her to stiff and scare her more than help her. Maybe she can live up to her full potential if they are out of the picture as far as her golfing goes.

8-19-2009 @ 11:54AM

smallbizanalyst5 said...

Until Wie wins a tournament, she will be seen as the Anna Kournikova of golf. Much ado about nothing!

8-19-2009 @ 11:59AM

Bob and Kathie said...

Very insightful comment. I agree with you smallbizanalyst5.

8-19-2009 @ 3:44PM

T Linn said...

She's 19!!! Give her a f-n break, she's grown 12inches in the last 5 yrs and her swing has had to change over that time.

8-19-2009 @ 6:07PM

pudnt said...

Another Kournikova basher...even 5 years after she retired. Unbelieveable! She did win 2 majors you nitwit...look it up! She also won millions playing tennis and parlayed her good looks into a $100 million more...but somehow she's unsuccessful. How many millions do you have and how many tennis tournaments have you ever win?

8-19-2009 @ 2:08PM

tinyreef said...

i can't imagine how difficult it is to play with her parents hovering like that. she's an incredible talent to play under that pressure. anyone here perform well under their parents' critical glares? those two don't exactly look like the "Brady Bunch"-supportive type. i'd love to (hope) see her excel without her parents around. we'll see if she blossoms.

8-19-2009 @ 2:12PM

BlueEyedJetsFan said...

It's true...she hasn't won a thing since she started playing.

8-19-2009 @ 3:40PM

She's 19!!!!!!!!!!

8-19-2009 @ 2:13PM

nickcherryl said...

The women is a spoiled brat.

8-19-2009 @ 3:06PM

Dave said...

Wow nickcherryl. I thought the non-white PGA final round would have done you in. I thought for sure that Woods (person of color) vs Yang (non-american and person of color) would have been too much. I'm not sure how you survived. I guess your KKK meetings must be a sick and twisted form of therapy.

8-19-2009 @ 2:44PM

sharffj said...

she is hot

8-19-2009 @ 3:52PM

David S. said...

First of all, she is 19 -- last I checked, that is an adult. Secondly, why is this considered sports news? Man, must be one slow day in the world of AOL sports.