The ever astute golf chick Stina Sternberg put up a great post over at the Golf For Women’s Editor’s blogs about Annika declining a spot at the Samsung World Championship while Michelle Wie accepted one. I agree with her wholeheartedly and I couldn’t have said it better myself. I only add that Michelle puts the “I” in We (because I think I’m so clever).
Here’s a taste:
So let’s recap: the best player in the history of women’s golf decides to sit out a limited-field tournament to allow a higher-ranked player to take her place. And a college student with a season-best T-69–who’s not even a member of the tour nor has any plans to become one–decides to play despite taking a spot from a player of Natalie Gulbis’ caliber. It’s flat-out embarrassing, both for the Wie camp and Samsung. Sorenstam, on the other hand, just looks classier every minute.
Read the rest here.
Michelle Wie – 17, lovely and set for life, she still has a lot to learn.
Yes, that’s Cindy Crawford.
Annika literally wrote the book on how to play (and win) like a pro.
This should be on Wie’s required reading list at Stanford.
October 12, 2007 at 2:31 am
Just when Michelle Wie hoped shed would be able to wash away the memories of a disastrous season with a fresh start on her 18th birthday, things just did not go her away. Stine Sternberg is not the only one who has been questioning Michelle Wie’s decision to accept the special exemption and by the looks of it the “ not so great wishes” showered on her by everyone has resulted in Wie plummeting to the bottom of the leaderboard at the Samsung World Championship. Although she did manage to break 80 in her first round but I am not sure that is something she would want to brag about when she runs into Stina Sternberg the next time around.
Although most of her year has been riddled in controversy I believe we are being a little too harsh on Michelle Wie. Annika has no insecurities about her status as a quality player in the golfing world, therefore she can sit back and afford to do the right thing by allowing the deserving player to take up her place in the limited field but for someone like Michelle Wie, who has just turned 18, it is hard to imagine she would consider giving up a chance being offered to her where a good four days could catapult her back into reckoning on the LPGA circuit. Of course a good performance would have stemmed the criticism, unfortunately that does not look likely but we can only wish her well and hope that she grabs the opportunities that she gets with both hands and makes good use of them.
Andy Brown
August 13, 2008 at 2:33 pm
Michelle Wie gets to play these events on a sponsors exemption. You know the guy that puts up all the money to put this thing together and rightfully so that he should make this decision not some poor golfer who is ranked 198th in the world that no one is going to runout and buy an ticket to see! The press likes to make a big deal out of this because its a slow news day and they are looking to create some controvercy. Guess what I will consider going to a golf event if the field is compelling enough and Michelle Wie definitely is worth watching even if she doesn’t win but that all whole different story.
If you want to control who plays in your golf tourney put up your own money and let it roll and by the way I’m pretty sure Michelle Wie will be the first person on your list of who to exempt