Wie to take on the men again at 2007 Sony Open; PGA wins Wendy's 3-Tour Challenge

Fast forward 20 years and this headline will read just the same, "Wie will again try to make the cut in a PGA tour event at the 2027 Sony Open. Organizers citing increased revenue and interest in the 37 year old native Hawiian issued their 24th consecutive exemption. Michelle missed the cut last year by 11 strokes, but commented, "I really feel like my game is close. I was just a couple of bad breaks away from making it." Wie you will remeber missed the cut by just a single stroke 23 years ago, when she was hailed as the next big thing in golf. Wie's career wins include the Jennie K. Wilson Hawaii amateur title and the 2003 Women's Amateur Publinx, she has 211 top 5 finishes on the LPGA tour, but has yet to breakthrough with a win, she has also attempted to qualify for the Masters and U.S. Open a combined 40 times, making it to the men's U.S. Open in 2023, firing a 102-113 finishing last by 57 shots. She has appeared on numerous reality television shows and is currently in talks with ABC to remake "Who's The Boss" starring Michelle, her father and IMG management.

here's a great comment from her press conference: ""I like exemptions. It's like somebody says, 'Here, you can have $100,' or I can work for $100," Wie said to laughter at a news conference in state Governor Linda Lingle's office. "I'm very thankful for Sony for believing in me."

For the 17-year-old Wie, who is entering her second year as a professional, this will be her fourth straight Sony Open in Hawaii. She has failed to make the cut in six tries so far on the PGA TOUR."

is this chick for real. that really says alot.

I saw that quote too...Very unsettling that Michelle doesn't understand the importance of having a strong work ethic or the notion of paying your dues. History has shown that all the talent in the world will be wasted in the end if you don't want it bad enough and are not willing to work for it. It's really quite sad, but I hold Sony, Nike, Omega and trhe rest of them partially responsible for Michelle's attitude, how can she be expected to fight for what she wants when they are always just handing it to her. I'm not suprised she has not won yet...maybe the sponsers could just award her first place and mail her the trophy at home so she doesn't have to take the time to even show up.

Hey i'm not gonna condemn anyone who says yeah I realize its easier to get an exemption than qualifying for the event. So what! its the truth. If that's the case why is everyone so upset about Michelle taking an exemption from a "struggling male player" when she gets invites to men's tournaments everyone one should condemn that struggling male player saying you need to work for it not be given an exemption you don't have good work ethics etc etc. Oh and another thing i'd say Michelle has an excellent work ethic how do you guys think she's had such success in the LPGA its through practice practice practice since she was a young child after school w/ her parents and w/ multiple coaches and exercise to keep her body in shape. Get real w/ your comments of Michelle doesn't know the importance of work ethics or not paying her dues she's already proven it through her golfing results. Michelle was appropriately appreciative yet she still realizes what a advantageous reward being given an exemption is as oppsosed to qualifying for the event. I mean its not like she hasn't tried to qualify for men's events before for instance as an amateur she tried to get into the masters and then later one of the other majors. So she's gone about getting into men's events from both sides through exemptions and qualifying so once again don't worry about her understanding of work ethics.

Listen up--Michelle Wie career win total=0

Next time you make your argument choose a player who has actually accomplished something. Michelle has admitted that she has never bothered to look at the rules of golf and now she shows her true colors when she likes getting something for nothing. Michelle is like so many young athletes of today whose sense of entitlement outshine their sense of accomplishment.

Somebody needs to tell Ms. Wie that she will still need to make the cut before she can collect that easy $100.

Loud and clear, get real

You tell me how many 17 year olds or younger have won on the LPGA, NONE. You can have high accomplishments w/ out winning, say like finishing consistantly in the top five in the toughest women's events. If you don't think that's an accomplishment knock down morgan and Natalie two other players who haven't won yet whenever they're mentioned constantly receive prasie on this board while Michelle gets jeered.

True colors yeah I guess she's shown them that she's not a moron and knows its easier to get an exemption than qualify into an event and that she thouroughly appreciates being given them. Hello that's obvious to all but you.

Oh and the point that she doesn't plan on rereading the entire rules of golf book b/c she was mistaken on one of the rules makes sense too. I'm absolutely positive that every person that has gotten a penalty has not gone back and read the entire book, please you have got to be kidding. You really think that Annika when she cut off half of a clump of dirt by her ball went back and read the entire book again, no way she just marked it down in her mind not to do it again. Like Michelle did w/ the moss issue she said she would make sure to take her practice swings a good distance away from the ball. Lesson learned.

Oh and she does realize she has to make the cut before she can collect the $100 for she got even more when she made the cut in the SK Telecom Open after tying for 35th.

ROFL.... Let the whining begin.

I followed her stats playing against the men on the European Tour event and basically, her drives we sub 250 and putting was poor. One of the men said her ball flight was quite low and combined with being maybe two clubs shorter than the men her ability to create birdie chances on the men's courses will be slim. After trailing the field she said she was looking forwared to returning to US with wider fairways, not doubt to bomb her drives to 280 - J.B Holmes will be quaking in his spikes!

She undoubtedly has talent but should now focus on carving out a career on the women's tour before the media grow tired and the exemptions dry up.

When aspiring pros keep trying at Q-school but fail time and time again, we say they are persistent and admiring them for their never-give-up attitude.

Jim Rutledge who finished 15 on the Nationwide tour will be the oldest rookie ever on the PGA tour next year at 47. He certain is glad that he was not surrounded by the nay-sayers like a lot of the people who post here.

Why do grown-ups turn into a frenzy when it comes to Wie? Do we go around telling other 17 years old they are not good at what they do, and that they should just give up>

SK Telecom Open. Are you kidding me? Wie is a tremendous talent, but she has been crammed down everyone's throats since she was 13 and some people myself included feel that she her actual performance has not matched the hype, that's all. I believe in reaching for your dreams and would never look to take those away from her, but she chose to market herself as the "chosen one" or the next big thing in golf and when you, turn pro, talk about beating the men, and dominating the women then you have to back it up. Top 5's on the LPGA tour are impressive for anyone regardless of age, but these are not the results that Michelle, B.J., Nike, Sony and the rest of the Wie hype machine promised.

Jim Rutledge has absolutely nothing in common with Michelle Wie--He is a guy with marginal talent that worked for everything he ever got and now at age 47 has EARNED his place on tour. I know that word earned is foriegn to Michelle and most of her fans, so I will define: It means to work for and then recieve, something Michelle knows nothing about at this stage of her career.

I often wonder how many posters actually play golf on this board and of those posters who of them have played any competative golf?

Until they walk in the player's spikes it is impossible for them to judge anyone's individual perfomance with any real accuracy.

For arguments sake lets call Michelle Wie, Player X and forget about the press generated hoopla.

For the 2006 LPGA season PLayer X put together a record as a sixteen and seventeen year old of five consecutive top five finishes while making the ladie's cut in every event, Her lowest finish for the season was a 23rd place and she was limited to only eight appearances as a Women's Tour Pro.

For the last three seasons (starting at age 14) Player X would have earned a LPGA "Exempt" card based on her earnings if a member and for 2006 finished in the top fifteen in earnings and in tenth place on the World Rolex Women's Rankings.

Player X put together an LPGA season that has never been equaled by someone her age. Based on her performance Player X is easily ranked in the top one percent of women professional golfers worldwide while playing in only eight events.

So what do you think of Player X's performance or are you still expecting more?

Engage your brain folks.

Loud and Clear, You persist in condemning Michelle Wie b/c you feel she hasn't earned her exemptions I just don't get how you claim it Michelle worked very hard for her sucess and has been rewarded. She's been out there practicing practicing practicing and she's become very good at she's captured the attention of many and shows the glimmer of the unimaginable such as winning majors before 18 or possiably making cuts on the Pga before 18 etc. Your upset b/c Michelle gets rewarded for her talent doesn't make sense. Also you got to understand Michelle isn't going out their recruiting the media the media comes to her Michelle has been crammed down people's throats b/c the media decided it the only thing Michelle does is go out there and play golf and the media follows. Now i'm not gonna blame her for being talented and media following her around you can and do. Exactly what does she have to do to meet the hype I'm extremely curious? She's done things at her age not one thought possible been the youngest at multiple achievements, winning local qualifier in a men's event, I believe she made to the quarter finals in a men's amateur event and made a cut in a men's evet at 16. So what exactly is it gonna take?

Michelle, her fans, her sponsers, her family are all expecting more. Nobody is arguing that her results are not impressive, but she has had the ability and game to win on the LPGA tour for the better part of three years and she has been unable to do so and to fawn all over her results and fail to mention that she has not won anything would be disingeous.

If you are satisfied with the "second coming" racking up top 5's against the ladies more power to you. You're probably the kind of guy who just likes to cuddle with the ladies, a pure product of our new PC world. Me, I like to see people who are paid superstar salaries and talk a big game about golf domination deliver the goods, not excuses. Michelle is your classic style over substance new age "star" who skates by on exemptions and short skirts.

A win.

I am going to terminate this discussion with you listen up--I am afraid of being prosecuted for cruelty to the mentally challenged. My 3 year-old son has better conversational skills .

Loud and Clear, Okay I think we should end this conversation too, I've got a pretty good idea what type of person you are and continuing would be pointless. A win is the only thing that Michelle could do to meet the hype for you, so you wanted a 13, 14, 15, 16 year old to already have an LPGA win coming in 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th in majors isn't good enough for you at those ages. Good Grief. All I can say is i'm glad your 3 year old is a genius otherwise he'd never meet your standards. Ta Ta.

Ask yourselves why a Sponsor would "offer" an exemption to Michelle Wie of all people. Why would they waste an exemption on a teenager when there are seasoned veterans who are flirting with being able to hold a card in the coming season?

The event Sponsors must all be insane to put Michelle Wie in the field over all others. What does Michelle bring to an event that a Ty Tyrone wouldn't?

To better understand why a Sponsor might "waste" an exemption on a teenager we need to look behind the curtain of event setup.

The second biggest draw in golf is Michelle Wie and when Tiger Woods (number one) is skipping your event inviting Michelle will pick up your gate your by 30 to 35 percent. This adds up to thousands more food, beverage and gift buyers showing up for the event. This translates into more revenue for the Sponsor to defray costs and ultimately more money for the charity thay are playing for.

The LPGA pays networks to carry their golf tournaments in order to gain exposure for the tour. When Michelle enters their events the networks pay to gain the overseas rights to broadcast to her fans around the world. Michelle might not be the most accomplished player in the field, but she brings her star power to an event. When Michelle plays in the field the numbers are at least 25 percent higher. Higher numbers equals higher advertisement revenue from commercials and more promotion for other network programming.

The media was responsible for turning Michelle Wie into the draw she is today. When she finished ninth at the 2003 Kraft Nabisco Championship as a 13 year old her destiny was set and the Sponsor's exemptions flowed.

Hey maybe the Sponsor's are not so insane after all?