Michelle Wie should take a break from men's golf events, Appleby says; PGA Tour players mixed on FedExCup

Appleby is a foreign balance-of-trade liability on the PGA tour. If ten paying Stuart Appleby golf fans ever showed up at any PGA tourny, I'd be amazed. If some sort of twisted PGA protectionism is his platform, then he's toast. He's syphoned off nearly 20 million dollars from American PGA events since 1992.

Stuart... if Michelle and sponsors find it beneficial for her to learn her craft playing PGA tour events, then stay out of it, "Matey". Ask Singh what a brilliant PR move he made in panning Sorenstam to the press. (If its any consolation, I'm sure you and Singh will remain a big hit on the Worldgolf blogs)

I'm not a huge Appleby fan.....but I could be.

Ghet UnRheel,

Assuming that Dot quoted Stuart correctly, he merely said that Bubbles doesn't have the game to compete against men, especially on the PGA tour.

Appleby does have the game. He's a proven winner and competitor. He has made his bones and certainly has the credentials to express his opinion.

Incidentally, his opinion is shared by the vast majority of PGA touring pros, they just don't for the most part have the nerve to express it.

As far as Bubbles drawing fans to the events in which she receives exemptions, tell me how many she entices to watch her on the weekends.

If Britney Spears or Paris Hilton got an exemption to a PGA event, they would draw as many spectators as Bubbles, and would have the same chance to make the cut.

Maybe you think that would be a good idea, especially if they wore mini-skirts or thongs.

Stuart Appleby was simply expressing what the entire golfing community already knows. It will be interesting to watch Wie fans attempt to somehow discredit a proven winner and one of the tours truly nice guys.

I will add that Appleby probably has a plenitude of fans. After all, he an athletic-looking guy with a beautiful swing and a smidgeon of charisma.

Appleby isn't necessarily wrong about Wie. And, to Judge, I think his swing is compact and athletic. And, he has more than just a smidgeon of charisma.

Michelle Wie already has an accomplished golf game but should be focusing her efforts on defeating Ochoa and Sorenstam. Her length off the tee makes par-5's on the LPGA Tour more easily reachable in two.

Kudos to Appleby from having the golf balls to say what everyone on the PGA tour likely thinks.

sorry meant to say "for having"

I liked the first analgy better smudge.

whoops: analogy

The PGA is fine with it, the sponsors are fine with it, and the Grinches have no say in the deal (though something tells me they imagine that they do... sad).

Here's a great summation of the matter from a recent AP article:

"I'm a very stubborn girl,'' Wie said. "I have to do what I want to do, and what I want is a combination. I'm working on this as a really long-term goal. You're going to have ups and downs in that process.''

She will start 2007 at the Sony Open in Honolulu the second week of January, and while she has not made the cut in six tries on the PGA Tour, not everyone is losing interest in this unusual plan.

"We haven't changed our feelings,'' said Clair Peterson, tournament director of the John Deere Classic, who plans to offer her another exemption. "People lose sight of the fact that ... she's a terrific talent. People are interested in the talent. Tiger was invited as a 16-year-old to play in the Nissan Open, and no one worried about it. He didn't make a cut until he was 19.''

Go for it Michelle!!

Oh my goodness! That acounts for it! The tournament director of the John Deere is, gasp, a woman!

Ghet Rheel, it isn't too late for you to get a certain operation.

I wonder if some of the people here think John Deere's Tournament Director should have run some LPGA tournaments before she runs a MEN's event.

Or perhaps for some, she should stick with running WOMEN's tournaments.

Brian,

Thank you for saying it, so I didn't have to.

Brian Waite,

If she thinks it's an excellent idea to invite Bubbles again after her fainting act last year, and if she thinks comparing Tiger's getting invited to the Nissan in any way parallels no-win Wie's multiple freebies, she probably shouldn't be running anything but a sewing machine in a third world sweatshop.

The head Grinch says:
"The tournament director of the John Deere is, gasp, a woman!"

Really? Since when?

I can't think of a reason why Michelle Wie can't play with the men at her level. If she couldn't play with them they wouldn't be at her level.

Jim C,

That's the truest utterance you've emitted. Now we just have to ascertain what her level on the men's scale would be. I'm thinking local amateurs wherein one must be a five handicap or better to enter.

One more quick note on Clair Peterson. He is one of the most respected and best-known directors on the PGA tour. Love it when the Grinches blithely demonstrate their complete lack of knowledge of professional golf.

Bill Donnelly posted the following excerpt on another string:

"Three years ago, in Wie's initial venture into a PGA tournament, there wasn't much Appleby could have said. In 2004, as a 14-year-old high school freshman, Wie shot the same even-par, two-day, 140 at Waialae Country Club that Appleby did, both of them missing the cut by one stroke. It was the same score as Chad Campbell, Jim Furyk and Jeff Maggert."

Think that "reality check" may have bruised Appleby's fragile ego? Michelle's working on swing changes just as Woods and Nicklaus did periodically. She knows what she's doing.

Clair Peterson is a blythesome idiot if he thinks that Bubbles belongs in a PGA tournament.

The same goes for Bill Donnelly, whoever he is. He cherry picks the one men's event in which Bubbles did play fairly well while still missing the cut, and makes that the benchmark for comparison.

Of course, Ghet UnRheel, your credentials as a feminist Wie brown noser and lamebrain in general are well documented.

Ghet Schlemiel,

Have you, good man, ever heard of "sample variance"? Anyone with even a modicum of intelligence understands that one round of golf is not necessarily reflective of a golfer's true ability. Yes, that day Bubbles captured lightning in a bottle but, in truth, she isn't fit to replace Appleby's spikes.

I would also remind you that David Duval once shot a 59, yet, last year he was perilously close to losing his eligibility. And he has the right chromosome configuration for the PGA.

Ghet Rheel--Do you really think 8-time PGA tour winner Stuart Appleby is suffering from a bruised ego over a non-event over two years ago? Stuart Appleby earned his way onto the PGA tour the old fashioned way via hard work and paying his dues, he has crafted himself into a fine golfer with more PGA tour wins than Sergio Garcia, he has also overcome unthinkable personal tragedy as his wife was killed in a freak accident a number of years ago. You sir are delusional, delusional about Michelle's game and her future and delusional if you think that a man such as Stuart Appleby cares that a 14 year-old sideshow once shot the same score as he did in a tournament in which they both missed the cut.

Judge Smails,

What Ghet SurRheel, Donnelly, and the rest of the Wie-wee's don't realize is that Bubbles shot the best two rounds of her life in the 2004 Sony. And still missed the cut.

When she scored her 68 on that Saturday, she had only TWENTY-THREE putts. She had THIRTEEN one putt greens.

She played those rounds on a familiar course in benign conditions. And she couldn't cut it.

It was without doubt that these two rounds by Bubbles started the Wie Warrior craze . And a craze it is. Several people who should have known better were giddy in their predictions that Bubbles would soon be a regular contender and even a winner on the PGA tour

You need look no further than our friend Ghet Rheel.

I tell you, if a sucker is born every minute, old Ghet should have been twins.

Alex,

Thanks for mentioning her freak putting performance; I had head about that but forgot to mention it here. Every accomplished golfer has such anomalous putting rounds -- once in a while. The difference is that when a bona fide PGA Tour player does, he may shoot a 63.

Love hearing all you 12 handicappers pontificate on PGA golf. Keep up the good work.

Well, my 2 cents worth. Appleby is a fine golfer, but he happens to play well in the windy, Hawaiian courses. His compact yet powerful swing is perfect for the links type courses. His successes at the Hawaiian events are no big surprises, especially with Woods, Mickelson and other top golfers not participating. His performances at other PGA events do not match the succeses he has at Hawaii. If I may be so callous, a big and audible fish in a small pond. On the other topic, If you want to see Michelle playing more against women, then you should vocally petition the LPGA to allow Wie to play more LPGA events by either 1) increasing the maximum number of exemptions from 6 to say 8-10 and/or 2) allowing a battlefield promotion like the PGA where a non-member player who finishes in the top ten gets to play the next LPGA event (without having it counted as an exemption). It is time, once can argue, to bring the LPGA to the modern time. I always wondered who the heck came up with the 6 max exemption rule. Was it done in the 70s when the LPGA had, let's say, only 15 events ? what was the rationale behind the magic number"6"? Does anybody know? We do know that the total number of the annual LPGA events has increased; shouldn't the number of exemptions increase at least proportionally? Instead of you guys (in particular Alex and Judge Smells, heh heh) argueing about nothing over and over, why don't you argue about something different and more relevant, such as the exemption rule? The bottom line is that with only 8 women's events for Wie to play, you can't fault her playing other (men's) events.

Jon,

I read, or more truthfully tried to read your post and decipher its meaning, but I drew a blank.

So I'd like to ask you a question with more relevancy.

Jon, what do you think about the price of fish in Palestine?

Jon - I agree. Bivens needs to do more to include Wie. If she continues to try to enforce the arbitrary 6 event rule, Bivens will bite the dust. Wie is the LPGA meal ticket for the next decade. The LPGA needs Wie more than Wie needs them. The 6 event rule is a power-play designed to force women golfers into a highly restrictive contratual obligations that are grossly lopsided in favor of the LPGA. The Wie camp will continue to stick to their guns, and if Bivens doesn't change the rule, the sponsors and tourny directors will have her canned.

Ghet UnRheel,

Where did you get the idea that I might have a 12 handicap? Last year mine was 14.

That's my GOLF handicap. Your handicap is probably more educational;

When you have to resort to sucking up to a dim bulb like Jon, you must be grasping at straws.

Its Friiday... time for Alex tell us how "bright" he is again. Is he trying to convince us or himself?

Hi Ghet. Nice to hear from you. My point is that it is a win-win situation for both the LPGA and Wie to increase the max number of events Wie could play. The LPGA is the best tour for Wie to hone her skills and the LPGA could use the exposure and the fan interest Wie brings. It is not about petty pride (the LPGA), but is about a sound and strategic business decision. You even have a good rationale for doing it and not be seen as catering to the Wie camp: modernizing the antiquated rules of golf concerning the exemption to keep up with the changing circumstances, just as you modernize the old golf courses. See ya all much much later, lol.

Ghet,

After reading your last two posts, I have a serious suggestion for you.

Try editing you drivel before you post it.

Either that or don't drink so heavily before you start composing.

Folks

We have a new comedy routine which should make it to MTV any day now.

Step aside Alphonse and Gaston, Laurel and Hardy, Rowan and Martin, and Abbott and Costello.

Let's hear it for "Jon and Ghet Rheel."!

Alex is back in his tiresome "school marm" mode... correcting others' typos (though he certainly makes his fair share). I wonder if he gets all gussied up for the occasion - you know, some sort of "church lady" outfit.

By the way Jon, thanks for making the only constructive comment on this string.

Ghet SurRheel,

You mean to say that you understand Jon's posts?

I didn't go to "slip and fall" school, so I can't decipher them.

At times, even yours are unintelligible.

But keep trying.

Hey Ghet, old pal'

Who said anything about your numerous typographical errors? As you say, we all have many of them.

No Ghet, what makes your posts seem like you've been on an all night jag is your incessant butt-kissing of all things connected to Bubbles and her greedy stage parents.

She's a star. You're a nobody. Deal with it.

Bubbles is a star? A STAR?

Let's analyze that assertion.

Bubbles never won a US Junior title or a US Amateur title.

She has been a professional for more than a year and has not won a tournament. In her last two events on the LPGA tour, she failed to break par even once.

She has never made a cut on the PGA or European PGA tours despite receiving numerous exemptions to compete. She couldn't even make the cut in a short field at the Casio in Japan, shooting two rounds over 80. She also missed cuts on the Hooter's and Nationwide tours, both secondary circuits.

But if you, as a Wie-wee extraordinaire, want to think of your sweetheart as a "star", it's all right with me.

I can remember not long ago, when a golfer had to win a few tournaments at least to be considered a star. Wie-wee's apparently have much lower standards.

She's still a star. You're still a nobody. But keep checking.

Ghet,

Well, if Bubbles is a star, I guess that I'm one too.

I've never won any golf tournaments, either.

And I've already gotten my bachelor's and master's degrees.

It's just great to be a nobody and a star.

Sorry Charlie... She's the star. You're the nobody. Drives ya crazy, doesn't it.

Ghet,

What is your main criterion for stardom? Long earrings? A limited vocabulary? The ability to garner straight "A'S" while missing four weeks of school in a semester? A large bank account so your stage father can quit his job? What?

No, Ghet, nothing drives me crazy. I'm quite satisfied and happy being a happily married husband, father , and grandfather, and also a successful professional in my chosen field, an honorably discharged Marine Corps veteran, and a political conservative.

And I never needed an agent, a lot of hype, or a gang of bootlickers to do it.

How about you?

She's still the star. You're still the the nobody. Keep spinnin' though, its fun to watch.

Ghet SurRheel,

It looks like you're out of material.

What is your take on the Golf Channel's description of Bubbles' latest exemption?

The GC calls it "Michelle's quest to make the cut."

Quest!

Even the Wie-wee's like you on this board will have a tough time topping that bit of hyperbole.

Stars get Star-Treatment. Did they give YOU an exemption? (there may be a clue there for you)

Alex,

TGC is like the promotional arm of all the different golf tours.

I can't wait for the days when The Shopping Channel buys CNN and then expand their lifestyle reporting.

Bubbles has a QUEST to accomplish what for a pro golfer is the bare minimum.

Tune in to the Golf Channel and watch Bubbles' historic quest for mediocrity!

You got to love it.

Alex. Are you saying Annika has yet to achieve the bare minimum for a pro golfer?

Of all the blogs here, I derive the most pleasure reading Ghet Rheel's. They are so utterly stupid.

apollo,

Take it easy on Ghet Rheel -- his two brain cells don't get along.

Jim C,

A bare minimum for a PGA pro is making the cut in a tournament.

This thread is about that subject, among others.

Annika has not made a cut in a PGA event, and thank goodness she has the sense not to continue trying.

Bubbles' publicity machine has thrown out the bait that she is not 100%. Sore wrist. Sure.

Watch out for another withdrawal.

Apollo,

You had better watch yourself.

Ghet SurRheel has you on his watchlist. He just might report you to the Internet Thought Police. He may believe you are a new member of the
"Astroturf Conspiracy."

Hey Apollo... Alex's are stupid times infinity... and so's your mom.

I'm an Intellectual !

Alex

Making a PGA cut is a little like finishing in the top half of the class--at Harvard. For a PGA player it is the minimum to finish in the money, but it is certainly not a BARE minimum. If roughly half of a very competitive filed fail to make the grade, it really is not just a bare minimum achievement.

Jim C,

It is not my intention to split hairs with you or engage in a debate over semantics.

But PGA touring players are PROFESSIONALS, and as such their livelihoods and that of their families rely on their play on the tour.

If a PGA golfer enters a tournament, makes the cut, and finishes at the bottom of those over the cut line, he earns the BARE minimum of those made the cut. He pays his expenses for the week and has a little left for travel and expenses for the next week.

If he misses the cut, he receives nothing at all in the way of compensation; he achieves nothing.

In your opinion what then is a "bare minimum achievement?"

Missing a cut is not a "achievement" at all.

Bubbles has just achieved the bare minimum.

78 in the first round of the Sony.

But hey, she's only 15 shots off the lead.

If she shoots a mere 63 tomorrow, she might make the cut.

To JIM C, that would be a monumental accomplishment.