Michelle Wie is the No. 3 women's golfer? Oh, please
Fans of women’s golf, the mystery is over. Those long, lonely nights of worrying about who is the best female golfer are over. For the fairer sex, Annika Sorenstam is the best there is.
At least that’s according to the first Rolex “Hey, Let’s Authenticate Michelle Wie With Ridiculously High” Rankings. Paula Creamer is the pick for the No. 2 female golfer in the rankings, which reportedly use many of the same ranking criteria as does Tiger Beat Magazine when it chooses its “Dreamiest Guys Alive” rankings.
At very least, Creamer had a great season in 2005, finishing second on the money list and winning four times. Michelle Wie, who has six glittering top-10 finishes in her career, is ranked No. 3. Yes, in the world.
Now, I’m sure there are a few Wie fans that will gladly argue that their charge should actually be ranked ahead of Annika. They’re crazy like that, that’s how they roll.
Here on Earth, however, I can’t even begin to express my dismay. Michelle Wie is the No. 3 women’s golfer in the world? This is getting too much for me. I’m starting to feel dirty. Like a drug pusher ("C’mon, just watch Wie play once. It’s free this time. Look at that swing, huh? She’s the best, right? Right? Want some more Wie, now?")
Maybe this will all make more sense after Rolex introduces it’s new Michelle Wie line of ladies watches. Until then, however, it feels way too much like the LPGA and the Wie marketing machine are forcing me to accept Michelle Wie as something she isn’t yet – one of the top women’s golfers in the world.
–WKW
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126 comments
And Morgan Pressel isn't even on the list yet. Wait til the Bovine droppings hit the rotating device over that....
This is gonna be very interesting to see all the crying from both camps.
Fun, fun, fun.
Damn it must be good for reporters and bloggers to have an instantaneous subject to get their stories noticed.
The controversial element is going to be the minimum number of events averaged. For the GNWGR, the minimum number of events over the last two years (the smallest possible divisor) is 40. For the Women's World Golf Rankings (WWGR) it is only 15. Since Michelle has played that minimum number, she is averaged across events she has played, instead of adding 25 fictious events at which she did not make the cut (dividing by 40 to get her average).
That is where fans of Lorena Ochoa, Karrie Webb, etc. have some basis for crying foul. (Paula Creamer fans will most likely stay silent as Paula benefitted as well, she would likely drop out of the top 10 with a 40 tournament minimum).
Who selecte this minimum number? I don't know for certain, but I believe that both the LPGA and the PGA had a hand in it. I expect they had their reasons, and I expect the Sporting Press will inquire of them what those reasons were.
William thinks some fans may think that Wie should be ahead of Annika. I don't actually think there is anyone who believes this but the rankings as they stand are very fair indeed.
What is the problem?
Annika is obviously the number 1 golfer and as the points show, she is way ahead of her nearest rival.
In fact she has a similar position to that of Tiger in the mens game and her dominance is similar to his, so that proves just how fair it is.
Creamer is at number 2 and Wie at 3. People can argue all they like about who should be ahead of the other but the fact is it is a pretty close run thing, as is reflected in the rankings.
The rankings are based on a system of awarding points for each tournament, based on the quality of the fields.
That is the same as the mens and is perfectly fair. It is not some ad hoc approach or voting appraoch as William suggests, but is based on real performances.
So William, can you please enlighten us as and give us some specific names of players that you think should be ahead of Wie on that list.
I would like to raise another issue. Is it really true that the Japanese ladies are stronger than the Koreans?
I have no problem whatsoever with the rankings--
Its a point system ,and that's how the rankings played out.
Michelle had some quality finishes which helped her...
Grow up and live with it.
Men are cattier than women I swear...
If the rankings were designed to divide by a minimum of 40, Paula Creamer would still be number two. Michelle Wie would only drop to 14. Indeed Rosie Jones at 16 has played 40 events and has fewer total points than Michelle Wie.
"The Rolex Rankings make nationality, tour membership and amateur or professional status virtually invisible, providing a definitive answer to the question, 'Who are the best women golfers in the world?'" LPGA Tour Commissioner Carolyn Bivens told AP.
If Carolyn is happy with the method I am happy Wolfie.
Professionals and amateurs alike can appear in the women's world ranking because anyone can earn points by competing in official events on the LPGA, European, Japan, Korean and Australian women's tours, along with the developmental Futures Tour in the United States.
And while the men have a minimum divisor of 40 tournaments over two years, the women's divisor is only 15 which in part explains how Wie, who has played in a limited No of tournaments on sponsors invitations, can be so high up on the list, never having won.
During this period she (Michelle) has teed off in 15 events on the LPGA Tour and has secured six top-10 finishes - three of them in the majors.
She was 4th in the Kraft Nabisco Championship in 2004, was 2nd last year at the LPGA Championship and tied for 3rd at the Women's British Open shortly afterwards.
"I would like to raise another issue. Is it really true that the Japanese ladies are stronger than the Koreans?"
I guess not Jim, that is pure Korean blood that flows thru Michelle's veins. Her first language learned was Hangul (Korean).
This just recognizes when golfers tee it up at the top rated events and finish high in the order they are given credit for their efforts when credit is due.
For all the detractors who have posted derogatory comments about Michelle I only have one thing to say;
Kay Siki Mugga
I don't think any of the most ardent Wie supporters believe that Michelle should be ahead of Sorenstam...
William--I'm sure you read the AP report on the rankings...
Creamer played in 35 tournaments to Michelle's 15 tournaments.
Even though Michelle hasn't won, she had very high finishes. Her lowest finish in her 15 tournaments was 23rd at the Women's Open.
Even with Creamer's wins she had numerous low finishes that hurt her point total and 2 of her 4 wins were not LPGA tournaments.
Creamer has never finished higher than 3rd in an LPGA major which also hurt her score.
So Chill Out William, there's no conspiracy that's just how the rankings are calculated. I just hope you don't let your bias against Michelle cloud your judgment-(although it looks like it alredy has)
I don't think any of the most ardent Wie supporters believe that Michelle should be ahead of Sorenstam..."
You're so right Brianna, Annika is the "Queen" of womens' golf. Unfortunately there are many new Maids'in Waiting who are trying to "dethrone" her while she is out of the castle skiing.
The LPGA fact sheet says that a new player can be ranked with 8 events. Morgan Pressel SHOULD be ranked and isn't. Where depends on the math.
This system is full of holes. The math is the math, but the underlying assumptions are suspect to say the least.
one last thing I didn't see Morgan Pressel on this list, if Michelle is 3, shouldn't that at least put her in the top 10, after all they have won the same number of titles.
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You were doing so well earlier in your comment where you were pointing out how finishes help.
Pressel obviously didn't do as well as Wie, but yes she will be up there as soon as she gets to 15 events in the 2 year period. Number 10 is a fairly good guess and a pretty accurate estimate of where she is at. Wie could be number 2 soon & what will William have to say then?
The Facts:
- her 15 events are due to end if on May 9th, because that is when she played the Mitchelob in 2004.
But:
who's to say she won't play another womens event before then. It doesn't even need to be an lpga event.
Also, she has confirmed only the Fields and the Nabisco. Nothing else has been confirmed on her lpga schedule, so we don't know when she will play.
Her 8 events are likely to be:
- The 4 majors.
- The Fields Open.
- Samsung.
That leaves just 2 more openings.
It is stated that the world rankings "will determine the field for the HSBC Women's World Match Play Championship and the Women's World Cup of Golf".
If she plays these two events, are these counted in her exemptions or are they not counted since she would have qualified for them?
Perhaps this is the lpga's way of getting her into these events, without giving her more exemptions!
Anyway, as I stated, we don't know when or where she is going to play and I have a feeling that she will play if it is necessary to hold her ranking.
I guess not Jim, that is pure Korean blood that flows thru Michelle's veins. Her first language learned was Hangul (Korean).
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Firstly are you sure that Korean is her first language?
I don't believe it is, because Grace Park said that Michelle speaks in broken Korean and that is speaks it with an accent.
Also an article stated before that Michelle was tried to learn the Korean language.
As regards the Korean blood thing, sorry but I think we all just have human blood, there is no such thing as Korean blood and she would be none the lesser if she received a blood transfusion from an Australian guy.
I understand your sentiment, about thinking Korea is great and stuff, but I think there are great people and complete idiots in every country no matter where it is.
That applies for Korea as it does anywhere else.
1 Sorenstam 67.87
2 Wie 68.72
3 Creamer 69.56
4 Pressel 69.63
5 Kerr 69.78
Wie is 2nd and halfway between Creamer and Sorenstam. This seems to validate the Rolex results. I assume Wie does better in the Sagarin because it only includes events from the last year.
- "that is speaks it with an accent" should be "that she speaks it with".
- "Michelle was tried to learn the Korean language" should be "Michelle was trying to learn the Korean language".
An edit button would be nice, even if you were only allowed to edit for a short time only.
The LPGA fact sheet says that a new player can be ranked with 8 events. Morgan Pressel SHOULD be ranked and isn't. Where depends on the math.
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John a new player is ranked when they play 8 events in the last year.
Julieta Granada probably did this, I'm guessing that is why she is on the list.
Pressel has only played 7 events. Hmm, but she she played the SBS, which would make it 8 events in the last 12 months.
So why isn't she on it.
Okay, it is confusing actually.
In a strange way, I can assure you that the first language she ever learned would be Korean. As a fellow Korean living in the States, the way new born Korean babies learn the language is that up until they went to preschool, they mostly and often only speak Korean. But as soon as they went to preschool and start to mingle with other kid, they learn English pretty much as a second language. But they pick up so fast and so good like all babies do. By the time, they grow up and become a teenager, English is pretty much their native tongue.
One side note is that most Korean kids don't want to speak Korean once they start using English in preschool. Some downright refused to speak Korean even to his or her parents. (I guess they don't want to be looked as different in front of other kids) But most of them communicate with their parents with Korean. But the level of Korean language they developed didn't go much further once they got into school system.
So I can imagine Michelle would speak not so perfect Korean, although it is more than passible.
We were right all the time.
This is definitely a kick in the butt for all the Wie detractors.
Where is under par and his mate. I told you so, and this feels great.
Go Wie.
William, who said Wie was better than Annika, please find the blog that stated it?
Alan M
I think the rankings are a good idea and probably much needed in Women's Golf. But it will only work when everyone understands it. Note that I did not say agree with it, that will never happen, just understands it just as everyone understands the World Golf Rankings althhough many disagree with them.
Gordon, number 3 in the world sounds pretty good to me for a high school student, talented or not. What would you consider successful? **
How about winning an LPGA tournament?
-George
Michelle learned to speak Korean as her first language from her parents. She does have an accent when she speaks, but she has taken classes, you can tell when you listen to her diction. Her accent is much like Christina Kim's who is also is a Korean-American.
For all others: The best performances to me are the ones when a player has to adjust during a round. We all have to admit Morgan Pressel showed that determination during her final round and got herself straightened out on the back nine. She hung in and kept working on it until it came around. That is why she will do well.
Jennifer Rosales the defending champion quit after the first round after carding a high score. That is why she will never to be able to keep up with the likes of Paula, Morgan and yes Michelle because there is no quit in these gals, they hang in no matter how bad it goes.
No one is exempt from the "bad" round and personally I have had my share. What matters is if you can put it behind you and score low the next round.
George and others may think winning is the most important thing in golf, I happen to think the most important thing in a golfer is heart. If a Pro or Amateur goes out and plays their best with what they brought to the course that day, they have gained my respect. Sometimes it is just enough to make the difference and put them into a position to win.
Is this some sort of sick joke?
If you had read the postings over the last 6-9 months you would understand.
Remember that the Wie supporters are just defending Michelle in response to the avalanche of critics that post on this Blog. This posting is typical.
I along with others have posted stats on many occasions that proved Wie was worthy of the publicity and sponsors exemptions she was receiving. If you venture back I have stated that Wie would be ranked two or three if rankings were available, hence the reason for my comment.
Alan M
She probably IS the third best women's golfer, she just hasn't proven it. The only reason they use 15 tournaments rather than 40 is that's where Michele gets to #3. If they could've used 10 or 20 and gotten her to #2, they would have. No biggie. Ask her if she'd trade the ranking for one of Cristie Kerr's wins. I'd bet she'd take the W.
I've said Wie has talent, and I wish her success.
I've also argued that a legitimate way to measure success is who won the tournament. That seems to carry the greatest weight when generally analyzing how well somebody does.
I have no animus towards Michelle Wie. I don't know her. I don't know what kind of person she is. I don't know whether she is a teenage Mother Teresa or if she pulls wings off flies. And frankly, as long as Wie is playing by the rules, I couldn't care less.
My scorn -- as I've said many times -- is directed at the desperate, paranoid, touchy, and frantic Wie Warriors. They are truly maniacs, in every sense of the word. Their self-worth is completely wrapped in up the success or failure of Michelle Wie.
They are moons that orbit Michelle, are bound to her gravity, and they depend on whatever light she can provide so they can bask in it.
I pray Michelle wins soon or makes a cut. Otherwise some of these folks could go beyond merely being a case study to needing confinement for their own, and the public's, safety.
-George
She still has much to prove, that is unless you think a number 3 ranking and 0 wins is good enough for the chosen one.
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It is perfectly okay at the moment.
That is the point that so many people miss.
If she were 20 and playing a schedule of 25 lpga tournament per year, 0 wins would not be acceptable.
However, given that she plays only 8 events, it is unreasonable to expect her to have won.
For all others: The best performances to me are the ones when a player has to adjust during a round. We all have to admit Morgan Pressel showed that determination during her final round and got herself straightened out on the back nine. She hung in and kept working on it until it came around. That is why she will do well.
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Sorry, but I think you are completely wrong in what you stated.
Pressel herself stated that she was playing well, until just at the start of the back 9 she looked at the leaderboard and found out that she was just 2 shots back. She said that from then on she just could not control her swing and was messing up alot of shots.
Some people would describe that as folding. I merely think the pressure got a bit much and she didn't play her best, but that is perfectly understandable in her first tournament as an lpga professional and in her rookie year as well.
Wie was much the same at her first lpga pro tournament.
Norman, the number one Wie fan(atic) on the planet, has flatly stated that winning is secondary or maybe tertiary to giving one's best effort.
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Actually it was one-putt that said that.
I've also argued that a legitimate way to measure success is who won the tournament. That seems to carry the greatest weight when generally analyzing how well somebody does.
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Winning is indeed the best position to finish in, in any given tournament.
However the point that keeps been missed, is that when someone starts only 8 events, winning is highly unlikely.
The best anyone averaged, apart from Annika last season was 2 wins, and that was girls playing over 20 events.
George and Under Par, please correct me if I am wrong saying that you don't doubt Michelle's talent.
When I stated Pressel's first pro outing was like Michelle's, I was talking about the pressure it entailed and how they both felt the pressure a bit and didn't quite perform at their peaks.
Of course in Michelle's outing she had a runaway Annika to deal with so that is quite a big difference.
Bubbles has immense talent. I have only taken issue with two things. Firstly, the PC way in which the media have been fawning over her, buttressing her cause, and have been seeking to get the red carpet rolled out for her. Secondly, I believe that the Wies have marketed Bubbles in a very calculated and manipulative way, and I resent this.
The bias in favor of other players may well be because the last 13 weeks are weighted the heaviest. The only eligible LPGA tournament during this period was last week's SBS Open where Annika did not play. Anyone playing there will appear inflated against Annika until she gets some recent tournaments under her belt.
Lets give the rankings a month or so before making any final judgements.
Although I still am searching for the answer to why Morgan's 8 events in the last 52 weeks didn't qualify her for the rankings. Anybody seen an official explanation for that?
Your point has been well taken and I respect your opinion. I kind of agree with you more or less on your claim that "the media have been fawning over her, buttressing her cause, and have been seeking to get the red carpet rolled out for her and the Wies have marketed Bubbles in a very calculated and manipulative way."
By the way, how do you know Michelle has immense talent?
Head-to-head
P. Creamer -115 (bet 115 to win 100)
M. Wie +105 (bet 100 to win 105)
C. Kerr -125
L. Ochoa +115
To Win It All
P. Creamer +870 (bet 100 to win 870
M. Wie +1000(bet 100 to win 1000)
C. Kerr +1400
L. Ochoa +2000
M. Pressel +2500
Wow, I expect Wie's odds to go down and probably end up being favorite.
Can you name a female golfer, who you think has achieved more than what Michelle has achieved when both of them were at age 16, in golfing term? If you cannot name one, then Michelle's achievements are unprecedented.
I think many people will come up with a name or even a few but their claims will be equally challenged by others just like Wie Warrior's claim has been challenged. Why? Because each and every one uses different types of rulers to measure someone's achievement.
So until someone comes up with a ruler everyone can agree upon, don't waste your time and energy to challenge someone with your owe ruler.
If you do, enjoy your ride on a merry-go-around.
Women's World Golf Rankings might a good candidate for the ruler but it looks like it has some flaws and not everyone likes it.
How do I know Bubbles has immense talent? You may as well ask how I know that Pavarotti (sp?) has a proclivity for singing. If you know golf, all you have to do is watch her swing, witness her ball striking ability and note the shots she executes.
Now, whether or not she will live up to the promise of that talent is another matter.
I think that perhaps the women's system was fiddled to put Michelle and Paula near the top.
But anyway, the new ranking system must be given time to mature. It will surely develop naturally in time to reflect properly every woman's deserved ranking.
For example, who in the hell is Yuri Fudoh? Never heard of her. However, I know she won't be there for long, and that names such as Lorena Ochoa, Pat Hurst, Laura Davies, Grace Park, Se Ri Pak, Jennifer Rosales etc. will soon be further up the list, and the undeserving will fall down the list.
The cream always rises to the top, so they say.
It doesn't really make sense to me, but it sounds like she will be on the list soon.
it makes perfect sense.
A NEW player can get on the list if she has played 8 events in the last 52 weeks.
Because Morgan Pressel played in 2003, which was before the 2 year period, she is NOT A NEW PLAYER.
That is why she is not on the list.
As she is not a new player, she will have to wait until she has played 15 events in the last 2 years, to get on the list.
Norman, you're right. One-Putt did make that statement on THIS THREAD. But yesterday, on Shanks' blog, you had this to say in answer to george's assertion that the issue with Michelle was winning an LPGA event and making a cut on a men's tour. "The issue of an LPGA win (for Michelle) is not as important for me, as it is that she plays well." Posted by Norman at 16:39, 02/21/06
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Alex, I have repeately stated the above: that her play is the most important thing and her improvement is the most important thing.
One thing you are neglecting to mention, is that I have stated that this is FOR NOW. This is because of her age. If she were 20 or 25, sure wins would be the most important thing, as they are for Annika, but when you are a developing player, it is counterproductive to sacrifice long term gain, to get a guick fix on part of your game which may get you a quicker victory but ultimately slow your progress in the long term gain of becoming the best player you can.
Many people think she should concentrate on lpga and other womens event. I think that this would speed up her getting a win, but I think it would make a mess of the work that she is putting in to try to become a pga tour player. Short term sacrifice can bring long term gain.
Norman, I think it is reasonable for someone like George and Under Par to expect Michelle to have won because they don't doubt Michelle's talent. **
Here's my evaluation of Michelle Wie.
1. Wie is a long driver. Duh. (e.g., any tee box)
2. Wie has the putting yips. Duh (e.g., U.S. Open - 2005)
3. Wie seems to play better with little at stake.
4. Wie seems to struggle when things are on the line.
Summary. Michelle Wie appears to have the physical skills to drive the ball a great distance. Her putting is erratic, especially under pressure. Her ability to close out the rest of the field and win is a huge question mark.
Equally important, however, is my evaluation of the Wie lunatics. I have yet to see a post by any of them that has changed my mind about their need to define themselves vicariously through Michelle Wie.
-George
Why? The good news for the Wie Warriors and terrible news for shrinks is Michelle Wie is one stroke (-2) behind the leaders in the early going of this week's tournament.
The bad news for the WW's, but excellent news for the psychiatrists, is Morgan Pressel is one of those leaders (-3).
But there is more good news for the Wie lunatics: Paula Creamer is off to a slow start at +2.
We'll have to see. The psychiatrists are watching this one carefully.
-George
Yes, the Wiemen are truly ridiculous. But there's something I find more interesting; namely, the social phenomenon whereby many men feel compelled to exalt women at the expense of men.
I think there are two factors: firstly, they've been conditioned to think that this is what a "good person" does. Secondly, I think that many of these characters are members of the rubber suit crowd, if you know what I mean.
Just an update from the Fields Open
Michelle Wie is 2nd - 5
Morgan Pressel is 15th -2
Paula Creamer is 48th + 1
Leader is at -6
Pressel rallied in the last 8 holes and is now tied for third with Michelle Wie at -5
Looks like Michelle, and Morgan will be paired together tomorrow!
I hope Michelle watches her back, you never know with Morgan....
Creamer didn't bring it at all --she's tied for 53rd at + 1
If she keeps going like she's going, Michelle will overtake her in the rankings..
George/Under Par, if you are so uninterested in Wie, who do you continue to post messages about her? Why don't you try actually rooting FOR someone.
That's right Paul...my bad...
Lorena Ochoa took over the lead at -8
Michelle and Morgan are still tied for 3rd at -5
Creamer is now in 54th place....hope Chris Baldie doesn't know this
Quit acting like a wuss--you're an embarassment to mankind. You're the one acting like a catty little girl.
No one here is attacking Creamer, people are just reporting the scores.
She did badly today and people are free to comment on her performance--Why do you have your panties in a bunch over nothing??
What the heck are you talking about ??
No one has attacked Creamer here.
Wie haters are a paranoid insecure bunch.
"It’s been misprinted why I’m not on there. People think it’s because I don’t have enough events. You need 8 events, and I have 8 events. Last week was my 8th in the last 52 weeks. The reason why I’m not ranked is because I played the US Open in 2003, that was before the two year mark, before rankings were considered. My grandpa and Sherry met with Chris Higgs with the LPGA who helped to create it, and calculated that I would be ranked fifth if that Open wasn’t counted."
So Norman, you had it exactly right with this comment:
"A NEW player can get on the list if she has played 8 events in the last 52 weeks.
Because Morgan Pressel played in 2003, which was before the 2 year period, she is NOT A NEW PLAYER.
That is why she is not on the list."
Either that or he has sought some therapy after Paula's performance.
So how many large did you lay out on your bet Paula Shanks?
Lorena is one pissed off Hombre after choking last week and her score today says it all.
How about the grandmas getting into the mix? Now those are some names absent from leaderboard around the LPGA for quite awhile. Maybe the Inkster is trying to entice her caddie back from Michelle.
Wow--
Jack--a**
Your mother must be so proud of you calling another woman a b****
I think your post above says a whole heck alot about what kind of man you are and how you were raised.
My post towards you was pretty tame and you're going to call me outside my name. You're a loser.
Don't take it out on me that you've been beat up by women your whole life.
If you "couldn't care less about Paula, Morgan or Michelle" then WHY ARE YOU POSTING HERE??
GET A LIFE and some BALLS while you're at it.
Jack--
I know you hated to take some time off sodomizing sheep to post here,
but you're a sad sad man.
You say you don't care about whats being discussed here then
WHY ARE YOU HERE?
What's the big deal about posting scores---and that wasn't even ME-- that was another guy named KYLE!
Chill out --why are you taking it so personally that Creamer did badly yesterday-- are you some kind of crazy obsessed loser ?
John Z--
Jack was the one who over reacted over somone posting the scores...
By the way I don't think calling someone a b**** is an
"innocuous remark"
I go on this board a lot and I've seen a lot of the
Michelle Wie haters go "batsh** crazy" as well.
So there's guilty parties on both sides.
I checked out the posting of the scores above--
there was no rooting for or against players -
it was just scores.
I go on sports blogs all the time and that's just what people do report on scores
I don't understand what the big deal is.
Geesh---
People think its OK to say awful things about Michelle Wie and when people defend her its those crazy Wie fans.
Someone just posts the Round One results and the
Creamer fans go "bats*** crazy"
Nothing bad was said about her other than "Creamer didn't bring it" which she obviously did not.
Wie haters can obviously dish it out but can't take it.
She needs to dump that guy so she will stop swinging like Charles Barkley. Her swing was much smoother last season and more on plane.
They enjoy sitting around in their wife beater shirts sucking on a beer, all while they pick on little girls via the internet.
It in fact would be more correct for me to label you and your fellow Wie haters as child abusers, rather than wife beaters. Picking on defenseless little girls, you all ought to be ashamed of yourselves.
I'm sure Michelle would need some intense therapy if she ever found out such vicious and impolite things were being said about her.
Does that give you a hint as to why Madison Avenue is telling their Big Dollar accounts to grab a piece of this action while they can still get in cheap?
Buy a star, buy a tournament if you can afford it, catch the wave before it hits the shore.
Having chased the little white ball for a few years myself now, I enjoy watching any golfer who performs well and respect the effort they put into their game.
She can yank one into the trees and still pull off a shot that settles in tight to the pin. It is really a sight to behold when you see her play in person. Her distance control is spot on.
The new Chicks are bringing some excitement to the game and causing the latest buzz. Annika is the one ruling the roost for a few more years and adding hardware to her collection.
Oh, and on top of all of this, your're a no-good journalist. Maybe you should just go be fat and ugly again. Oh, did I say go back? My bad.
And one more thing, SUCK IT!
Brad Pape--14 year old...yeah, only 2 years younger than michelle, let the bashing begin!
Michelle Wie may not be the World's #3 Lady Golfer...but no viable candidate for that slot finished ahead of her at the Fields, and every viable candidate for #3 was there.
Along with #2, who also finished behind her.
So, if she's not #3, she sure is making it hard for anyone to prove the contrary at this point.
If Michelle was an LPGA member--this 3rd place finish puts her 4th on the money list with $72,500
Morgan is 7th with $33,000
and Paula Creamer would be 13th with $13,000
I'm glad Christie Kerr finished well behind Wie she was yapping like an old hag over Michelle's #3 ranking.
It's amusing to read the comments by the Wiemen regarding what they figure -- using their misfiring neurons -- it will take to silence us. Don't they know? With the expectations they've set for her, she'll have to win virtually all the LPGA events she plays and contend for wins in PGA events. After all, Bubbles isn't just another young female golf prodigy who is set to take the LPGA by storm; nay, she's the woman who is going to rewrite the rules and turn the world on its head by showing all those declining male athletes a thing or two.
Something tells me we'll be able to wax critical with great loquacity for quite some time.
Yes, she did perform well in the final round. I think you and I are of one mind in that we understand she is highly gifted, we just . . . well, I don't need to explain it.
By the way, Alex, in keeping with our new enlightened mind-set -- the one we spoke of a while back -- I have to ask a question. Don't you think it's now reasonable to predict that Meena Lee will be contending in PGA events in a few years? She could be one of the new age women David was speaking of in that recent piece of a piece of his.
Your analysis is spot-on. However, I still think we should lobby sponsors to give Meena Lee exemptions into PGA events. Winning an event on the great LPGA Tour must carry tremendous weight; why, no man has ever done it! I challenge any poster to name one man who has even come close to winning a title on that tour.
She could have been mistaken for the bear.
Women's golf is boring. period.
Yes, they are good. Yes, they go out everyday and make a living at it. And No, it's not easy to be a professional womens golf player.
But the truth is... it's boring.
Tiger Woods took men's golf and made it a topic for everyday conversation. Golf became cool. Golf became interesting. And the PGA benefited with sponsors and ticket sales. Money money money...
The LPGA needs Michelle Wie to do the same for women professional golf.
Yes, Michelle Wie is talented. But more importantly, she looks like a model. She's can play golf and she's incredibly beautiful. If talent was all that matters then Annika Sorenstam would be drawing the most crowds and media attention.
The LPGA has rolled out the red carpet and is doing whatever it can to cater to Michelle Wie's every fancy (and ego). Michelle Wie is an investment, and the LPGA hopes she will be the Tiger Woods of women's golf. She is already drawing sponsors and ticket sales. Money money money...
#2 in the world???
Why did the designers of the Rolex world rankings choose 15 as the minimum amount of tournaments to play when the average of all LPGA players is 34? Double the minimum. I'm sure it had nothing to do with the fact that it was exactly the number of tournaments Michelle Wie had entered at the introduction of the ranking system.
318 players enterd 30+ events. Twice the minimum of 15.
21 players entered 60+ events! Four times the minimum of 15!
Quanlity vs. Quantity
The Rolex world rankings takes the AVERAGE of tournaments entered.
When determining average, ideally, you would want to divide the highest possible number into the lowest possible number to produce the best results.
So logically, to attain a high ranking, a player would only have to produce only 15 good results within 2 years.
All a player would need to do is focus entirely on 8 golf courses where known LPGA events are held. That's 8 courses in 1 year! You can effectivly remove the uncertainty of traveling around the world to unfamiliar golf courses.
Why not? It's what the good folks at Rolex decided.
Of course Michelle Wie did well at the Fields open. She practices there. She should have won.
I'd like to see the Rolex world ranking compared next to top prize money winners.
Wouldn't that be interesting. :)
I don't see how she gets any advantage with the Rolex ratings by playing fewer events. The ratings are an average.
http://golf.about.com/b/a/2006_03_02.htm
• Annika Sorenstam: Sorenstam leads Wie 13-3-1, the only player Golfweek looked at who has a winning record against Wie. However, Wie leads 2-1-1 over their past four common events.
• Paula Creamer: Wie leads 9-3-1
• Christie Kerr: Wie leads 11-10-1
• Juli Inkster: Wie leads 11-7
• Natalie Gulbis: Wie leads 13-8
• Morgan Pressel: Wie leads 3-1
• Yuri Fudoh: Wie leads 4-1
• Grace Park: Tied 10-10-1 (but since 2004, Wie leads 9-6-1)
• Jeong Jang: Wie leads 13-10 (since 2004, Wie's lead is 11-5)
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