Ryder Cup can wait for Michelle Wie at LPGA Tour Qualifying

Following her final round at the LPGA Tour sectional qualifying tournament in Rancho Mirage, Ca., Michelle Wie made a comment that truly encapsulated how many feel about the 18 year old:

“When I came the first time [this week], I didn’t know where anything was because I was so used to everything being here by the grandstands,” said Wie.

With a career that saw her burst onto the international scene as a young teen, Wie has been playing at big tournaments for years now. But after a strong professional start that saw her put up strong scores and high finishes at several majors, her game began to falter, ultimately collapsing - mainly due to her over-the-top attempts to compete against men.

Because while many saw her statements that she wanted to someday play in the Masters and on the U.S. Ryder Cup team as youthful exuberance, the Wie camp apparently saw those aspirations as a career path meant to be accomplished as soon as humanly possible. Unsurprisingly, her once brilliant game shattered.

But now Wie is doing something the hard way. She has taken the next step toward earning her LPGA Tour card, finishing fourth at the qualifying tournament and earning a spot at the LPGA’s final qualifying tournament in Florida in December.

For Wie, earning her LPGA Tour card is paramount to her career. And right now, her game and mindset appear to be coming back. So the Ryder Cup and the Masters can wait. Michelle Wie has some real work to finish up.

–WKW