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Wie have an accomplishment

Sunday December 7, 2008 | 03:44:59 pm 199 words, 6894 views  

Few professional athletes have dealt with as many as up and downs before the age of 20 than Michelle Wie. But now, the young woman that has created so much positive and negative attention over the past several years has something she never really had before - an accomplishment.

Yes, in 2009, Michelle Wie will play on the LPGA Tour. Because she earned it.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Michelle Wie has earned a spot on the LPGA Tour.

The 19-year-old from Hawaii overcame a miserable start Sunday with a safe finish for a 2-over 74 that had her comfortably among the top 20 at the LPGA qualifying tournament.

Wie has been playing mostly on sponsor exemptions for the last seven years, when she became a sensation for her youth and power, and her unsuccessful quest to compete against the men.

Wie tied for seventh and now takes her place as part of the 2009 rookie class, along with Q-school medalist Stacy Lewis, who birdied the last two holes for a 3-under 69 for a three-shot victory at LPGA International in Daytona Beach.

So congrats to Wie for her achievement. And here’s to all you Wie Warriors out there. Now you have something to crow about, finally.

–WKW

Permalink 19 comments

Comments, Pingbacks:

Comment from: putt4par [Visitor]
William, there is one thing that will remain a constant.
Regardless of what Wie does, there will be a boatlaod of folks that will b*tch.
PermalinkPermalink 12/07/08 @ 17:09
Comment from: JR [Visitor]
...and even when she does something on the course that does not merit anything special, there will be those that will portray it as greatness...
PermalinkPermalink 12/07/08 @ 18:29
Comment from: putt4par [Visitor]
And those that will knock anything she does. Sound familiar?
PermalinkPermalink 12/07/08 @ 21:56
Comment from: Joe Cool [Visitor]
Congratulations to Miss Wie for getting her card. First thing Michelle, call Tiger and have him show you how to make those 4 to 6 foot putts. You have had trouble with that distance for the past six years. Good luck in 2009.
PermalinkPermalink 12/07/08 @ 23:02
Comment from: Joe Cool [Visitor]
Wolfman,
It is interesting that for many years the World Golf writers have cut Michelle to pieces. Now, when she has obtain her LPGA card, the typewriters are silent except for you. What happened to McDonald, Baldwin, Wong etc.? Yeah, I thought so.
PermalinkPermalink 12/07/08 @ 23:09
Comment from: Dave [Visitor]
Joe Cool, calm down. Even Wie's harshest critic would not deny that she has, and has always had, the potential to legitimately earn her LPGA Card.

But what's to write about? She finished seventh place - one article would've sufficed to cover this story. A possible headline would be, 'Wie finally decides to stop fannying around with her life, earns LPGA Card.'
PermalinkPermalink 12/08/08 @ 14:24
Comment from: Joe Cool [Visitor]
Okay Dave...the only thing I have been reading since Michelle got her card are all the negative comments about her past performances. Talking about beating a dead horse! Jesus, give the girl a break! Let us move on to 2009 and forget what she did or didn't do the past seven years!
PermalinkPermalink 12/08/08 @ 16:34
Comment from: Jim C [Visitor]
Dave. Wie is only 19, just one year over the minimum age for LPGA membership. In 2006 she earned enough to be a member for 2007--but she woudn't turn 18 until the LPGA seaon was almost over. She could have gone to Q School in 2007, but she was hurt.

Annika must have really been fannying around with her life because she was a lot older when she went to Q School and earned her card. Oh excuse me, I mean when she went to Q School and screwed up so badly that she didn't earn her card, finishing outside the top 25 and only getting non-exempt membership.
PermalinkPermalink 12/08/08 @ 20:38
Comment from: steve [Visitor]
Watching this girl play I can tell you that she should really enjoy her press while she can get it.
PermalinkPermalink 12/09/08 @ 00:47
Comment from: Stacy [Visitor] · http://www.worldgolf.com/blogs/golf-for-beginners
I cannot wait to see all of the press and increased revenue the LPGA will enjoy now as a result of Michelle Wie earning her Tour card!

Congrats to Wie for going down the right path!
PermalinkPermalink 12/09/08 @ 09:12
Comment from: Joe Cool [Visitor]
For those who have never appreciated Miss Wie's length off the tee...only 1% of amateur male golfers can hit the golf ball 300 yards!
PermalinkPermalink 12/09/08 @ 13:02
Comment from: Joe Cool [Visitor]
From the very beginning Stacy Lewis' mindset was "I am here to win the golf tournament." I hope in 2009 Michelle has the same attitude and not "I am here to have fun." The competition is going to be very tough and the Korean players are not going to dominate like they have in the past. I am concerned when Michelle says that college is her number one priority and golf is golf. The 4 to 6 foot putts are still her nemesis and hopefully she will improve next year.
PermalinkPermalink 12/09/08 @ 13:13
Comment from: smudge [Visitor]
Joe, when was the last time MW hit the fairway with a 300 yard drive? I can hit the ball a mile in the wrong direction. It is true MW has an "accomplishment" but the Warriors should take their own advice they provide to her critics, lets see if she can make anything of it in 2009. She's had oodles of opportunities in the past to provie ait and fell woefully short. In fact, look at the QSchool "accomplishment". She was one back heading into the final round, poised to win. What did she do? Shot over par and finished 7th. I'd say she still has a long way to go.
PermalinkPermalink 12/09/08 @ 15:56
Comment from: Judge Smails [Visitor]
"For those who have never appreciated Miss Wie's length off the tee...only 1% of amateur male golfers can hit the golf ball 300 yards!"

Joe, and zero percent of Michelle Wies can.
PermalinkPermalink 12/09/08 @ 16:16
Comment from: Joe Cool [Visitor]
Judge,
I can hit it 300 yards with two shots!
Smudge,
Good post. MW monkey on her back are the 4 to 6 foot putts she has to make under pressure. It seems her mental game has stagnated at age 13. If she doesn't plan on playing competitive golf until March, she is going to be at a great disadvantage once again with the LPGA pros. By that time, some of the gals will have played at least 10 tournaments. Consistency will be one of the problems, besides putting, that she will have to overcome. I do not understand the rush to get her college degree except for the fact that college is her number one priority. I am sure that Nike, Sony and Omega love hearing that.
PermalinkPermalink 12/09/08 @ 21:12
Comment from: Peter Robert Casey [Visitor] · http://www.peterrobertcasey.com
Hello there,
I am Peter Robert Casey and I am a basketball columnist. I have initiated an idea to create a sports blogroll where bloggers from all sports disciplines could participate. All you need to do is to add my blog link to your blog and i'll do the same. That way, we could have a mutual partnership and we could refer visitors to each other's blog.
Please let me know if you would be interested.

Your's in Hoops,
Peter Robert Casey
http://www.peterrobertcasey.com
PermalinkPermalink 12/10/08 @ 09:07
Comment from: Jim C [Visitor]
William

If you really beieve that Michelle Wie has never accomplished anything until last week when she tied for 7th at Q School, why didn't you wite about one of the 6 players who finished ahead of her instead? If nothing she did until last week can be considered an accomplishment, then I say what she did last week wasn;t an accomplishment either.
PermalinkPermalink 12/10/08 @ 14:27
Comment from: Alex [Visitor]
Jim C,

I'm glad to see that Bubbles' monumental T7th at "Q" school has brought you out of your self-imposed exile.

And , true to form as the quintessential Wiebot, you somehow can see how Bubbles T7th, puts her in a more favorable light than Annika, who has won 72 LPGA tournaments.

How many LPGA winners' trophies does Bubbles have in her case, again?

In fact Jimbo, when was the last time that Bubbles had a top five finish in any tournament anywhere?

Alex USMC 1969-73
PermalinkPermalink 12/14/08 @ 12:34
Comment from: Joe Cool [Visitor]
Wolf,
I understand that the Golf Channel signed a ten year contract with the LPGA. I hope you have tivo capabilities because today one hour out of two were commercials.

It is good to see Michelle back, however, I do not understand her strategy on the 511 yard par five by hitting three wood, eight iron layup, then pitching wedge to 20 feet. The good news is she made the putt for a birdie. Who is telling her to play conservative and do not make any mistakes?..B.J., is that you behind the palm tree?
PermalinkPermalink 02/12/09 @ 20:53

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William K. Wolfrum William K. Wolfrum

a WorldGolf.com Blog

WorldGolf.com's William K. Wolfrum blogs about everything in the world of golf and travel, including Michelle Wie, Lorena Ochoa, Tiger Woods and other PGA and LPGA headlines. Plus, he offers the humorous and obscure in news, politics and pop culture.