Tim McDonald: Wie makes the cut! Wie makes the cut!

Golf News for Friday, May 5, 2006 | Daily Golf Blogs

Tim McDonald: Wie makes the cut! Wie makes the cut!

Did you hear that huge, collective sigh of relief early this morning? It seemed to be coming in the general direction of South Korea.

Michelle Wie made her first cut at at a men's tournament, after eight tries. Granted, it wasn't exactly the Masters, but this is a big, big first step on her inexorable march to the Hall of Fame, which Nike and Wie lovers everywhere assure us is only a matter of time.

Wie is the second woman to make the cut at a men's tournament in South Korea, Se Ri Pak doing it in a less prestigious tournament in 2003. No woman has made the cut on a PGA Tour men's event since Babe Zaharias in 1945.

This, of course, will set off further heated arguments between the pro- and anti-Wie camps. "She can play with the men, you dolts!" the Wie Warriors will scream. "She still hasn't won anything, you idiots," her critics will yell.

What does it all mean? Who can put it in perspective?

Let me try: Wie is an extraordinarily talented young golfer, who may very well be headed for dominance on the LPGA. But, her goal of challenging the men on the PGA Tour and making it into the top-10 will never happen.

Don't get me wrong, it's great she has such a lofty goal, but she's only setting herself up for disappointment. Her goal should be to be as good, or better, than Annika Sorenstam, probably the best female golfer ever. Even that goal is iffy, but at least it's attainable.