John Sommers II/Reuters
Michelle Wie, 15, follows her drive at the United States Amateur Public Links Championship.
Posted on 07/17/2005 11:56:23 AM PDT by Pharmboy
John Sommers II/Reuters
Michelle Wie, 15, follows her drive at the United States Amateur Public Links Championship.
MICHELLE WIE is runway worthy, engaging and only 15, a girl steeped in an allure that has left Madison Avenue and golf sponsors unabashedly flirting with the teen golf wonder.
Wie is her sport's celebrity of the moment and a remarkable talent, a player equipped with a sweet golf swing that has the effortless sway of a hammock.
She also possesses the ability to slay males. Boys line up at the ropes for her autograph, men fall before her on the P.G.A. Tour, where she has played three events and missed the cut by as little as a single stroke.
In other words, she is a female golfer's worst fear, with players on the L.P.G.A. Tour asking themselves, How can we compete with her for attention?
This is not about on-course competition or even good old jealousy. This is about women wondering if their L.P.G.A. will have the scent of chopped liver if the sport's überstar one day chooses the men's P.G.A. tour over them.
Is Wie really so influential? While far from a radical teen - preferring chandelier earrings to a pierced lip - her preference for playing on the men's tour has turned her into an accidental rebel.
And by considering Tiger Woods her competition, not Annika Sorenstam, Wie has departed from pathfinders of the past.
Whether it was Billie Jean King in 1973 or Sorenstam in 2003, women have historically validated leagues of their own by making important cameo battles against men. They then returned to their female peers, using the residue of attention, respect and good will to lift the visibility of their tours.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
I have a question: when she competes with the men, does she hit off the ladies' tees, or does she have to hit off the mens'?
L
I'm pretty sure she has to hit off the same tees as the men. After all, handicaps don't matter in tournament play either, right?
Thanks guys...that's what I thought, just wanted to be sure.
she hits off of the Men's tees and is generally hitting up to as long as some of the middle men players.
I believe I heard it on ESPN (that could be wrong) this past week that at the match play tournament she was in against the college players she was one of the longer hitters on the course...
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The lesson is technique and athleticism trumps strength.
You obeyed Da Rules! :)
I'm all for it. If she plays by the same rules and succeeds, great!
In the famous words of Glenn Beck,
Whoaaaaaahhhh Yeeeaaaaaaahhhhhh
no I remember him. I think it was 1990 when he won the Senior PGA Tour Championship. Both my parents watched golf back then, Mom for the nap opportunity and Dad to watch the golf. It eventually rubbed off....
My dad is a golf fan too so I have heard about Nicklaus in the 60's and Gary Player and Tom Kite and Lee Trevino and like that....
that's Lucy Liu.....
Well, if she plays by the same rules, what could those people have to b*tch about?
Are you sure that's not Queens, NY's own Lucy Liu??
That's generally true, if you've watched long ball competition some shorter wiry types are competitive but the guys that really bang it are usually taller guys (well over 6') that can wind up tight then launch ... using technique and strength.
Oh well ...
The previous aforeclaimed exclamation is still apropos ...
LOL
wait a minute!!
that isn't Michelle Wie either!!
:)
I agree. That said, she needs to DOMINATE on the LPGA before she can be taken seriously on the PGA. During the LPGA 2004 season, she had sponsor exemptions to 7 events, making the cut in 6 of them, and ended up with (2) top 10 finishes. Very impressive for a 15 year old, but until she wins something, I don't see alot of difference between her and Anna Kournikova (who also hasn't won anything).
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