Posted on 10/16/2005 7:31:28 PM PDT by BigSkyFreeper
PALM DESERT – Michelle Wie's pro debut made her look like an amateur Sunday when she was disqualified for taking a bad drop from the bushes in the third round of the Samsung World Championship.
Talk about a rude welcome less than two weeks after turning pro.
First, Annika Sorenstam blew away the field to win by eight shots, even with a double bogey on the last hole.
Then, the 16-year-old Wie no sooner had signed for a 74 to finish fourth – $53,126 – that LPGA Tour officials took her out to the seventh hole to discuss a drop she took the day before.
Nearly two hours later, she was disqualified for signing an incorrect scorecard. Because Wie dropped the ball closer to the hole – by 3 inches according to her, by about a foot according to the rules officials – she should have added two strokes to her third-round 71.
"I learned a great lesson," Wie said, her voice choking with emotion. "From now on, I'll call a rules official no matter where it is, whether its 3 inches or 100 yards. I respect that."
Wie hit a 5-wood into a Gold Lantana bush Saturday and was barely able to find it. She told her playing partner, Grace Park, she was taking an unplayable lie, dropped away from the bush, then chipped to 15 feet and made the par. It was a critical par save, and Wie steadied herself to get within five shots of the lead.
Michael Bamberger, a reporter for Sports Illustrated, told tour officials Sunday afternoon that he was concerned about the drop. Rules officials Jim Haley and Robert O. Smith reviewed tape from NBC Sports before taking Wie and caddie Greg Johnston to the seventh green after the tournament ended Sunday.
"If I had to make the ruling based on the videotape, to me it was inconclusive," Smith said.
He had Johnston and Wie show him where the ball was in the bushes, then where they dropped. They paced it off, then used string to measure the distance and determined it to be slightly closer.
"The Rules of Golf are based on facts," Smith said. "They had to tell us where it was. The fact was, the ball was closer to the hole by 12 to 15 inches."
Wie took three unplayable lies during the tournament, all without the help of rules officials. She twice asked for help, including a favorable ruling from Haley on Friday when she asked for a free drop because of bees swarming in a desert bush on the 14th hole.
She took this drop with confidence, placing tees in the ground from where her ball was in the bush, and within two club lengths of that spot. Asked by Bamberger after the third round Saturday about her drop, Wie said she used "the triangle thing to make sure that you're not closer."
"I don't feel like I cheated," Wie said Sunday. "I was honest out there. I did what I thought was right. I was pretty confident. If I did it again, I'd still do that. It looked right to me."
Bamburger is the ultimate jerk.
Wie played great for her first LPGA tournment. She will learn these lessons early and in the end be a great player. Anna, watch out...here she comes...
Maybe, but I can't argue with the findings. At the very least, Golf is still guided by very objective rules and are applied fairly. Remember, a golfer can change his or her card up until they sign it.
Maybe Bamberger had an opportunity to let her know, but it's not his responsibility. Just as it's not his responsibility to notify Tour officials. I just wonder what to make of reporters becoming involved in the story, as opposed to only reporting it.
I'm still pissed about Casey What's-his-face getting The United States Supreme Court to alter the PGA rules to let him ride in a cart. The PGA did the right thing by trying to enforce its own rule, regardless of how bad it looked to outsiders and agitators. Casey What's-is-face should be ashamed of bringing his lawyers into a sporting competition.
Just modern objective journalism.
Hey, Wie has to learn the rules and play accordingly...however, she is still a first year pro and likely to make mistakes...so be it... She will have to take her lumps...
Regarding Casey, I agree... when he came out he knew the rules and crossed the line with his lawsuit!
This is obviously because she's of asian decent. It's pure racism! /sarcasm off
Keep an eye on this bamberger and see what it writes, or what sports illustrated carries, in the future about Wie.
Maybe someone else is "more profitable" (I did NOT say bribe) to the magazine than She is.
Hey, I don't think that a bent shaft had any thing to do with it...probably an extra club. What the hey...a golfer can have all "bent shafted" clubs if he likes...
And this was two days later.
Not that I am defending the jerk that called, just that the rules are pretty straight forward. Hell, there are only 34 of them.
Most pros, including the pro at the local club or muni are not the best on rules or the application of them.
Yeah. I agree. I read he "didn't know", when asked how it got bent. To me, both rulings are a bit harsh.
Could be... but when you are a professional, you should always get your ok from an official. She will learn this fairly quickly I'm sure...
She's 15 anyways, not 16 like the article says.
Right, it's not like they're more accurate than a straight-shafted club.
This may sound cruel too, but I'm glad he isn't on the Tour full time.
I would have been his biggest fan if he had of played by the rules, instead of SUING to try to change them.
If that pantload is "hounding" her with articles like this, I wouldn't be surprised if she turned down the first opportunity for a sit-down one-on-one interview with that schmuck.
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