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What if Michelle Wie had won the LPGA Championship? Indeed, what if she were to win any official event in 2006?

Well, maybe after such a victory, the LPGA would then grant Ms. Wie regular membership. However, since the win would have been as a non-member, then Michelle would have been moved to the top tier of the non-exempt list for 2006, and then have ONLY a one-year exemption for 2007 and NOT the full exemption of three years (regular events) or five years (grand slam majors). A three or five year exemption would be given ONLY IF she were ALREADY a full-fledged member, and NOT UNTIL 2007 would she be eligible to receive full exemptions for any official wins.

Click-on here: 2006 LPGA Exemptions (Adobe PDF File)

If the LPGA used the PGA Tour's victory rules, then Michelle could, after a 2006 win, start 2007 with a full three (or five) year exemption firmly in place. As a comparing example, there are rumors that 2005 US Open Michael Campbell may agree to join the PGA Tour full-time in 2007. If he does so, he would be exempt thanks to his 2005 US Open win. Furthermore, if Campbell desires to, he could stay on the PGA Tour thru 2010, when the US Open exemption finally expires.

If the LPGA decided NOT to award membership to Ms Wie after a 2006 win, then she would start 2007 once again as a non-member, and LOSE the opportunity to use the exemption. In contrast, a non-member such as Michael Campbell could win a PGA Tour event, stay a non-member for the remainder of the current year plus the next calendar year, then join the PGA Tour afterwards - provided that the exemption period for the particular event won had not yet expired.

Thanx-A-Lot, Frank-0-Sport

If she won she would be ranked #1 in the world, be put in the hall of fame, and crowned queen golfer of the world forever......that is assuming that you go with the womans world rankings.

I think that after this year the rule will probably be revised to something like "You must have a High School Diploma in hand to gain membership."

But...she didn't win. Better put: she couldn't win. No act of God prevented her from winning. She couldn't qualify for the Open and she didn't have quite enough to win the LPGA. She came very close, as usual, that's for sure.

High school diploma is vital for pro card, I would think.

I wonder how winning will affect Michelle once she does it, and does it decisively (without someone else giving her the tournament). Will she turn into a shark, a Tiger-like aggressor? She got it all to be that kind of player. Wie?