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It's pointless to debate the PGA/LPGA, Men/Women thingie. That WILL NOT change, especially now that there seems to be a successful grand marketing appeal accompanying it. You can debate it, say that it ain't right, etc. but money talks.

As far as Michelle's future in golf.... I think she has one. The only question remaining is can she withstand the pressure, focus, and grit needed to break through, because it's not just about talent, but also patience and timing. I have seen nothing yet that would indicate that she can't.

I have talked with a few people that doesn't think she should be 'showing out" as they call it. They believe that she should stay in her own league and not stray to something she can't handle, which has been what twice now?

And of course your not going to hear a PGA Tour player say anything, how would that look to the media? This is whats wrong with the world, everyone is afraid to stand up to people, they ar more concerned with their image them other things.

If you truly feel that way, then why spend your time worrying about it? If she really can't cut it, then in time (probably less than you think ) the fans will grow tired of the act and lose interest, in which case the sponsor's exemptions go with it. If she can cut it, then obviously she isn't out of her league. Sounds to me like someone is trying to cover their tail in case she proves them wrong.

I thought "league" was Michelle's caddy? And rodney is her agent? Now I'm confused.

I only responded because it was brought up today actually about Wie trying whatever it is she's trying to prove. Came home and seen this post and responded. I could care less what she does, infact the only female player I watch is Annika (hey I'm a callaway fan what can I say).

leaguegolf, I don't have the statements right here in front of me, but I know I have read and seen on tv where many men on the pga have complained about women especially wie with no real credentials other then millions from nike.


Heck even that pressel girl ,...not sure of the spelling league complained this week about wie because she did not have to qualify for the us women's open like everyone else did. Doesn't matter if wie beat pressel or not, point is she should of had to qualify like everyone else.

I don't think Wie's trying to prove anything. She's too young to be an LPGA member, so she's limited to something like 6 LPGA tournaments a year. What is she supposed to do the other 46 weeks of the year? Obviously it would be a joke if she played amature events, she'd slaughter everyone by 15 shots a tourney.

What she chooses to do during her time between LPGA events is to play golf with people of her caliber or slightly better, such as the US Open qualifying round that she won outright, the Asian men's tour event that she made the cut in and finished fairly high in, or the PGA events like the Sony open where she just came up a couple shots short of making the cut.

I don't see what else you think she should do while waiting to be old enough to play the LPGA tour full time. Should she just play golf by herself?

didn't Jean Van De Velde complain about women just trying to qualify? and as a protest wanted to qualify for the women's open, wearing a dress.
when she's good enough she should try but until then stick with the few LPGA events or lower tour's, instead of trying to qualify for ''male dominated'' majors. i see no problem if she enters a male event with a chance of winning, but at the moment she probably has a 1% chance of winning any male event.
once she matures a bit i expect her to learn more.
i can't fault her for trying to qualify same as i can't fault anyone else, but all in all she isn't good enough yet.

Yes, but others are responding quite well.

I'm pretty sure that blackwater is of the view that men have their role in society and women have theirs. If this is actually his view there really isn't a point in debating it, because even if Wie were to win the Grand Slam, in the traditionally male events, he probably still wouldn't support her right to play in those events.

Yes, he is about the only one to complain on that issue. As leaguegolf said, there are plenty of men who have complained about her getting sponsors exemptions, due to taking them away from a struggling pro (which is nonsense anyway, sponsors exemptions never go to struggling pros), but Van de Velde is about the only player against the principle of women and men playing golf together.

Do you apply the same criteria to young boys. They try to qualify for majors too. A 15 year old boy actually qualified for the US Open. He didn't have any chance of winning either, but I think he would have gained good experience.
I also think the experience from Sectional would have helped Michelle alot.

There were 8,500 entrants for the US Open. How many of them were good enough. At least she has plenty of potential for improvement. There are guys of 60 and 70 years of age trying to qualify. They haven't much as much potential for improvement. That's what the US Open is about. Anyone who has the required handicap can give it a go. It is sport at it's best, in my opinion.

VJ Singh complained loud and long.

For the US Women's Open, there are various criteria for people to qualify.
The usga also has 2 special exemptions. These are not sponsors exemptions decided by sponsors. They are special exemptions, and the usga gives them to the 2 most deserving players who did not meet the other criteria.

The usga chose, Michelle Wie and Kelly Robbins.
Michelle Wie: 3rd place at +2
Kelly Robbins finished in 130th place, at +15, having shot 81, 76 and missed the cut by 7 shots.

Who deserved the exemption more? Until someone can name 2 players other than Michelle Wie who were more deserving of the Special Exemptions, then they shouldn't critise the usga for giving the exemption to her.

What criteria did the usga use?
- well the top 30 on the money list qualify automatically. If Michelle were an lpga member, she would have been well inside the top 30, despite having only played 3 events. The usga said they were using this criteria to judge her, they stated that before she played any lpga tournaments this season. She easily did enough.

Another angle to it:
- for pga majors, anyone who finishes in the top 8 of any major, is automatically invited to the other 3 majors. That is common sense. It should also be that way with lpga majors. The usga knew that it would be a joke if they did not invite someone who had been in the top5 of all the other majors.

He changed his mind though.
He was interviewed after Michelle's Sectional attempt, and he said he had been cheering for her, and he had really hoped she'd qualify.
He also said she played great.