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Its a win win situation for her, If she would win now the past will be Johnsons fault, and when she doesnt it will be due to getting a new caddie.

Why? Jealous or does it go deeper?

I agree completely. It's time to focus on the LPGA and not play again on the PGA until she wins on the LPGA. She could still play the Sony I suppose. Focusing on the LPGA would bring a win much sooner and get the monkey off her back and open the floodgates to considerable success, IMO. Unfortunately, the LPGA won't let her play more than 8 events per year. Is there any way around this?

The thing is though, that a couple shots here or there and she could have won several majors already and she's only 16. Something would have to go terribly wrong with her game or health for her to not win on the LPGA very soon and not win a major by her 21st birthday. She was within a shot or two of winning 5 out of the last 6 majors.

Wow...I created a monster! I didn't know that there would be this many responses to a "Michelle Wie firing her Caddie" post. I love it! You guys are great. Just let it all out.... Personally, I think Michelle Wie is an extreme talent and it will be just a matter of time before she starts winning. I think that she will be a superstar in the LPGA and she might even win a few on the PGA once she's able to nail a four-foot putt. People will hate her, just like people hated Tiger, and Jack, and even Jesus. But everyone came around and realized, admired, and respected their greatness. I just wish she would lose David Leadbetter. I hate that stupid "Swing Setter" informercial...

It was a bonehead club selection. The situation obviously called for a putter. A caddie is supposed to assist in that situation, especially with a player as young and inexperienced as Michelle. If it had been my call there would have been a very short conversation with the caddie sometime after the round.

Me - "Did you try to talk her out of the wedge?"

if caddie answers "No", I say "we won't be needing your services any longer".

if caddie answers "Yes", I say "Try a little harder next time".


No I am not kidding. The decision likely cost her a shot at the playoff.

The thread was pointless. I presume that it was created in a frivolous moment. "Let's see how many posts we can get by naming a thread Michelle Wie" is hardly a subject for opinions. FYI, any thread created for the sole purpose of "seeing how many posts it can generate" will be deleted or closed.

I agree with you. But be careful about her putting. I agreed with another poster about her putting and someone, can't remember who because I didn't want to argue about it, called me to task to name what tournament I was referring to as she was ranked high in putting. I wasn't referring to any tournament in particular, just that the few times I have watched her on tv she has missed a lot of putts, fairly short ones, and lots of people have commented on her putting. If I have errantly accused her of poor putting, my apologies to Michelle. But all joking aside, I think she will be winning lots in the not too distant future. She's a superstar already, just think what she'll be once she gets the taste of a major victory. Besides, I think she's pretty and I'm a sucker for tall women.
Jerry

Well, I can only speak for myself of course...

She's only 16 so part of you doesn't want to be too hard on her..and the talent is undeniable - she has elite-caliber skills, for sure. Absolutely.

My problem isn't with so much with Michelle Wie the 16 year old girl, its more one of (and I suspect many a golf fan feels the same):

- being ranked #2 in the world in womens professional golf, purely on hype, without having won a thing, ahead of players that not only had won on the tour, but had won major championships after years of working hard on the tour. I do understand though that she had nothing to do with that personally.

- the 8 figure contract with Nike, again, purely on hype, without winning a thing. Tiger had won the US Amateur and NCAA titles before he got the big bucks. Michelle has not. Again, I understand that if someone shoves a multi-million dollar check in your face...most of us take it.

- Not wanting to 'pay her dues' in other circuits, and go straight to the PGA. Many a guy is out there on the Nationwide tour, living out of a suitcase and paying those dues, without the press coverage and hype. They are just trying to do it on talent. This is really my main issue with her...

- She seems to have a pair of classic 'stage parents'. You see it in all sports, acting, anything where a 'prodigy' is involved.

I really think the above four points are the reason why there is a lot of flack thrown in her direction. It is no different than if someone came straight out of high school, stated they were too good to play in college and went straight to the pros, got a multi-million dollar contract, and struggled. There is going to be a lot of fan resentment there.

Am I on track with this?

I would have to say that in this you have said exactly what I have been trying to say for the past two weeks, but have been unable to get it across this well

However, to be fair, for the most part the NBA is the only major sport that has any kind of *straight from HS* representation, and I dont remember Kobe, Lebron, Garrett, etc.... getting this same treatment, although I am not a huge NBA follower.

Nice post, xnavyct I agree completely.

LeBron and Kobe both got huge endorsement deals straight out of high school... I'm not sure about Garrett. As far as "stage parents" go, I don't even know what her mom looks like and she is a minor after all. BTW, have there ever been a pair of "stage parents" more prominent than Tiger's ? Earl was to a camera or microphone as a moth to a flame before he took ill... remember his Tiger as the next Ghandi statement ? Tiger bagged a $40 million deal from Nike the minute he turned pro, granted he's proved more than worth it, but when was the last time anyone did something like that regardless of their amatuer record. Both were paid based upon their pro potential. Michelle had a handful of professional top 5s in majors before she got paid. What was Tiger's pro record when he signed with Nike ? If someone is willing to give it to you, you are worth it. Whatever the market will bear. Capitalism 101.

You haven't been here long, have you?

Good post except for a couple points. It's not purely on hype. Wie has shown steady improvement over the past few years. This year, in the LPGA events she has played in she has the best scoring average of any player in those same events. While the best score on average does not mean that you have a win, it does mean that you are one of the best golfers. Wie is one of the best and she's only 16. That's more than hype and Nike and Sony know it.

She'd play more LPGA events if the LPGA would let her, but she's two years younger than the age they allow to do so. She plays mens events in order to play against people of high caliber and this should improve her game faster than beating up on some helpless college golfers. I guess she's not even old enough to play against college golfers, so that's not an option either.

I actually saw an interview where the guy asked him about that (whether he really said that), and he was like, "What? You think I'm crazy? No way would I hang that around my kid's neck."


He proved he was worth it before he signed it, though. It was obvious to everyone with even one eye open that this guy was going to be a superstar.

Impossible comparrison - he had an absolutely incomperable amateur record. You can't say, "Well, that other guy who won 3 straight U.S. am's didn't get that contract."

I understand that if someone offers it, you take it, but I can name a million guys who signed big contracts who turned out to be absolutely not worth it.