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Golf Fanatic · #16 (**permalink**) May 26th, 2007, 11:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grapeape

i think comparing ty tryon to michelle wie is a bit unfair. sure, there's a really good chance that michelle will never make it on the pga tour just like tryon never did. i think that's where the comparison ends.

if you look at ty tryons pga tour career and michelle wies lpga tour career, you can't compare the both. last i heard, ty tryon was playing on the hooters tour? at least michelle wie will be able to compete on the lpga tour no matter how bad she does on the pga tour.

That is a valid point, though she could be compared to Ty Tryon in the sense that he had a contract with NIKE for at least 1 million. However, I do believe that Michelle Wie may be better compared to Laura Baugh or Natalie Gulbis. I probably lean to Laura Baugh right ...

Laura Baugh - won 1971 U.S. Amateur at age of 16
- turned pro in 1973 at age of 18
- had more endorsement money than any other LPGA star in mid 70's. Was the
glamor girl
- was runner up numerous times (at least 5...I believe 9 times) without having won
a single title.

***BPC*** · #17 (**permalink**) May 27th, 2007, 11:38 AM

Laura Baugh had 66 Top Tens, 10 runner ups, 4 marriages and 7 children.

I always thought of the Ultra Brite girl as a sexy lady who happened to have a decent game.

I've always thought of Wie as a great prodigy who happened to look decent.

Golf Fanatic · #18 (**permalink**) May 27th, 2007, 07:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BPC

Laura Baugh had 66 Top Tens, 10 runner ups, 4 marriages and 7 children.

I always thought of the Ultra Brite girl as a sexy lady who happened to have a decent game.

I've always thought of Wie as a great prodigy who happened to look decent.

Wie had a lot of top 10's inlcuding some second and thrid places finishes but no win. She has a decent game for the LPGA, but not for the PGA.

Baugh was a prodigy as she won the U.S. Amateur at 16 and turned pro at 18 and played most of her best golf between the age of 18 and 22.

Unfortunately, Baugh became an alcoholic, and she at least admitted it and is recovering from it.

I hope Wie doesn't go down the road of Baugh with regards to marriage and substance abuse.

gintonic · #19 (**permalink**) May 29th, 2007, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dieter

I can't believe you don't know who Michelle Wie is. My God, there's all kinds of posts about her on this forum - 'ole rodneyC would be devastated to know that someone who reads this forum and follows golf doesn't know who she is.

I don't pay attention to hype because it's almost always hollow without substance. Like that Ashley Simpson for instance is a good example - a lot of hype, for a while at least, no or very little talent.

So until she can show she can consistently compete in her own peer group, I'd prefer to throw my attention to players like Pressel, Creamer, or Lincicome, etc. In other words, players that have earned attention. To me if you do these things like going and competing against men when you have no chance, it's just rying to be cute, or selfish, and not worthy of attention.

nikeone · #20 (**permalink**) May 29th, 2007, 12:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gintonic

I don't pay attention to hype because it's almost always hollow without substance. Like that Ashley Simpson for instance is a good example - a lot of hype, for a while at least, no or very little talent.

Are you referring to a female singer or is she a golfer I really have never heard of?

Langston_GC · #21 (**permalink**) May 29th, 2007, 12:57 PM

Wie is great talent, but she needs to take control of her golf career and stop listening to her dad. I read somewhere that he is behind all of this "playing with the men" stuff.

mr3856a · #22 (**permalink**) May 29th, 2007, 03:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grapeape

i think comparing ty tryon to michelle wie is a bit unfair.

I agree with you 100%. Ty Tryon went to Q-School and earned his way onto the PGA Tour, and when he didn't keep his card he tried to earn his way back on Tour again.

He hasn't been successful, but you're right, you cannot compare Michelle Wie to Ty Tryon - at least Ty Tryon played the PGA Tour on his own merit.

Golf Fanatic · #23 (**permalink**) May 31st, 2007, 08:57 PM

My take on Michelle Wie:

1. She is not focused. Playing in men's events to make the cut as well as women's tournaments is one example. The fact she's going off to college after turning pro is another example.

2. I don't trust her. I haven't heard the name of the doctor and the specifics of her wrist injury (tendon, sprain, broken bone, fracture). Also, I don't think she was honest about her withdrawal today. Finally, I question her WD about being dehydrated at the Deere last time.

3. The exemptions are all about the money, and the fans are the ones who generated the money. Her fans are just as responsible for this debacle as her dad, the tournaments, and her. That's my take. My thoughts are, "If you want the sponsors exemptions to end, don't watch her on TV or follow her in a tournament."

4. She has a lot of talent, but doesn't have the mental toughness to be a consistent winner. She never learned how to win, and it gets worse as the expectations get higher. Maybe this perfromance will lower expectations and she will do better.

mstuk · #24 (**permalink**) June 1st, 2007, 04:36 AM

She represents everything that is wrong with modern sports where the power of sponsors money outweighs everything else . This girl is being used by Nike , used by her management company and probably even her own father since he seems to aquiesce to this circus. The lpga should refuse to grant her any more exemptions , walking off the course because one's score is too high is an absolute bloody disgrace. The Pga should

well make sure she plays in no further mens events unless she qualifies by playing her way in , there are up and coming youing pro's out there grinding away on the junior tours who have earnt the right to play and should not be denied because of this silly girl.

nikeone · #25 (**permalink**) June 1st, 2007, 06:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Golf Fanatic

1. She is not focused. Playing in men's events to make the cut as well as women's tournaments is one example. The fact she's going off to college after turning pro is another example.

Is this really a bad thing? It seems people are always encouraging talented athletes to go to college instead of turn pro but because it's Michelle, it's a bad thing, right?

Quote:

2. I don't trust her. I haven't heard the name of the doctor and the specifics of her wrist injury (tendon, sprain, broken bone, fracture). Also, I don't think she was honest about her withdrawal today. Finally, I question her WD about being dehydrated at the Deere last time.

I don't know. I give her the benefit of the doubt. She did miss many months of competitive action so there must have been a reason. Also, if she wanted to withdraw from the John Deere, I would think she could do it in a different way instead of faking dehydration and being taken off in such a grand manner.

With today's performance, I think a lot of it had to do with the score she was shooting. I don't think for a moment that this was the first time she swung a club. She would have known how her wrist felt before today. Whether she really tweaked it mid way through her round, I don't know but even if she did, she was what? 6 or 7 over after 8 holes?

Quote:

3. The exemptions are all about the money, and the fans are the ones who generated the money. Her fans are just as responsible for this debacle as her dad, the tournaments, and her. That's my take. My thoughts are, "If you want the sponsors exemptions to end, don't watch her on TV or follow her in a tournament."

This is exactly right. She will continue to get sponsors exemptions as long as she enters tournaments and her galleries are the largest there. Or the same size as Annikas.

Quote:

4. She has a lot of talent, but doesn't have the mental toughness to be a consistent winner. She never learned how to win, and it gets worse as the expectations get higher. Maybe this perfromance will lower expectations and she will do better.

I don't know her but I would also say that she doesn't seem to have that drive that Tiger does. I don't think this performance will help her but I hope she bounces back.

michael composto · #26 (**permalink**) June 1st, 2007, 10:52 AM

First of all give her credit for trying to play with the men and I think she beat a lot of them.
How many of you would pee your pants teeing it up with the pros? Second of all she is a delightful young lady with a lot of class and thirdly she is a pleasure to look at. Do you realize how boring the LPGA would be to watch if they all looked like Davies and the other 60% are quite unattractive. Next time you watch a LPGA event notice where the cameras are focused upon. And if you dont know who Michelle is then you are not a golfer

Golf Fanatic · #27 (**permalink**) June 3rd, 2007, 08:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nikeone

Is this really a bad thing? It seems people are always encouraging talented athletes to go to college instead of turn pro but because it's Michelle, it's a bad thing, right?

Going to college fulltime isn't necessarily a bad thing if she decides to delay her golf career. I don't see her doing well as a fulltime student and a golf pro. I think she needs to fully commit to one direction. The only way I see her successful in this dual role is if she took classes on-line like Paula Creamer or is a part time student during the fall semester.

I don't know. I give her the benefit of the doubt. She did miss many months of competitive action so there must have been a reason. Also, if she wanted to withdraw from the John Deere, I would think she could do it in a different way instead of faking dehydration and being taken off in such a grand manner.

I did until this week. I would like to see the media go after her business agent. He and Michelle's dad need to be investigated for this incident, especially since they are adults. Also, no one knows who her doctor is and the type of wrist injury it is (sprain, broken bone, torn ligament)

With today's performance, I think a lot of it had to do with the score she was shooting. I don't think for a moment that this was the first time she swung a club. She would have known how her wrist felt before today. Whether she really tweaked it mid way through her round, I don't know but even if she did, she was what? 6 or 7 over after 8 holes?

It's amazing how bad she did compared to 12 months ago. She probably should have withdrawn earlier if it was a wrist injury and not consider playing until it is clearly healed. However, it was suspicious to she talked to her agent, not doctor, or medical trainer right before she decided to WD.

This is exactly right. She will continue to get sponsors exemptions as long as she enters tournaments and her galleries are the largest there. Or the same size as Annikas.

Agreed. I wonder if people watch her for the same reason they watch Daly. I hope this weekend will reduce spectator interest in evnets.

I don't know her but I would also say that she doesn't seem to have that drive that Tiger does. I don't think this performance will help her but I hope she bounces back.

I do too. With her going to college, I don't see her being successful until she either drops out, fails out, or after she graduates. She doesn't seem focused right now. I think her dad has not allowed her to mentally and socially develop as a teenager.

gintonic · #28 (**permalink**) June 5th, 2007, 03:08 PM

I would like to thank everyone for their responses on this question, I now have a better understanding of who this person is.

Now, might I suggest she not be spoken of again as a competent competitive golfer until she actually backs it up with performance. If you wish to discuss her as a person, not golfer, fine, by all means, but I do think there is a general discussion folder for that.

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