Comments on Grouchy Golf Blog: Michelle Wie Winless in the Past?

The point of the original post is to postulate tha...

2006-05-29T09:22:00.000-07:00

The point of the original post is to postulate that if Michelle Wie had been raised within the continental U.S., she would have entered many more junior amateur events. In other words, her geographical circumstances had a profound influence on her competitive golf path.

There's no denying that Morgan Pressel possesses a stellar junior amateur resume. However, if all junior amateur events were held in Hawaii, just how many of those events would she have entered, let alone win?

Let's see. She couldn't afford to fly to Californi...

2006-05-29T04:39:00.000-07:00

Let's see. She couldn't afford to fly to California in the summer for a few amateur tournament that even allow a small stipend, but she seemed to have plenty of money to fly to England, Japan, Korea and all over the continental United States each spring, summer for LPGA and PGA events that don't (officially) allow any stipends. And didn't someone report that she took a private jet to the Women's British Open last year. Not buying it. She didn't play amateur events because her game plan was to play in professional events and show herself to be a big-time player where she could woo the attention of Nike and Sony in anticipation of the big contract signing on her 16th birthday.

Dean Wilson said earlier in the week that the comp...

2006-05-20T18:37:00.000-07:00

Dean Wilson said earlier in the week that the competition in the US qualifier in Hawaii wasn't traditionall all that tough. So, even if Michelle had entered tons of amateur tournaments in Hawaii, winning any of them wouldn't be the accomplishment her detractors have been hanging their hats on. And everyone is focusing on the cost of Michelle as an amateur child playing in mainland tournaments as if it's all about money. But how can you make a 12 year old do all that traveling just to play in an amateur event? Even if she gets there, she doesn't have time to properly prepare for the tournament. So she would end up traveling all that way, losing, then going back home and trying to catch up on school work and trying to rebound from the experience of losing.

Charley Hoffman said today that the most pressure he felt wasn't being in contention and winning an event on the PGA tour this year, it was the last round of the Nationwide Tour championship when he was just playing for his tour card. Winning wasn't everything to him.

I am also on the side of the fence that says this ...

2006-05-17T05:58:00.000-07:00

I am also on the side of the fence that says this theory is not correct.

Michelle didn't have to turn pro. She doesn't have to accept every tournament exemption known to man thrown at her. She could choose to play in almost ANY amateur golf tournament in the country, especially female tournaments. Michelle's skills have gotten her this far, and her parents I am sure don't make chicken feed, so forking out the couple hundred for some tournament entry fees is not the problem.

Her personal goal, it seems, is that she wanted to become a professional and compete at the highest level. Well, she has done this...only problem is when she will get a trophy. Time will tell, but I think she knows that if she entered amateur tournaments against her peers, she would win a good chunk of them.

I don't see a problem in doing that prior to making the jump to the pro status, but hey, thats just me.

I understand that apologizing for Michelle is irre...

2006-05-16T16:23:00.000-07:00

I understand that apologizing for Michelle is irresistable for some, but this is simply the most ridiculous excuse proferred up to date. I am sorry to burst your bubble, but Michelle Wie has been extended everything but a trophy. She has been a media celebrity in the golf world since the age of 12 (at least). She has been given all sorts of incentives to play at all manner of tournaments. I do not believe the Wie family is economically challenged. My children are at a greater disadvantage than she ever was due to the economics, and yet I somehow manage to get them to events.

It's a decent theory. I kind of think she just de...

2006-05-15T19:22:00.000-07:00

It's a decent theory. I kind of think she just decided she didn't want to play in them because her goal was to turn pro, and didn't really care much about amateur victories.

Remember she's only 17, and she mostly concentrated on professional tournaments for the past couple of years.

I'm sure had she had chosen to enter more amateur events, she would have won more.

I don't think she will have any problems on tour, altough it seems she hasn't really hit her stride yet.

Her parents have never had a problem taking time o...

2006-05-14T04:17:00.000-07:00

Her parents have never had a problem taking time off to go to an event. BJ is a college professor who, in the past five years, has basically written his own schedule. And you're full of it if you think the parents actually had to pay for everything. There's a $250 allowance, but there's no doubt in my mind that BJ was paid by many as a "consultant" as Earl Woods was.