Reports are that Wie started feeling sick almost from the beginning of the round.She played slowly and was a distraction to her playing partners, especially Jeff Grove, and may have cost him a chance at advancing as he missed the cut line by one stroke.The real question is why did she withdraw?Was it a heat related illness or did she use that as an excuse to exit off the stage because she was never going to make the cut. Like so many adults who want a day off from the office, Michelle Wie called in sick, or at least that is my take on the subject.
A lot of pressure rests on this teen to succeed and yet my contention is she will never succeed under these circumstances.She is playing against the men and her goal is just to make the cut.That is how her success is measured.When making the cut is your goal, you will never win.When Wie plays against the women, she thinks she can win and she has come close.Golf is such a mental game that if your psyche is not in synch you will never win.Wie is playing to lose when she plays with the men and the media is playing right into it.
As for why she withdrew, I contend she “faked” an illness to escape the pressures of telling the world she missed another cut against the second tier class of PGA golfers.The best men golfers in the world are not even in this tournament.They are over in Loch Lomond warming up for the British Open next week.That does not mean that the competition is not tough, because as the commercials state, “These guys are good!”Wie is finding out just how good!
Wie is in top shape for a 16 year old female and golfs on a regular basis.The temperature that day was 88, which is close to the year round temperature in her home state of Hawaii.Golfers also know about keeping themselves hydrated throughout a round and Wie is no exception.Her playing partners said they gave her plenty of water.Heatstroke is a serious condition where the internal core temperature is above 106 degrees.Medical staff treating Wie just called it “heat-related illness”, not heatstroke.She only went to the hospital because Illinois law required it.She was never in danger.She withdrew because she did not want to finish the round when she was 8 strokes over par and completely out of contention from making the cut line, no where close to winning the tournament.The tournament medical staff said they did not treat any players for heat related illnesses only spectators.
Is it possible that she withdrew because she did not want to face reporters once again after losing to Annika last week?She has become adept at facing them and saying things like, “I played really well out there.I hope to win soon, but overall I am happy with my game.”Really, you are happy losing week after week?Once again, let me state what is so obvious to me and not to others, “Michelle Wie will never win on the men’s tour and will be lucky to win on the women’s tour if she continues to pursue golf in this manner.I will elaborate later on this weekend, but I have already posted on this back in December.
Wie was successful in diverting the attention away from her missing the cut to her illness.No one is talking about the fact that she was 8 over par at the time of her departure.She was even par for the day until she played number 9 and took a double-bogey. All of the headlines on the sports pages are saying Wie withdrew due to illness. They make it sound as if she had continued to play that she would have made the cut and maybe gone on to win. (Wie Bows Out Early, Illness Forces Wie to Withdraw: These are two that I found. Sorry guys, illness aside in 9 more holes Wie was gone anyway.) They do not come right out and say this, but their headlines are so misleading.
Things are not going to get easier for the teen, only harder.Wie is growing up quickly and learning to call in sick just like so many adults do. The only problem with that is if you keep doing it, you might just lose your job. Sponsors are not going to want to keep paying her millions for losing, unless they are her clothing sponsors, but that is a topic for my next post.
kinda makes me wonder if it was her idea or the tournament heads, trying to avoid any questions to them about giving her an exemption to play, and not even making the cut.
maybe she was sick, who knows, but 1 thing we surely agree on...she'll never win against the men, not if her goal is to just make the cut. and not if she cant even win on the women's tour.
i think she should just finish being a kid before trying to take on such a tough touring schedule and even tougher competition.
That could be true Cuz, the tournament may be in cahoots, but I doubt it. We agree she should just grow up. I am working on my second installment where I outline what she should do to win, and part of that is playing against her peers, college, then LPGA.
Last edited by socalsportsfan on July 15th at 8:39 AM.
I have no problem with her trying to compete, but I just think the timing is wrong. Too much, too soon. Things like this are just distractions that keep her from becoming as good as she can be. Beat Sorenstram, then go back and take another shot at this.
Thank God, SoCalSportsFan; somebody finally got it right! I am friggen sick of people trying to compare wie the wonder girl to male golfers, and to all males in male sports for that matter. Thanks for getting it right.
I think that the media has so invested itself in her being annointed the second coming that they can't admit in print that not only is she not ready, she may never be ready. I grew up in the midwest and a normal Friday would be 36 holes (walking, carrying my bag) followed by baseball practice or a game. I don't buy the sick claim at all. If she was sick I guess the media will start calling for a portable air conditioner to follow her around so she can compete (ala Casey Martin).
I also think she would be better served by actually earning a berth in a tournament vs exemption. Competing in a play in would certainly benefit her game.
Dudski, I have no problem with her competing, she just needs to earn her way on any tour. Michelle Wie has never won a single golf tournament professionally, or on any tour. She one a pro am at age 13, since then, that is it. She could have been great winning all of those tourny's honing her craft, but instead her handles chose a different route. One that has earned her millions in endorsements, but at what price. That is my next post.
Tarkenton, gpro. Thanks for the comments. Wie was not sick. She plays golf for a living and 88 is not that hot, esecially after only 3 or four holes. She started feigning illness after the first bogey on number 1.
It's painfully obvious what happened here...the young lady was getting dominated by the field and was no where near the cut, so the tournament and her own publicity/management people needed her out of the tournament for reasons other than being cut. Let's face it various buisness have millions invested in how this teenager is able to perform...So in 88 degree Illinois weather the Hawaii native had to withdraw with heat stroke...
Maybe its just me, but I believe her endorsers/managers/tournament sponsers didnt want to deal with her failures and the questions related to them...
It's just obvious. If she can't beak Annika, and Annika couldn't make the cut despite playing what all the experts called he "best golf", what chance does she have against the guys? Notice also, as nobody has yet pointed out, thank you, that they never enter big tournaments where all the big guns come out. Her "illness" needs to be investigated, if the sports media can get over their liberal PC wussiness of late.
Chitown, no one said heat stroke, they were very careful to diagnose it as a heat related illness. Heat stroke happens at an internal body temp of 106, and is very serious. She did not have this.
Chops, maybe by nobody points this out you mean the national media, but I have said in this post and everyone on Wie that she is not competing againt the best men. Read the post again, and you will notice I said the best are over in Loch Lomond preparing for the British Open. As far as her making the cut at the Korean Open, that is the equivalent of our Putt Putt tour over here. Grace Park made the cut there in 2003 and it was not a big deal. Only when Wie makes the cut does it suddenly become a great feat.
I am not a big golfing fan nor am I no where near a connouseur of the elite nature of what it takes toi win.
Based on her age and body, I venture to predict that she will indeed triumph from her twenties until her late thirties or so...
Like Bonderman getting 20 losses or so a few years ago before he was ready for primetime MLB. Detroit actually had another youngin' get that many Ls, too, or close?
She is an amazing marketing and athletic prospect, and I think she will whip women and even win a few male events in the future.
She is 16! Imagine her mental and physical strength when she is 25!
And having kids would be another thing...
Did Nancy Lopez ever have kids with Ray Knight?
I can't belive I'm talkin this much golf, to me that means two things:
You are a good blogger and Wie is extremely good (a good story) for this sport.
Last edited by edclinchsaint on July 15th at 1:00 PM.
Ed, check out my just finished post, but be warned a bathing beauty in Anna is in there. I do not think she will be mentally tough at 25-35. Golf plays with the mind and golfers who get the jitters rarely come back from it. Johnny Miller got the yips and he was the best for about 3 years and still a great ball striker.
Thanks for the compliment though Ed. I appreciate your comments and viewpoint even if we are not always in synch.
Last edited by socalsportsfan on July 15th at 1:12 PM.
There. It's said. No disputes. And, I respect the heck out of you for calling it like you see it, socal. The sad part is, Wie will continue on because her lawyers and accountants are too in control of her money and career to let her marketability slip away. Unless...
Good post socal. I think Michelle Wie should win a women's tourney before she even thinks about messingn around in the mens tournament. Just not sure of the logic when she thinks she can make the cut with the men.
Socal, check out my blog on overrated players and place your nominations.
Mean, as always thanks for your insights and stopping by to comment.
Source, I will stop tonight and check it out.
Iorzav, I would hope that Wie would win, but at what time and at what cost? Is winning one tournament a victory. Justin Rose, a similar prodigy from England had a tremendous British Open runner up finish as an amateur, then turned pro at 17 and has struggled for the last 4 years. Being talented is not enough.
Sportsfan, I do not believe she had heat exhaustion and I believe you will even start hearing rumors about what I have said here. She is in top shape and you do not suffer heat exhaustion on the first hole. Lastly, if she is that delicate, then go back to the women's tour. My goodness, if she can not hold up to two rounds of golf, how will she ever hold up to four.
How can we forget that she is only sixteen? After all the TV announcers remind us every 30 seconds. Besides, female athletes peak at a much younger age than their male counterparts. What will be the excuse when in a short two years she is the same age Morgan Pressel is now?
Norcal, I would love to see her try. LOL, at least to get a round with her would be fun. As for moving on, I post on what I like and I enjoy golf and Michelle Wie. Sorry!
Johnny Ringo, we can never forget her age. So true.
Last edited by socalsportsfan on July 15th at 8:54 PM.
Maybe in golf talent comes with age... unlike alot of other sports were you either have natural talent or you have to work harder.
Now I'm not a big golf fan but the Media which follows Wie is insane. She is only a kid, and it looks to as if the pressure getting to her.
But if your goal is only making the cut !?! then what the hell are you playing for... sometimes you have to believe (or make yourself) that you can do it and win. But honestly if you only think you can possible making the cut , your setting yourself up for failure.
Wie's young with a great amount of potenial and upside but, she is no virtuoso,no maverick, no Prodigy.
Socal, It's my belief that Wie is being pushed to extremes by the likes of IMG and Nike as they see her as one big cash cow. Unfortunately where are her parents in all of this ? They've a responsibility to their daughter's well being if nothing else.
As for Wie, her bandwagon is on its merry way at each instance that she decides to play a PGA event, primarily through a sponsor's exemption. If she should qualify for an event through her own merit then it's a commendable accomplishment.
Wie's travails are well correlated and will continue to be whether or not she appears on the PGA or LPGA Tour.
Whatever took place at the John Deere Classic it clearly didn't show Wie in a positive light.
Michelle Wie was 8 over after 27 holes on one of the easier courses on tour, and against a second class field? I feel she faked the illness to cover her hind quarters again, and save her sponsors another embarassing press conference on why she failed to make the cut in another mens event. Can you imaging what she would shoot at the PGA US Open? I'll venture a guess after 36 holes at 36 over...She can't beat anybody on her own tour, and until she does, quit playing with the boys. And for all the sponsors who grant her exemptions at their tournaments, $$$$$$$ isn't everything.
Hey SoCal,
I wrote a blog on the same subject but had I read yours first I would have saved myself some time. You are dead on point and not afraid to say what many others think of this Wie situation. Dominate the ladies and maybe you'll have the winning mental state needed to compete with the men. You can't play any sport and be successful if your goal isn't to win!
Wow, all i can take from your blog is that you are either not a golfer or not a very good one. no good golfer thinks about winning before the opportunity to rises they concentrate on hitting shot after shot, i highly doubt her goal is to "just" make the cut, that is the media who you rightly describe as misleading...I truly think Wie goes about her golf in the right manner she very rarely stops attacking and will eventually move into the winners circle but i do agree with you on one thing i doubt very much she will become the best player in the world espeically if she doesnt win in the next few years, she reminds me of adam scott a good junior player who will never live up to the hype of being the next world number
Kemono, just because you disagree does not make me a bad golfer. LOL.
As for Adam Scott, he has won several times on tour and against Tiger. He won th Player's Championship, many consider the 5th major. All I can say is your knowledge on golf is very limited if you think Adam Scott is not very good.
Wie is a great talent, but it is being wasted and she has tarnished her legacy. Move on to my second post on Wie to see why.
socal, What I find fascinating is how the LPGA can find Wie to be the #2 ranked female golfer in the world. What has been the basis of their rankings? Clearly this was done as a way of creating interest in this newly formed table.
Caught some of the highlights of the fight between Sugar Shane Mosley and Fernando Vargas. What an abysmal display by Vargas ? I don't believe that he had any intention of making a contest of the fight. A 6th round TKO by Mosley seemed appropriate, and should signal the end of Vargas' career.
Tophatal, not only do you find it fascinating, but so does Annika and the rest of the field. Karrie Webb who has started winning again, Paula Creamer, Morgan Pressel, Grace Park, Se Ri Pak, all find it just absurd. I am sure they will get it tweaked, but not until they splash her all over the headlines once again.
I did not watch the match and really don't follow boxing too much. I used to watch Roy Jones Jr, just because I knew him personally, but now that his career is basically over, I find it hard to watch. I also enjoyed Lennox Lewis, but the heavyweights right now are boring.
The Heavyweight scene is boring and it would appear that the only entertaining fights that are happening are in the lighter divisions. From lightweight through to the middleweights divisions. Witnessed what was the unassuming debacle of Vargas as he faced Sugar Shane. Vargas was inept, as he was useless and he still contemplates coming back to fight at a heavier weight. Vargas certainly can't be considered a contender any longer, as his best years are behind him. What would've happened had he been facing Mayweather Jr ? Total annihilation perhaps ?
Norcalfella, I said it elsewhere, but the "can kick your ####" thing is not relevant. You don't really know if she can kick my, or anyone elses, ####, now do you? You don't know us. And frankly, if I play a round per week and a couple buckets out at the range while she plays every single day, I would hope she is better than me. She can only be compared to other women pro golfers.
chops22, your response to norcal seems quite appropriate. Wie's dog and pony show is on the fast track to P T Barnum's 'Coming Attractions'......of freeks and sideshow geeks. There aren't too many people out there willing to criticize her at the moment , perhaps just a handful. Wie's people are of the belief that she can maintain this sort of show with good credance and chase the endorsement dollars.
To a certain extent tophat, her endorsers want her to play in these events. They get more exposure if she plays, but eventually they will expect her to win. After all, Sony is her major sponsor and therefore she will get an invite to the Sony Open every year in Hawaii. Trouble is, if she does not make the cut, they get no exposure for Sat and Sun, the two big TV days.
socal, Therein lies the problem overexposure could lead to burnout and then where would that leave these sponsors? Millions of dollars are immediately lost. The last thing they would want is for Wie to go by the way of Tracy Austin and other young phenoms of that ilk. Nike and IMG in particular who are guiding Wie's career should carefully look at the path in which she is being guided.
I agree tophat with all that you are saying. The problem is that these guys are so quick to sign someone now before they ever win. The race is always on to find the next phenom. Witness LeBron's 90 million dollar deal with Nike before he ever laced it up in the pros. What happens if he goes and pulls a Ben Roth or Jason Williams and ruins his career on a motorbike. What if he turned out to be a Kwame Brown?
socal, The one thing that you can be sure of is that LeBron won't be pulling a Roethlisberger or Jayson Williams anytime soon. He doesn't appear to that egotistical. He's level headed and his maturity level exceeds that far beyond his years. I still can't believe that he's not yet turned 21 years of age.
I do agree that LeBron is wise beyond his years, but the point there is that sooner or later Nike will get burned trying to sign someone before say Addidas or Reebok. LeBron worked out, Michelle Wie might not.
socal, That's where the astute management comes into being. Deal with a reputable agent and client and you'll not have that problem. There's quite a few of them out there. Mind you if it's Drew Rosenhaus I beg to differ as he's lower than an amoeba. He made Terrell Owens into an even bigger #### than he already is.
Reports are that Wie started feeling sick almost from the beginning of the round.
A lot of pressure rests on this teen to succeed and yet my contention is she will never succeed under these circumstances.
Wie is in top shape for a 16 year old female and golfs on a regular basis.
Wie was successful in diverting the attention away from her missing the cut to her illness.
