It took a while for her peers to react, but once they did, there was little admiration for Michelle Wie and her decision to skip a major tournament in favour of a PGA Tour event.
Wie, who has yet to make the cut in seven previous PGA Tour attempts, will be playing this week at the Legends Reno-Tahoe Open while the best women in the world will be at Sunningdale, England for the Women’s British Open.
Although she was only listed to play in the qualifiers at Sunningdale, her choice has not gone down well with others.
Three big names in women’s golf, Annika Sorenstam, Helen Alfredsson and Paula Creamer have questioned Wie priorities as they prepare to do battle in one of the most prestigious major tournaments on the women’s tour.
Sorenstam, playing her final year on the LPGA Tour and seeking her 11 major title and 73rd overall, said in an AP article:
“I really don’t know why Michelle continues to do this. We have a major this week and, if you can’t qualify for a major, I don’t see any reason why you should play with the men.â€
Wie has yet to fulfill the enormous potential that many experts heaped on her when she burst on to the scene as a big-hitting 13-year-old.
The 18-year-old Hawaii native has failed to make the cut against men on the PGA Tour and has yet to set even the LPGA Tour alight during her brief forays.
Her latest turn on the women’s circuit two weeks ago at the State Farm Classic resulted in her being disqualified for failing to sign her scorecard after the third round, when she was just off the lead.
The 43-year-old Alfredsson, who won the Evian Masters last week, hinted that the forces behind Wie’s career may be the ones to blame. She said:
“I feel kind of sad for her. I think she’s a very good person. I feel sad for the guidance that she seems to not have in the right direction. She was so good a couple of years ago when she finished second a few times. I’m sure if you put yourself enough times in that position then you can deal with it, and I think it’s how you become better. That’s how you learn to win.â€
Creamer, a seven-time winner on the tour, including three this season, is a young player with plenty of talent, just like Wie. However, she is clear about where she would like to channel that talent. She said:
“I don’t know why you’d want to pass up playing in a major, especially the British Open here at Sunningdale. But she goes a different path and that’s not the pathway that I’ve taken.â€
Ms. Wei needs to get rid of her advisers. Has all this talent,
is a beautifl young lady, and could do very good on just
playing the LPGA tour. Why she thinks she can do well
on the gents tour is beyond belief.
Her advisers need to put their heads on straight. Or she needs
to FIRE them.