Archive for October, 2006

A reader of the The Seattle Times chimes in this week about Michelle Wie’s battle in the desert and how it was a little overkill about all the rulings she took. Michelle can’t really win. When she didn’t bring in the rules officials she got rideculed, now that she did bring them in she’s getting comments. (OK maybe it was a little crazy how much time was spent talk with rules officials at that tournament.)

Michelle Wie is ragged on for changing the people around her in this article from travelgolf.com.

And here’s a little bit about Lorena Ochoa overcoming the great Annika. Thought I’d give you guys a rest from the media’s newfound whipping post of Michelle Wie.

technorati tags:Michelle, Wie, LPGA, Golf, Annika, Lorena, Media

Does she deserve it? Who knows. But she got it. Michelle Wie, the 17 year old golf phenom from Hawaii reportedly earned over $20 million in endorsements and appearance fees. That and she hasn’t even won a tournament!

Amid much controversy over Michelle Wie’s performances in PGA tournaments and the fact that she has yet to win an LPGA event, she still is within the top 20 highest payed athletes in the world this year! Wow!

Some of her richest exploits this year was the now famous $10 million Nike and Sony contract as well as $1.5 million just for showing up at the Casio World Open of Japan!

If she makes $20 million without winning just wait until she starts winning, and this at only 16 years old.

technorati tags:Michelle, Wie, LPGA, Money, Endorsements, Nike, Rich

Michelle Wie is represented by the William Morris Agency and has had Ross Berlin as her agent for her first year as a professional golfer. The William Morris Agency just announced today that Ross Berlin will no longer be representing Michelle Wie and will return to the PGA tour.

Replacing Berlin for Wie will be Greg Nared who ESPN.com reports was a key element to Michelle Wie landing the multi-million dollar Nike endormsement deal.

Ross Berlin used to work for the PGA tour and left his tour job to join the William Morris and represent Michelle Wie. Greg Nared worked for Nike for years and joined William Morris not too long ago.

After reading that ESPN.com article it’s quite interesting to see how much these people get bounced around between extremely related positions and how their previous positions play into getting those they represent great deals and a lot of money!

We’ll see what this newest agent brings to the table and if it means more endorsements, I would imagine for sure it will mean a clothing line since the Nared guy was Nike’s business affairs manager for Tiger Woods. He’s got a clothing line, and a very successful one at that.

technorati tags:Michelle, Wie, Nike, Agent, William, Morris, Endorsement

In her second year as a professional Michelle Wie was ready to show her maturity at the Samsung World Championships where she was disqualified for taking an improper drop last year in her pro debut.

She might have shown a bit of maturity for handling the criticism well, but her game wasn’t on this weekend. After shooting a 74, 72, 74, she say 14 stokes behind sunday’s early leader Annika Sorenstam and needed to have everything go her way to even make the top 10.

It didn’t go her way and she finished the tournament 21 shots behind the surprise winner Lorena Ochoa shooting a 4th round 75 to place her at 5 over par for the week.

Her putting was much better this week than it has been in tournaments past but it was her driving that did her in. Too many times off the tee MIchelle Wie found herself diggin around the desert to try and find her ball. Constantly calling in rules officals and play from the sand rather than the nice short green stuff.

Michelle Wie will have to wait until Thanksgiving weekend to play her next tournament which will be in Japan at the Men’s Casio World Open.

technorati tags:Michelle, Wie, Japan, World, Championships, Golf, Lorena, Ochoa, LPGA

Michelle Wie almost made it through the day without calling in a rules judge to get a ruling. Almost, until the 18th hole where Michelle Wie saw her tee shot come within inches of going out of bounds, she was awarded free relief from the scoreboard that stood in her line of site.

That helped her out as she landed her approach 25 feet from the hole and showed the world that her putting is coming together and was able to sink the long putt for birdie. That putt left Wie shooting even par 72 for the day.

Michelle Wie, even with amazing putts like that, sits 14 shots off the tournament leader and 5 time World Championship winner Annika Sorenstam. Sorenstam pulled ahead of all others in the field to take a 3 stroke lead over closest challenger Lorena Ochoa. Annika sits at 12 under as the field tries to catch her.

technorati tags:Michelle, Wie, Samsung, World, Championship, LPGA, Golf, Annika, Sorenstam

Michelle Wie, seen here hitting from the desert surrounding the Bighorn Golf Club, is trying to make things happen to stay in contention at the Samsung World Championships.

After carding a quadruple bogey 8 on Thursday as well as and eagle to finish with only a 74 Michelle Wie came back on Friday to score an even par 72. She began the round with an early double that left her in a hole she needed to dig herself out of.

In an interview after the round Michelle said she felt as though she played a lot better than her score led on due to that early bogey. She’ll definitely be looking to keep that momentum going heading into the third round today.

Michelle Wie is busy chasing leaders Annika Sorenstam, Paula Creamer and Sophie Gustafson who all sit at 6 under.

Piscture Source

technorati tags:Michelle, Wie, Samsung, World, Championships, Golf, Bogey, LPGA, Paula, Creamer

Michelle Wie has begun her second year as a professional with a 2 over par at the Samsung World Championship.

One year ago the sixteen year old Wie was thrust onto the LPGA golf scene with a brand new $10 million Nike endorsement and slew of fans. Since that first tournament she has been praised for her finishes on the LPGA tour and torn to pieces for her cut misses on the PGA tour.

No matter which side you were one, you have to admit that she did very well for a 16 year old girl competeing literally against the world.

However, her return to the World Championship, where a year ago she was disqualified after taking an illegal drop, isn’t going quite as planned. She took one shot off the cart path, whiffed at a ball and took a quadruple bogey on 14, all that and she’s only 7 shots off the lead sitting at 2 over par.

She did manage to land a few birdies as well as an eagle.

Michelle Wie looks to redeem herself against tomorrow as the women head out to play 18 more holes on the desert course.

technorati tags:Michelle, Wie, Samsung, World, Championship, Golf, LPGA, Disqualified

Akron Beakon Chimes in on the Samsung World Championship claiming Wie’s first year as a pro was a good one. Despite some of the bad publicity over the past year, Wie was 16 and finished in the top five in 6 of her 7 LPGA tournaments.

Golf365.com chimes in on Wie’s will to keep playing in the PGA tour events that she’s offered expemptions in.

Golf Digest recaps Michelle Wie’s first year as a pro.

technorati tags:Michelle, Wie, News, Picture, Golf

Michelle Wie Turns 17 today October 11th, 2006. Another year older and her first year as a professional under her belt. Congratulations.

The Hawaii born Wie is celevrating her birday preparing for the Samsung World Championship that will start on Thursday.

The year was good to Wie, although reporters began to wear thin at her attempts at the mens tour she played in seven LPGA events and finished in the top 5 in six of them and one of those 6 she finished second.

Sure she missed the cut in all her PGA tour events but she’s learning as she goes along, and has learned a lot from her first year in the big leagues.

She will try this weekend for her first LPGA tour win as she takes on some of the best women in the world.

Picture source

technorati tags:Michelle, Wie, Birthday, LPGA, PGA, Golf

The Rolex World Golf rankings are out again for the week of October 2nd, 2006. Michelle Wie was the only mover out of the top 10 women dropping one spot from 8th to 9th. The top 3 remained the same with Annika, Lorena, and Karrie Webb holding onto 1, 2, and 3 respectively.

Here are the rest of the Women’s top 10 rankings for Golf this week.

1. Annika Sorenstam

2. Lorena Ochoa

3. Karrie Webb

4. Cristie Kerr

5. Juli Inkster

6. Paula Creamer

7. Ai Miyazato

8. Jeong Jang

9. Michelle Wie

10. Shiho Ohyama

For total ranking visit the Rolex Women’s Rankings

technorati tags:Golf, Rankings, Women, LPGA, Rolex, Michelle, Wie