Michelle Wie finishes -1 for the day at PGA Tour event

[Young Drachma]

She was as low as -2 at one point before 2 bogeys at the John Deere Classic today.

The Top 70 plus ties will make the cut...and it's too early to tell with too many guys on the course what today will look like, but -6 is leading the tournament so far.

I think she'll make it, provided she doesn't have 5 bogeys like she did today. USA is about to pick up the tournament in a bit. But all indications are, she played pretty well, especially considering what many thought she'd do.

I don't expect her to meltdown on Day 2 at any tournament, especially when you consider the year she's had thus far.

[rkmsuf]

dude, you want her

[Young Drachma]

Originally Posted by rkmsuf

dude, you want her

She's a little young....though that hasn't stopped Tom Cruise.


lol

[mhass]

I'm going out there tomorrow. Supposedly the galleries around her are so massive that it's hard to see her if you're not there at the start. Duval is pissed as I understand it.

[Ryan S]

I don't think she will make it.

She ranks low in driving accuracy, very low in driving distance and low in GIR. If you don't hit the ball far, you have to find the fairway or you will be eaten alive on tour. Realistically she needs to shoot under par on Friday to make the cut, and I don't know if she is good enough to string the two rounds together.

The sports websites need to calm down about her chances of qualifying for the open. Given the lack of quality in this field, most players have not yet qualified, so she pretty much has to win the whole thing to be in with a chance to go to St Andrews.

[Young Drachma]

Originally Posted by mhass

I'm going out there tomorrow. Supposedly the galleries around her are so massive that it's hard to see her if you're not there at the start. Duval is pissed as I understand it.

Yeah, he's shooting really high. Maybe he'll withdraw like he did the last time they were in the same tourney. He shot +5 on the day.

[Desnudo]

"With about 260 yards to the green on her second shot, Wie hit a 3 wood to within 10 feet of the pin. There were cheers and whistles from those sitting around the green, and Wie smiled as she walked up the fairway."

That's unbelievable from a 15 year old girl. Does anyone know what her driving average is like?

[Ryan S]

Originally Posted by Desnudo

That's unbelievable from a 15 year old girl. Does anyone know what her driving average is like?

277.5 yards which is excellent for a 15 year old girl, but ranks just 138th (out of about 150) in this tournament. She probably can not hit it much further so she needs to concentrate on hitting it straighter if she wants to have a chance of making the cut tomorrow.

[Desnudo]

Depressing for 12 guys though.

[k0ruptr]

mahan was on fire today, good to see him doing well. hopefully wie goes out and shoots -4 tommorrow

[kcchief19]

Originally Posted by Ryan S

277.5 yards which is excellent for a 15 year old girl, but ranks just 138th (out of about 150) in this tournament. She probably can not hit it much further so she needs to concentrate on hitting it straighter if she wants to have a chance of making the cut tomorrow.

I disagree a bit with the logic, but only because I've seen Wie play on TV quite a bit. Craig Bowden hit the same number of fairways and only outdrive here by seven yards today and he shot a 6-under. It can be done with her game.

Granted, she would rank in the lower 15 percent of tour golfers in driving average if she hit 277 every week on tour, but if she hit 71 percent of her greens every day like she did today, she would be in the top 10 on tour.

Where Wie has problems is with finesse. She can hit the ball with the men and she can reach the greens, she just hasn't developed a knack for where to put the ball on the green. Placement has been her biggest problem. She hasn't developed a strong understanding of where to hit the ball on the green to set up her next shot. I didn't get to see her round today, but from looking at her scorecard and know here game, I'll get the reason she shot a -1 under instead of -4 under is that she had too many long putts and she missed a few greens she shouldn't have missed because she hit the wrong part of the green.

She can be successful playing PGA events and make cuts hitting the ball 277 and hitting 70 percent of her greens. But she's got to get more makeable putts and better position on the green. Of course, most golfers don't learn that until their 30 ...

[Young Drachma]

Her bogeys were early in today's round, so provided she can finish tomorrow like she did today...I figure her chances to make the cut are good. -2 was the cut last year, she can do that, especially after a day on the course and knowing what she needs to do.

Despite what anyone says, I don't really think she has any pressure. If she makes the cut, there will still be critics. If she doesn't make the cut, she's no worse off than she was before and the exemptions will still be there.

Given she wants to make a statement going into next weeks US Public Links, I figure she wants to play 4 days of golf or it could be the start of a long summer for her.

I think she can handle it and is ready.

[kcchief19]

Originally Posted by mhass

I'm going out there tomorrow. Supposedly the galleries around her are so massive that it's hard to see her if you're not there at the start. Duval is pissed as I understand it.

Is there anyone who is a bigger jack on the PGA Tour right now than Duval? If Duval can figure out how to go one week without shooting 80, he can complain all he wants. He didn't shoot a 76 today because of Michelle Wie. He shot a 76 because that's what kind of golfer he is.

[JW]

Let's just let women compete openly for PGA tour slots and be done with it. Do that for a year and the bloom would be off the rose and no one would be interested. Having Wie or some other woman compete in selected tournaments is just a publicity gimmick. For that matter, let's let women compete openly for NBA, MLB, and NFL positions.

[mhass]

Originally Posted by Dark Cloud

Her bogeys were early in today's round, so provided she can finish tomorrow like she did today...I figure her chances to make the cut are good. -2 was the cut last year, she can do that, especially after a day on the course and knowing what she needs to do.

Despite what anyone says, I don't really think she has any pressure. If she makes the cut, there will still be critics. If she doesn't make the cut, she's no worse off than she was before and the exemptions will still be there.

Given she wants to make a statement going into next weeks US Public Links, I figure she wants to play 4 days of golf or it could be the start of a long summer for her.

I think she can handle it and is ready.

It looks to me like the course is in worse shape than last year. It's been awfully dry here so I wouldn't be surprised if last year's cut is a little better than this year's. Then again, the scores don't look too far off a -2 pace for a cut. Regardless, she's going to have to have a seriously good day to make it. BTW, she's is doggone tall. I'm 6'-2" and she's not a ton shorter than I am. I'd say she's got the height to create leverage for driving even farther once she matures.

[Young Drachma]

Originally Posted by mhass

It looks to me like the course is in worse shape than last year. It's been awfully dry here so I wouldn't be surprised if last year's cut is a little better than this year's. Then again, the scores don't look too far off a -2 pace for a cut. Regardless, she's going to have to have a seriously good day to make it. BTW, she's is doggone tall. I'm 6'-2" and she's not a ton shorter than I am. I'd say she's got the height to create leverage for driving even farther once she matures.

Well, she's starting on the back nine..which might throw her for a loop. Considering how well she played from 9-18 yesterday, a stretch like that today (-3) would put her in contention. She really just needs to avoid the bogeys. If she does, she'll make it.

[Young Drachma]

She started her round on the back nine, birdie on 10 to go -2

She shot par on that Par 5 yesterday.

[rkmsuf]

Originally Posted by Dark Cloud

She started her round on the back nine, birdie on 10 to go -2

She shot par on that Par 5 yesterday.

Tell me your pants are up.

[Ryan S]

Originally Posted by JW

Let's just let women compete openly for PGA tour slots and be done with it.

They can do this already.

[k0ruptr]

-3 so far...i notice shes wearing a belt buckle with 68 on it, maybe thats her goal score for todaY?

[Wolfpack]

68 is pretty much what she has to shoot, it looks like. At least by ESPN's scoreboard, she's sitting right on the cut line because a boatload of people are at -3 overall. Most everyone who's finished and above the cut line looked like they shot at least 69 or lower on one or both days and the leaders are posting 65-ish numbers. She hasn't got a prayer of winning with the leader at -13, but she's got a decent chance of making the cut at the moment.

[k0ruptr]

-4... -3 for just today after 5 holes... shes looking like she could shoot a 63 today so watch out.

[JW]

Originally Posted by Ryan S

They can do this already.

Of course then the question is why don't they?

BTW, oldest player to make the cut in a PGA tournament, Sam Snead, age 67. Michelle Wie is a fine golfer, but frankly this is not nearly the deal some are making of it, because it is fracking golf.

[Young Drachma]

Originally Posted by JW

Of course then the question is why don't they?

BTW, oldest player to make the cut in a PGA tournament, Sam Snead, age 67. Michelle Wie is a fine golfer, but frankly this is not nearly the deal some are making of it, because it is fracking golf.

Well I'd love to see you do it.

[Young Drachma]

Originally Posted by k0ruptr

-4... -3 for just today after 5 holes... shes looking like she could shoot a 63 today so watch out.

Nah, she'll meltdown. I mean, she's 15, she's a girl and evey man out there is better than her.

She probably should just pack up, go home and go to the mall. She's taking the spot from a man. She should play against her peers and pummle them. Maybe she can lose to them once or twice and then everyone will know she was washed up.

I'm sure the reason all the tour pros are so nice to her is because they just want to get in her pants.

[JW]

Originally Posted by Dark Cloud

Well I'd love to see you do it.

And your point? I'm just pointing out that it is not the mind-boggling achievement some think it is, if she does it. And if she does it, that is cool. But it is as much a comment on the nature of golf as it is on her considerable talent and skill. BTW, she won't be the first woman to make the cut. That was done 60 years ago.

[k0ruptr]

she will be the first 15 year old woman to make the cut. that has never ever been done before on the pga tour... thats a pretty amazing achievement..

[Young Drachma]

Originally Posted by JW

And your point? I'm just pointing out that it is not the mind-boggling achievement some think it is, if she does it. And if she does it, that is cool. But it is as much a comment on the nature of golf as it is on her considerable talent and skill. BTW, she won't be the first woman to make the cut. That was done 60 years ago.

I will agree with you that golf is stodgy, stale and the people who run it are largely idiots. If it weren't for Tiger Woods, golf would've gone the way of hockey (right now) in the 90s...a niche sport that the larger public cares about once or twice a year.

As for the first woman to make the cut at a PGA Tour tournament, it was probably the best woman athlete of all-time Babe Didrickson Zaharias. I know that.

The difference was, Babe made the 36-hole cut, but was cut when they went to the final day.

But I agree with you that golf doesn't really do itself many favours.

[vtbub]

My word, she is long.

[Young Drachma]

meltdown city

[vtbub]

Her maturity is her downfall, but she's only 15.

[ShaqFu]

Doesn't look like she'll make the cut afterall.

[Young Drachma]

Two people of note that are playing well this week so far are Jason Gore, the guy that ended up melting down at the Open a few weeks back..he's on the leaderboard at the Nationwide tour tourney this weekend.

Birdie Kim is in the mix at the LPGA tour event this weekend, too.

As for Michelle, you have to consider that Tiger didn't make the cut here at a 16 year old either. Took him 8 tries to make a cut, she's got time and it's not so much if she will..just when.

I wonder if she'll accept any more PGA Tour exemptions as the tour ends. That shot at 12 was made for TV.

She lost it and missed opportunities for birdie that I wish she'd made to get further under. That front nine is a tough, tough front nine. She was playing really aggressively, too. But still, a great performance by a 15-year old girl.

Let's not lose sight of that. Still would be the 2nd youngest to make a cut for at least the next year and a half.

[Ryan S]

Originally Posted by JW

Of course then the question is why don't they?

Because they are not good enough.

[Young Drachma]

I just had my email read on The Golf Channel's highlight show.

[mhass]

I was in a skybox on 18 when she hit that sweet shot onto the green Friday. That was amazing and the crowd was really into it. Then, instead of following the immense herd with her to 1, I jumped ahead to 5 (the next set of bleachers). I was about 20 feet away when she missed the birdie putt there and saw the unraveling begin. Her maturity is definitely an issue, but her stroke is nice. She was paired with a guy who was the long-driver of the day and I think that affected her a bit - playing way behind another golfer.

I then jumped up to the sixth green and watched the double and saw the tee shot on 7 which she botched as well. That's when the wheels came off. She started to toss her club and caught herself. A guy in the crowd shouted "Keep your head up" and she immediately slouched over and hung her head. The crowd was totally behind her - reminiscent of Tiger actually. Once she gets herself under control, she'll be a contending golfer week after week.

[k0ruptr]

very good and fair assesment mhass, i would have loved to be there, but i agree with you completely, she is going to grow up in a few years, and it seems to me shes going to be a very contending golfer on the pga tour, it will be great to watch her career to see how it unfolds.