|
Another clueless idiot writing about golf. In an article about Michelle Wie playing in next week’s Reno-Tahoe Open, Hoggard exclaims-
If Reno officials wanted to be real creative, they could have offered the spot to Annika Sorenstam who made history a few years back at Colonial. She has a resume that would justify the offer, the respect of the other players in the field and even a vacation home close to Montreux.
Instead, with apologies to Wie, they went with the bearded lady.
Comparing Wie to a circus freak is really beneath most of Wie’s detractors. The real freaks are Hoggard and his employer Golfweek. If either had three brain cells working, they’d know Annika Sorenstam is only playing in a major championship the same time as the Reno tournament. The Women’s British Open. She is unavailable to play in Nevada.
If Hoggard answers the page, I’ll recommend he see a good proctologist. That in order to get his head out of his ass.
She will tee it up in next week’s Reno-Tahoe Open.
Fresh off a disqualification on the LPGA Tour, Michelle Wie has decided to tee it up against the men, again.
Wie will play next week in the Legends Reno-Tahoe Open, the first time she’ll play on the PGA Tour this year, tournament organizers said.
It will be her eighth time playing on the PGA Tour, and she has yet to make a cut. The only time Wie has made money playing against the men was on the Korean Tour, in 2006, at the SK Telcom Open.
*****
Wie, who is 18 and attends Stanford part time, has no status on any tour. She has only one sponsor’s exemption left this year. She will be playing her seventh and final LPGA Tour event of this year at the CN Canadian Women’s Open in August.
The Reno-Tahoe Open starts July 31 at Montreux Golf & Country Club. The Nevada tournament is one of the weakest fields on the PGA Tour, held opposite the World Golf Championship in Ohio. Steve Flesch won the Reno-Tahoe Open last year.
Opinion on Wie playing another Men’s event is mixed, but more unfavorable than favorable. Joe Logan calls it ‘Dumb, dumb, dumb, Ryan at GNN is incredulous, but Golf blogger The Constructivist
says in a comment to Ryan’s post “Dealing with the pressure of playing with the PGA’s 2nd tier should be good preparation for the CO the following week. Sorenstam has indicated she learned about pressure and the game from playing at Colonial–why can’t Wie do the same?”
I’ve been critical of Michelle playing in men’s tournaments before, mostly because she was playing horribly. That she would be just another on the men’s tour. I still stick to those opinions, but what is the harm of her playing in Tahoe? As I see it, very little to none if all Michelle sees this is as an opportunity to work on her game right now.
For leaving the scoring area after Friday’s round without signing her scorecard. From ESPN-
Michelle Wie finished the third round of the State Farm Classic alone in second on Saturday — then was disqualified for failing to immediately sign her scorecard a day earlier.
Wie was playing her best golf of the year, finishing off a 5-under 67 to get to 17 under for the tournament, one stroke back of Yani Tseng.
That’s when Wie was disqualified by LPGA officials, who said they’d learned during play Saturday from tournament volunteers about the 18-year-old’s mistake.
It is reported Wie was crying after the news. I would be too. She was one shot out of the lead, with a win and LPGA Tour card within her grasp tomorrow.
Here’s the rule
According to a statement released Saturday by the LPGA, Wie’s failure to sign her scorecard was a violation of Rule 6-6b, according to The Rules of Golf and confirmed by the USGA.
The rule states: “After completion of the round, the competitor should check his score for each hole and settle any doubtful points with the Committee. He must ensure that the marker or markers have signed the score card, sign the score card himself and return it to the Committee as soon as possible.”
Wie said that after she finished her round on Friday, she left the tent where players sign their scorecards and was chased down by some of the tournament volunteers working in the tent who pointed out she hadn’t signed.
Wie returned to the tent and signed the card.
Which isn’t allowed, and why Wie was disqualified. She made an honest mistake but one with huge reprucussions for her golf career at this point, and maybe even mentally. Can Michelle even buy a break right now? She was playing great golf in Illinois.
I also want to mention Hee Won Han’s 3rd round 61 which puts her three strokes behind Tseng. Hee Won, who teed off Number 10 to begin play today, was 10 under for the round through 12 holes! Han is a very consistent golfer, but seldom flashy. I saw how her round was going and despite my attention being mostly focused on the British Open, kept tabs on the State Farm. All Han had to do was play the last six holes in 3 under to shoot a record 59. It wasn’t to be, Han only made one birdie coming in.
Yani Tseng continues to have an incredible year. She won the LPGA Championship last month, Two second place finishes, 6th on the money list but a win tomorrow would move her to 4th, and is running away with Rookie of the Year. There is a new force on tour.
Also commenting on Michelle Wie’s disaster today- Mulligan Stu, Hound Dog, and The Constructivist. Stu and TC feel sorry for Michelle. I do too.
Kim missed winning last year’s affair by one shot in one of the year’s most exciting finishes. From AP-
Christina Kim shot a four-under 68 on Friday to take a one-shot lead over four players midway through the State Farm Classic.
Kim, who fired a 63 on Thursday to also hold the first-round lead, stood at 13-under 131 after two rounds at Panther Creek Country Club.
Christina is one of the most exuberant players on tour. This has been known to rub some people the wrong way, but I think Ladies golf could use a few more players like her. If Christina wins this weekend it will be her first victory since 2005.
Not too many people are paying attention to the golf being played in Springfield Illinois this weekend. That could be subject to change. This because of one of the golfers one shot behind Kim.
Michelle Wie was among the four players tied for second place behind Kim following a round of seven-under 65, which matched her lowest score on the LPGA Tour.
Sherri Turner, Ji Young Oh and LPGA Championship winner Yani Tseng all posted rounds of 66 on Friday to join Wie at 12-under 132, while Sun Young Yoo shot a 69 to stand alone in sixth place at 11-under 133.
Overall, there were 19 players within five shots of Kim’s lead heading to the weekend.
Following her best round in a long time, Wie’s name is the most recognizable among them.
*****
It has taken Wie — now 18 and entering her second year at Stanford — almost two years to get back to the form she displayed in the 2006 season when she posted six top-10 finishes, including three consecutive top-threes in major championships.
Since then, she has posted more rounds in the 80s (five) than in the 60s (four). Those numbers include her 67-65 start at this tournament.
Wie holed out from the fairway for an eagle at her first hole on Friday, then made five birdies the rest of the way, including one at her last hole to join the logjam in second place.
I still think Michelle has a world of talent if her wrist injuries ever become healed. Can she win this weekend? I see no reason why not. It won’t be a given, the State Farm is known for low scoring and dramatic moves on the leaderboard. Boy do I have a great deal of golf to watch this weekend.
 Second year player Inbee Park made the US Open her first win on the tour. Inbee winning by four shots.
In Bee, who is a few weeks short of her 20th birthday, is the youngest US Women’s Open Champ ever. The youngest winner of the US Open before today was South Korea’s Se Ri Pak. Pak winning the 1998 US Open. In Bee like so many of the other players from the ROK say Se Ri Pak and her success on the LPGA was what inspired them to play pro golf.
In Bee made it look pretty simple today. Two birdies to start off the round, and after double bogeys by Stacy Lewis and Paula Creamer on the Par five 2nd, all of a sudden Park was up by two shots.
It did get interesting for a while. Especially after In Bee made bogeys on holes 6 and 8 to bring her back to a tie for the lead. The turning point was a par saving from 15 or 20 feet on the difficult 9th. After that Inbee soon regained the lead and was never in serious danger again. Helen Alfredsson of Sweden finished in solo second four shots behind Park. In a tie for 3rd one shot further back were Lewis, In-Kyung Kim and Angela Park.
Other news, thoughts, observations,
*- Annika Sorenstam holed her approach on 18 for what COULD BE her final shot in US Open history. She hitting a 6-iron into the cup from 199 yards. What a way to go out if Sorenstam doesn’t play in the Open again.
*- Stacy Lewis shot a final round 78 today. To be honest, I don’t think she lost the tournament. Lewis played play as bad as her score says because the conditions today were tough. Winds blowing at times 20-30 MPH. I’m predicting Lewis will be back in contention for a LPGA victory within a year.
*- Lewis’ winnings today won’t count towards the sum she needs to gain a spot on the LPGA Tour. See the tour doesn’t count money at the US Open when determining if a player exceeded the amount required.
Which really makes no sense to me. The Open is the toughest test of golf on tour. So the money is worth more for a 3rd there, than say a 3rd in Rochester. Therefore I think its a better indicator of whether a player should get a card or not.
When asked who set this policy, an NBC announcer(I think Dottie Pepper) said ‘no comment’.
*- There’s another LPGA policy I’m going to question in a post tomorrow or later this week. Should a Naturalized US citizen(Angela Park) be allowed to compete for a Solheim Cup spot? LPGA policy at this time doesn’t allow it. The screwball thing is, a Naturalized citizen can qualify for the Curtis Cup(and has at least once) and the Junior Solheim Cup! If they can play for the Junior, why not the professional then? I’ll address this and the reasons given for the policy.
*- Paula Creamer collapsed today. I’m not going to speculate on why she can’t bring home a major yet. Stu at The Waggleroom compared Paula’s collapse to Greg Norman’s at the 1996 Masters and Michelle Wie at the 2005 Women’s US Open.
I think I got a better comparison. Gary Player’s final round 77 at the 1978 US Open. Why do I say this?
A- Paula entered the final round one shot out of the lead. So did Player. Norman and Wie entered the final rounds of their tournaments either in the lead by themselves or tied.
B- Creamer and Player both finished tied for 6th in the tournaments I’m comparing. Norman finished 2nd, Wie out of the top 10.
C- Player and Creamer were under great amounts of pressure. Gary Player because he was the 1978 Masters Champ and therefore the only player with a chance for a grand slam. Creamer because she has been anointed the best player on tour without a major by most of the press.
Norman had won majors before the 96 Masters. Wie hadn’t won tour, major or otherwise. I think Player in 78 is a better analogy to Creamer today than either Wie or Norman.
*- With their third win in the last four LPGA events, I think we can safely say the South Korean slump is over on the LPGA Tour.
*- For the first time, I saw why Paula Creamer has been teapot by some members of the media. After a bad or indifferent shot on the back nine today, Paula put her hands on her hips. The teapot pose as somebody called it.
*- I don’t recall Johnny Miller making any insulting comments today but he did make a clueless comment. Towards the end of the round Miller saying women’s golf is more popular in South Korean than men’s golf. It’s been that way since Se Ri Pak won the LPGA Championship in 1998 at least. Where has Johnny Miller been the last ten years?
To close I’ll quote what AP’s Doug Ferguson said in the concluding paragraphs of his coverage of today’s final round.
There were so many possibility for great story lines going into the final round — Lewis and her remarkable recovery from back surgery that almost ended her career before she got to college; Creamer, looking poised to finally get a major to go with her marketing campaign; Alfredsson, who blew a six-shot lead at the Women’s Open in 1994, now with a chance for redemption at 43.
Instead, it was Park who stole the show by simply playing the best golf.
There were many potential story lines today but Inbee certainly did steal the show. She was a deserving US Open champ and she will be in the winner’s circle again.
I introduce to you Allisen Corpuz-
Erin, Wis. – Not long after signing her scorecard and chatting with a few reporters, Allisen Corpuz walked down the steep slope behind the 18th green and approached her father. Marcos and Allisen then embraced in a long hug, knowing this historic journey had come to a conclusion.
Rounds of 81 and 88 put Corpuz nine strokes off the match-play cut, but in the grand scheme, that did not matter. For the past two days at Erin Hills, the Kapolei, Hawaii, fifth-grader had entered the record books as the youngest qualifier to compete in a USGA championship. Whatever happened afterwards was simply gravy.
At 10 years, 3 months and 9 days, Corpuz shattered the previous mark of fellow Hawaiian Michelle Wie, who achieved the feat eight years ago in this same event, the U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links. While Wie, the 2003 WAPL champion and 2004 runner-up, did advance to match play in 2000 – she lost to Cindy Lee in the first round (3 and 2) – Corpuz, who attends the same Punahou School in Honolulu, fell a little short.
*****
Corpuz could be next. A little more than six years ago, Corpuz asked her father for a simple birthday present. She wanted to play golf and join her father and then-6-year-old brother on the links. Since that simple request, Corpuz has risen quite quickly in the junior ranks. Four years ago, she captured the 6-and-under division at the Junior Worlds in San Diego by seven shots. More recently, she’s won back-to-back U.S. Kids World Cup titles in her age division (2006 and ’07).
Three weeks ago, the 5-foot, 111-pound Corpuz carded an 80 during her 2008 WAPL qualifier in Kauai. It was good enough to be first alternate behind Cyd Okino, who first qualified for the WAPL at 11. But on June 9, Okino won a U.S. Women’s Open sectional qualifier in Hawaii, which gave her an exemption into the WAPL, along with the U.S. Girls’ Junior and U.S. Women’s Amateur. That opened the door for Corpuz to grab Okino’s qualifying spot since the USGA automatically holds a few WAPL spots open for those who qualify for the Women’s Open.
It was a good-news, bad-news situation for Corpuz. The good news is she was making history. The bad news was she had to miss her Junior World qualifier. Fortunately, her father, Marcos, found another qualifier in the Los Angeles area that takes place next Tuesday, giving Corpuz time to fly back to the West Coast and compete.
“I think it’s really cool,” said Allisen of qualifying for the WAPL at such a young age.
Yes it was pretty cool Allisen. I hope to read more about your golf accomplishments in the years ahead.
Allisen goes to the same school, Punahou, as Michelle Wie did before graduating last year. I think Allisen is modest enought not to be angling for any Nike deals in the near future.
Talking about Michelle Wie, she’s teeing it up in this week’s Wegaman’s LPGA. In spite of her off 2007, Michelle is still talking about her dream of qualifying for The Masters.
When Michelle tees it up on June 26th, it will be her fourth LPGA event of 2008. From AP-
ROCKVILLE, MD — Despite playing 36 holes on a humid day with temperatures nearly reaching triple digits, Michelle Wie was still able to flash a big smile as she sat down with the media.
Qualifying for the U.S. Women’s Open will do that.
Playing on two different courses, Wie carded rounds of 70 and 67 and her 137 total was the second-best score on the day and more than enough to qualify her for the 2008 Open, to be played later this month at the Interlachen Country Club in Edina, Minn.
“I think I did pretty well. It feels good to be playing good again,” said Wie, who has struggled with her game for much of the last year. “There were a lot of shots that I left out there today with the putting and a couple of errant tee shots in the middle, but other than that I’m pretty pleased with my round and I’m really happy to be playing at the U.S. Open.”
Wie’s strong finish in Germany is encouraging so far as a sign the teen’s golf game is returning. I still believe more evidence is needed before saying conclusively Michelle Wie is back.
A 18-year-old South Korean won the Ladies German Open today.
MUNICH, Germany – South Korean teenager Amy Yang shot a 5-under 67 on Sunday to win the Ladies German Open by four strokes.
*****
Yang, an 18-year-old who had a course-record 63 on Saturday, finished with a 21-under 267 total for her first victory as a professional. Sweden’s Louise Stahle was second at 17 under, and Gwladys Nocera of France was another stroke back in third.
This isn’t even Yang’s first win in a professional golf tournament. In 2006 she won the ANZ Ladies Masters in Australia. An event considered a major championship by the golfers from down under. Yang is also the leading money winner on the LET(Ladies European Tour) so far for 2008. Next week is the LPGA Championship at Bulle Rock. Yang, who only has non-exempt status on the LPGA Tour, would be a good long shot pick for the LPGA. At present Amy looks unlikely to be in the field.
Michelle Wie was also playing in Germany this week. How did she do?
Michelle Wie had a solid final round to finish sixth.
*****
Wie shot 67 to finish 14 under, the first time since the Evian Masters in July 2006 that she completed a tournament under par – a streak of 13 events that included seven missed cuts.
Michelle Wie shot 4 straight rounds under par, by far the best golf she has played in two years. So is Michelle back? I’d wait to see how she plays at the Wegman’s in three weeks before passing judgment. Michelle was given a sponsor’s exemption to play in the Rochester New York LPGA Tour stop.
The 2007 AJGA Player of the Year is among the leaders after the first round of the Semgroup Championship. From the Tulsa World-
BROKEN ARROW—Vicky Hurst, a 17-year-old high school senior from Melbourne, Fla., got a sponsor’s exemption into the SemGroup Championship and isn’t squandering the opportunity.
After nine first-round holes, Hurst was 3-under par and had a two-shot lead on the field. She settled for even par, but her score — posted despite sinister wind gusts — was still good enough to lead you to believe the kid was born on a golf course,
Which Vicki almost was. Back to that later.
Vicki is at present playing her rookie year on the Duramed Futures Tour. At present, Vicki is #1 on that tour’s money list. If you think Vicki has played the LPGA pros a great many times before the Semgroup, think again. Vicki, who has had a very impressive amateur record, is only playing in a LPGA event for the second time on a sponsor’s exemption. How many sponsor’s exemptions has Michelle Wie gotten since 2002? Like 30?
Hurst is just one part of the wave of Korean-American girls who will soon be influencing US Ladies Professional golf. Vicki’s Mom Koko, who caddies for her daughter but not this week, was born in South Korea. I think we’ll be hearing alot of more of Vicki, Kimberly Kim, Jenny Shin, and others in the years ahead.
The rest of the Tulsa World article is below the fold.
Hurst’s mom, Koko, was very pregnant with Vicky back in June of 1990. Koko was playing a round of golf at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland and made it as far as the 16th hole.
“I was ready to hit the ball,” said Koko Thursday.
Then Koko’s water broke and Vicky was on the way. Considering the way Vicky came into the world, it’s no surprise she graduated to professional golf before graduating high school.
Call it destiny.
“I’m not sure,” she said. “I grew up in a golfing family and I think today I’m headed in the right direction.”
Vicky, the 2007 AJGA Player of the Year, is the sixth consecutive player of the year to skip college and turn pro. She joined the LPGA’s development league and last week set a Duramed Futures Tour 54-hole scoring record while earning her first pro victory.
The competition is major league at Cedar Ridge this week, but Vicky played like she belonged amid the world’s best golfers. She said it was “awesome” to see her name atop the leaderboard.
“I think she knows she is good enough,” said Koko, who travels with her daughter to tournaments.
“But I don’t know if she feels comfortable out here. After a few more tournaments, she will be more comfortable.”
Vicky did not make the cut while playing as an amateur in three previous tournaments against LPGA competition — two U.S. Opens and the 2007 Ginn Open. She played in the Ginn Open nearly a year after the death of her father, Joe.
“He’s up there hopefully looking downonme,”Vicky said. “I think his attitude towards my golf and golf in general was just have fun and keep your heart in the game and no matter how bad of a shot you hit, you are still out there playing and enjoying the game.”
Vicky said she was not nervous at the start of the first round. She admitted to being a little nervous toward the end of the round because she wanted to post a good score.
Vicky is juggling coursework and class work with the intent of graduating May 17. Teachers and administrators at Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy have been flexible in allowing her to do correspondence work and take make-up exams.
She regrets that she didn’t get to go on a senior class outing to Disney World, but sacrifices have to be made if you are golf ’s next big thing.
« Hide it
This news comes days after Stanford was eliminated from the NCAA tournament.
The Lopez twins are going pro together. Stanford sophomore Robin Lopez is joining his 7-foot brother Brook in entering the NBA draft. The brothers made their announcement to The Associated Press on Monday through their mother, Deborah Ledford.
It was expected that Brook would declare himself eligible for the NBA, but Robin was not so certain. They were prep stars in Fresno, Calif., and came to Stanford together. Now they will depart as a tandem, too.
“This has been a very difficult decision for me because I really enjoyed my two years at Stanford,” Robin Lopez said in a statement released to the AP. “I have always hoped I would have an opportunity to play in the NBA and I feel now is the right time to make that dream a reality.”
Brook Lopez, a third-team All-American and a first-team Pac-10 selection, averaged 19.3 points and 8.2 rebounds to go with 56 blocks this season. He scored the game-winning basket with 1.3 seconds left in an 82-81 victory over Marquette in the second round of the NCAA tournament to put Stanford in the regional semifinals for the first time since 2001.
Both Brook and Robin will hire agents and thus forgo their remaining two years of college eligibility, their mom said.
Since I rarely follow basketball(Pro or college) I am clueless as to the chances the Lopez brothers have of sticking in the NBA. To be honest, I would stay in college. Especially since its Stanford.
There has been a history of twins, identical and non-identical in professional sports. Hardcore golf fans will know golf Hall of Famer Curtis Strange has an identical twin brother Allen. In the NHL right now there are the identical Sedin brothers, Daniel and Henrik who play for the Vancouver Canucks. In baseball there were the Canseco brothers and the O’brien brothers.
If Robin Lopez can’t make it in the NBA, he can always caddy for Michelle Wie. SI reported recently that the two of them are dating.(Hat tip- ROK Drop)
|
