Leadbetter Slams Wie Parents ... um ... er.. "people in her camp"

by Mulligan Stu on Mar 27, 2008 10:26 AM EDT

Robert Thompson over at Golfing for the Green has a post up on David Leadbetter's thoughts about and relationship with Michelle Wie that includes some interesting comments from Leadbetter. Speaking to Thompson at a Callaway event in Toronto recently, Leadbetter said:

"This girl is so talented, she could do anything she wants to do in the world of golf. But people in her camp -- and I'm not going to name them -- have been a bit off on what she can and can't do."

Hmmm, "people in her camp." Wonder who that could be? B.J. and Bo, perhaps? While Leadbetter goes on to say that Wie's parents "are desperately trying to do the right thing," he makes it clear he believes they've gone very wrong. And he also makes it clear that he doesn't blame Michelle for the mistakes made:

She has to have a say in her own career. She's not 12-years old any longer. She has got to get the show back on the road.

It's up to Michelle, he appears to be saying, to take control and right the wrong turns made up to this point by those previously in control of her career.

Pretty clearly Leadbetter is taking shots at the decision-making of Michelle's parents. Sometimes I get the impression that Leadbetter is trying to get fired by Ma and Pa Wie. But it's clear that he likes and believes in Michelle enough to want to stick with her, to stand by her. Those seeming two sides of him - strongly disagreeing with the parents while liking and believing in Michelle - have been on display in his public comments about the situation over the past year.

Check out Robert's full post (which also includes comments from Leadbetter about Ernie Els' recent work with Butch Harmon).

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