Report: Wie Aiming for LPGA Membership in '09

by Mulligan Stu on Apr 4, 2008 9:54 AM EDT Comment 7 comments

That's the good news, that Michelle Wie (and camp) has finally set her sights on joining the LPGA Tour, with a specific timetable. She wants to be on Tour in 2009.

How to get there? According to the current issue of Golf World (article not yet online), Wie's plan is the same as Stacy Lewis': get six exemptions, win enough money in those tournaments to finish the equivalent of 90th or better on the money list, and thereby earn a Tour card for 2009 without having to go to Q-School.

Stacy Lewis is healthy and her swing isn't messed up. Wie? She's probably healthy, although weak-wristed. Her swing definitely is not healthy.

And she's already used one of her exemptions, and didn't use it well: She made the cut at the Fields Open but finished last, earning only $2,570.

This plan might explain why Wie dropped out of the Safeway International, however. Golf World quotes agent Jill Smoller:

"The wrist is fine. But there is no reason for her to play if she is not 110 percent. These next five events are too important."

So while Wie did jar her wrist on a practice swing recently, the real reason she withdrew from the Safeway may be that she didn't think she'd play well enough to win enough money to make it worth using up another of her exemptions.

We know that three of her five remaining exemptions will come at the Michelob Ultra Open, the Wegmans LPGA and the Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic. Wie will have to earn around $90,000 in her five remaining starts - $18,000 per start - to earn a 2009 Tour card through the money list. Here's the approximate place she'll need to finish in each to make $18,000:

Michelob Ultra Open - 25th
Wegmans LPGA - 20th
Jamie Farr Owens Corning Clasic - 15th

The Michelle Wie of 2003, 2004, 2005 or 2006 would have made enough money in one start to earn a card, much less six starts. The Michelle Wie of 2007-08? Ninety-thousand dollars seems like a much, much greater hurdle.

An interesting nugget from the Golf World article is that not all LPGA tournaments count toward Wie's or Lewis' money totals, as far earning enough to skip Q-School.

Only domestic events with 75 or more players in the field count toward qualifying off the money list.

The U.S. Open is also excluded, so even if Wie (or Lewis) qualifies for the Open it won't help her money quest. She also won't be heading back to Evian because of this. Can't afford to give up one of those five remaining exemptions for a tournament whose earnings won't help. And this is why Wie is looking to events such as Wegmans and the Jamie Farr.

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I still think...

...she needs more tournament experience under her belt if she's going to get top 20s in these events. Here's hoping she gets and takes some KLPGA/JLPGA invitations. And certainly if she doesn't make the $90-$100K range in the 6 events, she needs to get ready for the grind of Q-School.

Would be neat to see a rookie class of '09 that includes Ji-Yai Shin, Sakura Yokomine, Stacy Lewis, Michelle Wie, and...let's say Vicky Hurst and Esther Choe from the Futures Tour. Who else would you like to see as '09 rookies?

by The Constructivist on Apr 4, 2008 12:16 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

How about plan B ??

What happened to Wie taking in a few Futures Tour events ? Less pressure to her fragile (yet overactive) ego - and some much easier courses. Play 6 or 8 tournaments, maybe win 2 with some top 10's and the card is in hand.

The ladies of the LPGA are tired of her act and aren't afraid of her anymore. Learn to win - then take it to the big time.

Oh - I guess this is notice to the dean of students at Stanford that she won't be back. Raise your hands if you're surprised...anyone ? anyone ?

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Apr 4, 2008 11:04 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I can't see it

I know the FT makes a whole lot more sense, but I get the feeling that Team Wie won't stand for it. Plus, what are the rules on memberships and invites on the FT?

by The Constructivist on Apr 5, 2008 9:24 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

sponsor exemptions

The FT events get 'em too. FT tournament directors would square off in cage-matches-to-the-death to get Michelle into their event.

But I doubt she'll go that route, too. There's no logistical reason why she couldn't, though. Get her five remaining LPGA exemptions, maybe play another two times on the FT to get in some rounds. Plus U.S. Open qualifying to get in more rounds (and, hopefully, get into the Open of course).

by Mulligan Stu on Apr 5, 2008 11:50 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

futures tour

You are definitely right about Team Wie not allowing their meal ticket...err...little angel to play on such a "low rent" tour as the Duramed Futures Tour - not that that makes any sense to a rational person.

A rational person sees that MW doesn't know how to win and needs to figure the game out - and since she sold her junior career for a tenth of what it would have been worth by doing things the right way - she has severely limited her options on how to learn how to win.

The futures tour has grown enough over the past few years that they are similar to other tours that requre membership through a qualifying tournament, sponsor's exemption, or Monday qualifying and tournament performance.

There are times, too, when a player can pretty much walk up and pay the entry fee to get in the tournament simply because the field isn't full. Those days are getting fewer and fewer as the prestige of the tour grows, but the money still isn't good enough for more than a handful of players to survive on prize money alone.

Last year, Taylor Leon started playing Futures Tour events halfway through the season and nearly earned an LPGA card with fewer than half the starts of the eventual top 5 on the money list.

Surley Wie (even though she isn't "110%" - don'tcha love those management types ?) could put up three wins on the Futures Tour in 8 or 10 starts. If she starts turning that experience into results on the LPGA - all the better.

I don't think she's going to even try the Open qualifying - all those rounds for FREE ?? Come on. :) One of her exemptions is the week before the Open.

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Apr 5, 2008 1:57 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs