SOUTHERN PINES, N.C. – And the crowd said, not again. Michelle Wie punched her second shot out of the rough on her 10th hole Saturday at the U.S. Women’s Open and called it day. This story really is getting old.
With Wie out of the field, at least everyone can now concentrate on those who are actually in contention on the weekend at Pine Needles. There’s plenty of young talent getting it done here: Angela Park, Julieta Granada, In-Bee Park and Morgan Pressel.
One of the storylines going into today was whether or not Wie could even beat Alexis Thompson, the 12-year-old who shot 76-82. When Wie walked off the course after 27 holes, she was 17 over. She hit four fairways and six greens for the week and said once again that she was still a “work in progress.” Thompson played 36 holes in 16 over.
“I just hit a drive off the seventh tee and I was just, you know, I tweaked it,” Wie said. “And then after that it kind of went downhill.”
Actually, Wie has been tumbling downhill for nearly a year. She hasn’t broken par in a tournament since July 29, 2006 and came to the U.S. Women’s Open hoping to find confidence after finishing dead last among those who made the cut at the McDonald’s LPGA Championship.
An opening 82 further established the fact that Wie is simply not ready for competition. Her swing instructor, David Leadbetter, has been saying this all along. He’s no longer surprised by spectacularly errant tee shots, and frankly, neither are the rest of us.
Wie hit her second shot out of the rough on the 18th and winced in pain. She called her physical therapist inside the ropes for the first time all week and had her left wrist massaged as she walked up the fairway, tears beginning to stream down her face. Wie failed to get up and down and headed to the first tee where she whacked her drive left into the crowd. After yet another poke from the rough, her fifth consecutive Open appearance came to an end.
Wie’s voice quivered as she delivered explanations that were almost identical to her controversial withdrawal May 31 from the LPGA Ginn Tribute. Doctors say her bones have healed, but she’s going to have learn to play through the pain.
“I don’t want to lay off again, but we’ll have to see,” Wie said.
Here’s some advice Michelle (even though we know you say you make your own decisions): Take some time off. Spend hours pounding balls and playing golf. Go to Target and pick out fun stuff to decorate your dorm room with and plan your schedule for the fall. Do something that makes you happy for a while and strengthen those wrists. Come back when you’re ready.
Right now Wie has three consecutive sponsor exemptions on the horizon: Evian Masters, Ricoh Women’s British Open, CN Canadian Women’s Open. She has three weeks off to figure out how to break 80 again. That’s not enough time.
There are too many women out here trying to make a living. Wie should let tournament sponsors give those spots to someone who can compete to win and come back when the crowd can appreciate her ‘A’ game. If Wie thinks the U.S. press has been giving her a hard time these last two months, wait until the British tabloids get after her next month at St. Andrews when she can’t find her ball in the hay.
Players have grown tired of Wie’s sideshow act making headlines for all the wrong reasons at their biggest championships. To borrow a phrase from Wie, “this is a U.S. freakin’ Open.” Don’t play if you’re not ready. Go home, get healthy and go back to the basics.
Before this tour takes up the welcome mat.
Posted: 6/30/2007
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