Michelle Wie Heading Back to PGA Tour
But the Legends Reno-Tahoe Open is an "opposite field" tournament, an event played at the same time as a major championship or other major event. In this case, the Reno-Tahoe is played at the same time as the WGC Bridgestone Invitational, where all the top players will be.
It's easy to see why the Reno-Tahoe, then, would want the publicity boost from having Wie in the field. The Associated Press article quotes the tournament director:
"This will be a great experience for the community to see a player like Michelle in this setting," tournament director Michael Stearns said in a statement. "Michelle is getting her game together, she's getting back in the swing of things and we have no problem extending her this opportunity."
And Michelle said, in a statement released today:
"It's not every day that a woman is given the opportunity to play on the greatest tour in the world. This is a tremendous opportunity for me to learn from these great players and take those lessons to the LPGA. This is another step in the process of making me a better player."
It will be interesting to see how she fares. Wie was playing her best golf in two years before the unfortunate scorecard snafu at the State Farm Classic. But is she back to full strength and full power? Almost certainly not. And her experiences in men's events, even before her injury problems arose near the end of 2006, were ones of severely diminishing returns.
Still, the most important thing for Wie now is to get in tournament rounds. To keep playing tournament golf, keep improving, keep building on all the work she's done this year. Many will believe she'd be better off doing that on the Ladies European Tour, in Japan or Korea, or even in a Futures Tour tournament. Say this for Wie: She's not afraid to take risks.
Legends Reno-Tahoe Open
July 31-Aug. 3
Montreux Golf & Country Club, Reno, Nev.
Televised on the Golf Channel all four days
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Comments
She can’t beat the women - she doesn’t know enough to sign her card - but she gets a sponsor’s exemption???? Gimme a break! Apparently sponsors will do anything that might help the gate!
things this bad that they have to bring in the young girl for ratings. the PGA needs to bring her in for TV ratings,and more money at the gate.
Amen to the above. Just a spoiled brat from her father’s making. Go back and learn the rules of golf, grow up a little and come back in a couple of years.
I am tired of this WIE thing, how do we stop it?
I may have cheered for her at the beginning, now she is ladies golf biggest media nightmare.
Go back to drawing board, be media quiet, play good golf and we will all notice and probably even cheer for her again. But please, someone how do we stop this WIE media mess?
M. Wie is a nothing. She may have or had great potential but she has not and may never reach that potential. I am tired of seeing her take the place of more qualified player. Renoe Tahoe will not be on my tv screen. Golf should be played by golfer not the media`s idea of what passes for a professional golfer.
How about letting Tiger play the ladies and knock out a lady that should be playing as does Wie by playing stop a MORE qualified man from playing and earning points and money. You can bet I WON’T be watching the RENO-TAHOE fiasco. So SPONSOR YOU really BLEW IT.
I will be glad when Nike’s contract with Wie is over and then the media will not get the pressure to keep her in the spotlight. She can’t even win a ladies tourny. Give it a rest.