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Capsule Bio:
Michelle Wie started playing golf at the age of 4. Even at that young
age she was able to hit the ball 100 yards off the tee, a sign of things
to come. By the time she was 10, she was making huge noise in Hawaii.
At that age she made her first try at qualifying for the PGA tour event
held there. While she did not come close to qualifying, shooting an 84,
it was still an amazing achievement. That year, 2000, she also became
the youngest girl to ever qualify for a USGA event, in this case the U.S.
Women's Public Links Championship.
By the time she was 12, Wie had grown to nearly six feet in height, and was frequently blasting drives in excess of 300 yards. The PGA pros that got a look at her were astonished; Tom Lehman gave her the nickname 'The Big Wiesy', because, like Ernie Els (aka the Big Easy), her swing was smooth and powerful. In January of 2002, she made history again by qualifying for the LPGA's Takefuji Classic, the youngest to ever do so. Though she missed the cut, it was a good learning experience for her.
In 2003, she tried again to qualify for the Sony Open. This time she shot a 73 and finished 47th out of 96 players. This got her so much notoriety that she was offered a plethora of LPGA sponsor exemptions throughout the season. I expect to get to see her at the Safeway Classic in the fall, one of the events she got into this way.
She also dominated the Hawaii State Women's Open, winning by an astonishing 13 shots (included in the field were a couple of former LPGA players; Wie was one of the very youngest playing). She was also the lone female to play in the Hawaii Pearl Open, where she finished 43rd playing from the men's tees.
Obviously, Michelle, with her incredible length and strong game, has world beater written all over her. It will be interesting to see if she does try to make the PGA tour, as she has said she would like, or will go on to the LPGA tour. But regardless, she will doubtless be a superstar in a few years!
MICHELLE WIE Birthday: October 11, 1989 Rookie Year on LPGA: Amateur Birthplace: Unknown American Home City: Honolulu, HI Best LPGA Finish: 9th (Nabisco 2003) Best LPGA Major Finish: 9th (Nabisco 2003) Height: 5' 11" 2003 LPGA Status: None, still an amateur Nicknames: The Big Wiesy Sponsors: None How's her English?: Fluent Hobbies: Reading, drawing, computers Road to the LPGA: Still an amateur Capsule Bio: Michelle Wie started playing golf at the age of 4. Even at that young age she was able to hit the ball 100 yards off the tee, a sign of things to come. By the time she was 10, she was making huge noise in Hawaii. At that age she made her first try at qualifying for the PGA tour event held there. While she did not come close to qualifying, shooting an 84, it was still an amazing achievement. That year, 2000, she also became the youngest girl to ever qualify for a USGA event, in this case the U.S. Women's Public Links Championship. By the time she was 12, Wie had grown to nearly six feet in height, and was frequently blasting drives in excess of 300 yards. The PGA pros that got a look at her were astonished; Tom Lehman gave her the nickname 'The Big Wiesy', because, like Ernie Els (aka the Big Easy), her swing was smooth and powerful. In January of 2002, she made history again by qualifying for the LPGA's Takefuji Classic, the youngest to ever do so. Though she missed the cut, it was a good learning experience for her. In 2003, she tried again to qualify for the Sony Open. This time she shot a 73 and finished 47th out of 96 players. This got her so much notoriety that she was offered a plethora of LPGA sponsor exemptions throughout the season. I expect to get to see her at the Safeway Classic in the fall, one of the events she got into this way. She also dominated the Hawaii State Women's Open, winning by an astonishing 13 shots (included in the field were a couple of former LPGA players; Wie was one of the very youngest playing). She was also the lone female to play in the Hawaii Pearl Open, where she finished 43rd playing from the men's tees. Obviously, Michelle, with her incredible length and strong game, has world beater written all over her. It will be interesting to see if she does try to make the PGA tour, as she has said she would like, or will go on to the LPGA tour. But regardless, she will doubtless be a superstar in a few years!
