Golf Talk

Tomorrow is the start of the biggest tournament annually for the women, the US Open. Now this is a USGA sanctioned event and so it’s not LPGA. In any case, lets see who could take the trophy on Sunday.

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Citing her ailing wrists and resulting inability to hit the long ball, Michelle Wie finally relented and has decided to withdraw from the John Deere Classic in July.

Obviously it was the only thing for her to do to avoid further embarrasment. She’s been absolutely disgraceful playing in women’s events so far this year and playing with the men would only make her look even worse.

Michelle still plans on playing in the Women’s US Open next week.

Look for my picks later today for the Traveler’s Championship that starts Thursday.

Michelle Wie, LGPA Tour, John Deere Classic

Another day, another sad installment in the latest saga of the Michelle Wie soap opera as this time Annika Sorenstam, lady duke of the LPGA, chimes in on Michelle’s “lack of class and respect” regarding her antics last week at her tournament.

“I just feel there’s a little bit of a lack of respect and class just to leave a tournament like that and then come out and practice here [Bulle Rock].”

When asked to respond to Annika’s comments, Wie had this to say,

“I don’t think I need to apologize for anything, I just have to take care of my body and move forward and only think of positive things.”

Regarding complaints from playing partners at Monday’s Pro-am at Bulle Rock who allege that Michelle showed extremely poor etiquette on the course prompting a terse dressing down by LPGA commisioner Carolyn Bivens,

“I think it was very insulting because I tried my best.”

Personally, I think Danica Patrick and Michelle Wie should get together and bitch it out in a mud wrestling match and have it all taped. Oops, did I say that out loud??

LPGA Tour, Annika Sorenstam, Michelle Wie

With the LPGA Championship starting on Thursday at Bulle Rock in Maryland, it’s time to handicap the field and see who to look out for in this year’s tournament.

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Bunch of US qualifying news to report. Darren Clarke didn’t make it, Anthony Kim though did make it, as did Sean O’Hair, Bubba Watson, Ryan Moore, Jerry Kelly and Boo Weekley among the notables. Others that missed are Tom Lehman, Mark Calcavecchia and Brad Faxon. Hit the link to see the full results.

I’m quite impressed by those guys that played on Sunday at the Memorial and turned around the next day to play the 36-hole qualifiers, big props to them as that ain’t easy to do.

In other news, Michelle Wie is still undecided on whether she will play at the LPGA Championship next weekend. I guess we should correct that by saying her father is undecided on whether Michelle will be playing next weekend. I think they’ll string this out as long as possible to give us the impression that her wrist “injury” is still recovering.

Finally, Jack Nicklaus made some interesting comments about the President’s Cup and Ryder Cup. How the game of golf has gone international and how they should really re-consider how the competition is drawn up. I agree with Jack, the US is still the dominant country but more countries are catching up. The playing field is getting more level, and thus the competition should be revised to reflect that.

PGA Tour, LPGA Tour, Jack Nicklaus, Michelle Wie

The second round of the Memorial was owned by Adam Scott today shooting a blistering round of 62 to lead at 12-under after two rounds. The photogenic Aussie showed plenty of game to go with his dashing good looks and actually flirted with a round of 59 missing a few makeable 12-foot putts.

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Plenty of drama in the first day for both the Memorial and Ginn Tribute today. First Lefty pulled out with a injured wrist, then Zach Johnson pulled out with a bad case of strep throat. At the Ginn Tribute, the big story was Michelle Wie’s 14-over that had her precariously close to the LPGA’s 88 rule (a rule that bans non-tour members for the year if they shoot 88 or higher).

Memorial

Sean O’Hair is a co-leader along with Nick O’Hern and Rod Pampling at 7-under. Ernie is lurking at one back, Kuchar, and Pettersson are at 4-under, big logjam at 3-under including Cink, Garcia, Vij, CH3, Imada and Villegas. Tiger was hot/cold finishing at 2-under with 5 birdies and 3 bogeys. Furyk is at 2-under as well. Phil didn’t look good right from the start and after several hand massages just couldn’t make the pain go away. Zach Johnson struggled through more than half his round before withdrawing due to a bad strep throat and couldn’t even be interviewed. So without those two guys, the field has opened up a little. But tomorrow will be a day if we see Tiger making a charge to get within two or so of the lead. O’Hair is playing with no fear and looks to stay right there through until Sunday. Ernie is stroking it good. At this point, there are a lot of good players out there and the finish is looking to be a good one.

Ginn Tribute

The Pink Panther is again all over the top of the leaderboard. While rookie Angela Park is the current leader at 6-under, Paula Creamer is just two shots off the lead as is world number one Lorena Ochoa. Host Annika Sorenstam marked her return to the Tour after neck and back troubles and shot a respectable par. Of course, all the talk has been about Michelle and that huge number she was about to post, 14-over after 16 holes. She walked off after finishing the 16th and later said she tweaked her wrist. I’m sure that with two holes left, and a strong possibility of going 2-over, her agent advised her to withdraw. Like it or not, Michelle and her camp have carte blanche to do basically whatever they want as long as the LGPA is willing to suck up to her.

PGA Tour, Memorial, Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, LPGA Tour, Michelle Wie, Paula Creamer

Lefty pulled out halfway through his first round at the Memorial after hurting his left wrist. Phil thinks he injured it at Oakmount earlier in the week as he was preparing for the US Open.

Michelle does the same at the Ginn Tribute, but mayber her 14-over with two holes remaining had something to do with it as well.

PGA Tour, Memorial, Phil Mickelson, LPGA Tour, Michelle Wie

Well you knew it would happen sooner or later. Michelle Wie fired back at her critics and specifically against her coach David Leadbetter for saying she wouldn’t play in any more men’s tournaments.

“I don’t think my coach is the person who could talk about what events I’m going to play in. He got misquoted. I learn so much from playing with the men. I’m going to do it as long as I enjoy it.”

The war of words continued with Retief Goosen adding his own comments on the situation,

“The players in general feel it is not right. If she qualifies to play in an event then fine, but there are youngsters and good players coming up who could have taken that spot and broken through.”

“We all know with her playing in the men’s events that she is not going to get anywhere, so I’m not really sure what she is trying to achieve. If she thinks it is helping her development then fine, but so far I think it has been damaging to her game.”

Ouch, Michelle just got owned by the Goose man who is usually quiet and non-controversial. Obviously a lot of people feel strongly about this.

PGA Tour, Michelle Wie

Her on again, off again flip-flop of joining the men then withdrawing and then joining again act is getting old. Today, Michelle Wie’s camp announced that she will join the men at the John Deere Classic on July 12. Even worse than the flip-floping is her record on the ladies tour, a big zero in the win column. I tend to side with Michael Wilbon on this one, Michelle should stick to winning on the LPGA Tour first before thinking she has a chance on the men’s tour.

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