I play golf. It relaxes me, and I enjoy the social aspects of the sport.
As a "weekend duffer," I don't play competitively, but know the rules of the game, for the most part.
I can kick some #$# on an executive golf course. My long game stinks, but on a 3- or 4-par course, I am a real tiger—and a stickler for following the rules.
So imagine my surprise when this last weekend, Michelle Wie was disqualified from a tournament because of an infraction.
Not just any infraction, mind you, but the most basic and well-known infraction known in golf: not signing off on your scorecard.
How many times have you watched a major tournament and after the 18th hole, the winner goes into the tent to turn in his or her scorecard?
The golf sportscasters tell us, "And right now, Phil Mickelson is checking his scorecard two or three times, making sure every t is crossed and every i is dotted, and putting his John Hancock on the card to verify his round."
Most non-golf fans know this rule, don't they?
After Saturday's third round in the LPGA State Farm Classic, Wie left the tent without signing her card. Some volunteers noticed her error and chased her down to ask her to come back and sign the card.
Wie returned to the tent and complied. But apparently, she had left the roped-off area around the tent when the volunteers had caught up with her, and once you leave that area, you are done with official business.
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This is the second time Wie has been disqualified from a tournament. She also made an illegal drop in 2005 that cost her from finishing her first tournament as a pro.
Here's what I want to know: Why did Wie cry like a 2-year-old when told of her disqualification the next day? She is playing with professionals, isn't she?
Moreover, how come some volunteers know the rules, and she doesn't?
Not signing your card is the equivalent of whiffing a ball, and then not counting it.
It's so basic a rule, so ingrained in every golfer, whether casual or pro, you have to wonder just how professional Wie really is. The crying made it hard to defend her professionalism.
She has been the beneficiary of countless PGA exemptions from her biggest sponsor, SONY, to gain admittance into a PGA tournament. She certainly hasn't earned them.
Sure she is being used, but she is allowing this dog and pony show to continue.
Over a year ago, she embarrassed herself and most golf fans when she dropped out of the Ginn Tribute in South Carolina due to "injury."
She had a 14-over-par score after 16 holes, and the way things were going, she was in reach of spanking out an 88, which is 16 over par.
Any non-LPGA member who scores an 88 is automatically banned from LPGA tourneys for a year.
So of course, Wie drops out of the tourney. Her manager, Greg Nared, was using a cell phone on the course to clarify the 88 rule when she got to 12 over- before teeing up at the 17th hole due to "injury."
Nobody is allowed to use a cell phone during an LPGA or PGA event, by the way.
Two days later, she shows up at Bulle Rock to get ready for the LPGA Championship.
It's a miraculous recovery, even though she finished dead last in Bulle Rock.
But the word is out, the vultures are circling, and the hyenas are waiting.
Michelle, you have a beautiful swing, but you can't grasp the rules, don't have a caddy well-versed enough in rules to save you, and most importantly, don't have the mental fortitude to play with the guys.
Or the girls.
Some times, a beautiful stroke isn't enough. Nor a beautiful swing. Just ask John Daly.
Some times, it's better to just enjoy the beautiful Palo Alto campus of Stanford and quit trying to please your nightmare of a father than go out and make a fool of yourself.
Some times, the writing is on the wall, and trying to erase it over and over again does not make it not true.
In the world of sport, talent alone is not enough. Especially in a mental game such as golf.
Clearly, Wie is not able to handle the pressure.
Nor sign on the dotted line.
And suddenly, the three most beautiful words in any parent's language may save Wie from more embarrassment.
Back to school.
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about 1 month ago
Oh my soul, come on! This is a sport. A sport with a stupid rule that is taking away Wie's chance at a big win. The girl has never won a major event before, right? So no wonder she cried. I would cry - and I'm not even a big crier.
Let's say I had played a basketball game and at halftime, I was winning. It's a huge game and I'm doing better than I ever have before. So at halftime, I'm supposed to sign the stat book before walking out of the gym. Well, I forget (maybe because I'm thinking about the game). But just as I step out of the gym, someone catches me and I sign the book - whew, that's a relief. But then later I find out that I automatically lose because of the late signing. That would be INSANE! It's a sport, and the winner is supposed to be declared based on performance, not who is better at signing their name. If this was any other sport, it would sound ludicrous. Why does golf hold onto these stupid rules?
from about 1 month ago
Lauren...thanks for coming by!
One of the reasons why golf is enjoyed by so many is because it is a gentleman's sport based on honesty. It is easy to cheat in.
When you have others keeping track of your scores, you have to verify that it is accurate. It isn't a stupid rule. You are turning in your official score, a score of which you have sole responsibility for keeping. A signature bears your stamp of approval. It's part of the game.
from about 1 month ago
Ok, I have to admit that I'm not a golfer. I enjoy watching the sport, but that's as far as it goes. I guess I came off a little strong. I don't think the rule of having to sign is stupid in and of itself, but I think the Wie situation is ridiculous. She signed the card a few yards away from where she was supposed to sign it, and it completely nullified her great play. I guess what I really want is flexibility. If the rule is meant to control cheating, then it should be enforced when cheating is attempted, not when someone makes a mistake and walks outside of a roped-off area. Once again, I'm not a golfer, and this is just my opinion. I just feel like it's kind of silly to be SO strict about it.
I think the reason I came off so strong is that I'm sitting at my computer thinking "dang, poor Michelle Wie!" and then I read an article that I thought was a little too hard on her. Again though, I'm not a golfer. : ) Sorry to come off so strong on a subject I really don't know so much about. Forgive me, it's late.
from about 1 month ago
Lauren -
No need to apologize whatsoever. Hey, you were repsectfula nd were simply stating your thoughts!
But the rule is very important. It's to minimize cheating. Think about this....if you were playing at a golf course and used one of their caddies, and another golfer was playing you who happened to be good friends with the caddy you are using.
That caddy could write down the wrong score and after 18 holes, there's no way to question the hole in question. The scorecard is there for a vital reason- golf is based on honesty, so when they golfers are responsible for keeping track of their own scores, they have to "swear" by these scores by signing off on them.
Most other sports' games are kept track by official scoreboards, and although golf does use a leaderboard, it is not called a scoreboard. The scoreboard is the golf's card.
from about 1 month ago
I understand the need for rules, every sport has to have them. I just can't help but wonder if there is some way to prevent something like what happened to Wie. It's a frustrating situation, and I think it takes away from the game.
And even if I thought the rule as it stands was great, I'd still feel sorry for her. It was kind a bum deal. She messed up, that's all. A simple mistake from an eighteen-year-old, it's not like she did some horrible thing.
about 1 month ago
Lauren I agree with you rules need to be followed but not always to the letter it's the spirit in which they're written that is important so stop apoligizing it's your opinion and you should stand by it.
from about 1 month ago
Tony-
While I agree she should stand by her opinion, at what point do you say the rule has been broken? They make it clear...it's the roped off area. It's an enclosed place where golfers can't be distracted by fans etc...so they can finish their official round. Those are the rules, and I don't think Wie should get more help than she has already received by golf.
about 1 month ago
Don't worry Lauren, there is no reason to apologize. You were right on in that the article was a little too hard on her. I'd say more than a little. I don't understand why some "jornalists" love to revel in Michelle Wie's misery. It spanks of jealousy. I'll admit I was rooting for Wie this weekend to shut up some of the people who root against her for reasons unknown. And then she gets disqualified for going to sign some autographs which Lisa left out. She goes right back in to sign her scorecard and now it's too late. Sadly, the same volunteer who tracked her down couldn't have stopped her before she left the tent. Oh well, it's good to see she's getting her game back to where it once was. I'm happy for her.
from about 1 month ago
Michelle-
No one is jealous of her. No one is reveling in her "misery."
The bottom line is she can't follow rules, and is making a mockery of the sport by crying in hysterics when she gets tapped for the infraction.
The spirit of the rule? The rule has been in place forever! Now we have to change the rules for a female golfer that somehow hasn't lived up to the tremendous hype she has received? She has played more PGA than LPGA tourneys because of sponsor exemptions.
Finally, she did not get disqualified for signing autographs- she was disqualified for not signing off her scorecard. That is a false statement ("And then she gets disqualified for going to sign some autographs which Lisa left out.") that you made.
No one is rooting against her, Michelle. But a lot of people are wondering when she is actually going to start acting more professional. The faking injury at Ginn Tribute was about as sad as it gets. Lefty had the same injury and was out for at least two weeks- Wie makes a complete recovery two days later.
The problem with Wie is that she has lost a lot of respectability in the golf world. And it's all her fault.
about 1 month ago
How long has this rule been in place ? Months, years, decades ? Arguing that a rule should be relaxed for Wie is just arguing for favoritism to be shown.
The bottom line is that the rules of a game actually define that game's very existence. If a particular rule is considered ridiculous or unneeded then the players should gather together and have it over turned. In this case, I doubt you will find any long history that players have complained about the unfairness of having to sign their score card before turning it in. Does Wie's mental foot fault define her skills? Of course not... but it does go towards indicating how much of her concentration is in the game. All I see Ms Horne doing here, is asking if Wie is a one trick pony. A player with a nice swing but lacking the ability to take responsibility for covering all her bases. Given that the game of golf allows you to have a professional assistant embodied in the form of a caddie doing everything except actually swinging the club for a player, makes me question the competency of her support staff. Actually, should we question their competency... or just how much more they have to do to keep Wie on the course, as opposed to a more mature ( and qualified? ) player?
from about 1 month ago
Lars-
The competency of her handlers, agents, caddies, whomever are very good points. I just don't get how a golfer could fail to sign a card. It's one of those rules that has been beaten over the head of every golfer.
Apparently, it has not sunk in yet, but I am sure she will never forget that rule again.
about 1 month ago
Can you spell stupid? Michelle Wie. Glenn Tango
about 1 month ago
Glenn-
I wouldn't call her stupid by any means...she's a Stanford student so she is very smart. But she lacks some professionalism. Could it be due to her youth? Maybe. But so many people have bent over backwards to "help" her that after awhile you have to wonder if she can golf w/o any outside influence or help.
about 1 month ago
Opinions are a great right that we all are allowed to have and express.
An opinion about Michelle Wie's talent.
An opinion about Michelle Wie's swing.
An opinion about Michelle Wie's right to play on the "men's" tour.
An opinion about how Michelle Wie should have played a particular hole.
The list obviously goes on.
For the sake of this conversation though, we are talking about a particular rule for the LPGA, an elite group that Michelle Wie earned the right to join. One that comes with a membership and rules that you are REQUIRED to follow in order to remain a member, or in this case a competitor in an event.
The fact that the rule infraction violated is "the most basic" is actually irrelevant.
Let me give you an example: Let's say that Fox Sports called you up and offered you a position as a freelance reporter. Terms of the offer include a $100 report submission fee (nonrefundable) and a payment of $10,000 if your story is published. Along with the offer you are issued a "Terms and Conditions" manual. In that manual somewhere between rule 3,150 & 4,222 there is a line that reads "all submissions must be made in black or blue ink." No other submissions will be accepted.
Now, the story you have filed is nails. I mean this thing is good! There is no way Fox isn't going to publish it, you're in. $10,000 right? Mmmm, not really. By paying the submission fee and acknowledging the "terms" you are bound to them.
Silly? Maybe so, but the facts remain the same. Professional golfers pay an entry fee for every tournament. The fees are to cover costs, but they are also a part of the contract for your admittance to the event. The "terms" are covered by the LPGA Rules of Golf. Like it or not, they must be followed. By the way, part of the costs the entry fee covers are to have an LPGA rules official on hand, available to answer any question you have (and issue a ruling if necessary) at any time, thus there is no excuse for violating a rule you are not clear on.
I was not at this tournament, I am not a part of the LPGA, therefore I do not have an opinion regarding Michelle's behavior. I do however have an opinion on the ruling that disqualified her.
If Michelle Wie violated a rule written in the "terms and agreements" of the contract she signed to be a part of this event, then she should have been disqualified. Regardless of her status, ability to bring revenue (to the sponsors), opinions, or feelings.
about 1 month ago
John-
While I like your correlation of the FOX story, that isn't quite the same thing as what Wie did.
If FOX had repeatedly shown on it's website the "and please use black or blue pen as it is the only way a contract is valid" and it was pounded in every writer's head, then I would buy it.
Like the LPGA. you have to sign your scorecard. You have to sign your card when you play a round (legit round) at some clubs. This is not some hidden rule or tiny rule that gets misunderstood. It doesn't get lost in a contract. It's widely known and practiced.
There have been some golfer errors, but they are few and far between, and most of them are due to signing an inaccurate card. In almost every case, the golfers still did sign their cards.
Fatal golf gaffes
Ed (Porky) Oliver: He finished in a tie at the 1940 U.S. Open with Lawson Little and Gene Sarazen, but got bounced from the playoff because he started his final round about 15 minutes early. Five other golfers, trying to beat an incoming storm, also teed off early and were disqualified. Little and Sarazen wanted Oliver to join them in the playoff, but the USGA held firm on the rule.
Jackie Pung: She would have been the 1957 U.S. Women's Open champ if she hadn't signed an inaccurate scorecard. Her total score of 298, the low for the tournament, was correct, but she had marked down a 5 instead of a 6 for the fourth hole of her final round.
Roberto De Vicenzo:
His playing partner marked down a 4 instead of a 3 for the 17th hole in the final round of the 1968 Masters, and De Vicenzo didn't catch it before signing the scorecard. Officials had to add the extra stroke to his total score, canceling a playoff with Bob Goalby and awarding second place to De Vicenzo, who uttered the immortal line: "What a stupid I am."
Greg Norman: The leader at the start of the third round of the 1990 Palm Meadows Cup, Norman learned that he had taken an illegal drop on the first day and disqualified himself. Six years later at the Canon Greater Hartford Open, Norman was disqualified before the third round for using an uncertified ball in earlier play.
Philip Parkin: He discovered his son's toy putter in his bag at the 1992 Italian Open, pushing him over the 14-club limit. He reported the club and took a DQ.
Davis Love III: He lost a $105,000 check for seventh place at the 1997 Players Championship because he didn't mark down an accidental tap during a practice swing on the green.
Mark Roe, Jesper Parnevik: Playing partners at the 2003 British Open, they accidentally signed each other's cards and were disqualified after the third round. The 40-year-old Roe was tied for fourth and 2 strokes off the lead at the time.
In every case, the golfers messed up scores or had equipment violations, but they signed their cards. And that is my point. NOT SIGNING A CARD IS THE EQUIVALENT OF SAYING A CHRISTIAN-BASED PRAYER AND NOT SAYING "AMEN" AT THE END....IT'S AUTOMATIC.
from about 1 month ago
Believe me when I tell you I am all to aware of the rules of the game, hidden or not.
You are completely wrong though when you say:
"There have been some golfer errors, but they are few and far between, and most of them are due to signing an inaccurate card. In almost every case, the golfers still did sign their cards."
The reality is that most "golfer errors" are a direct result of play and happen on the course. Most golfer errors are also handled by way of a stroke (or two) penalty. While disqualifications are a common occurrence the majority of the penalties handed out in golf are self imposed. (in my opinion a display of honor and professionalism)
Maybe I should have responded directly to Tony or Lauren since my point is in large part that rules are rules, known or not and they seemed to question the importance of the rule.
That said using the information you copied from http://www.golftoday.co.uk/news/yeartodate/news00/disqualifications.html or some other Google'd link, there is one constant; the golfers violated a rule and were then disqualified.
about 1 month ago
Where is the video or other proof of Wie "Crying in hysterics?"
I have read that she was red-eyed. She probably was very upset.
Can you blame her? From the top of the world to DQ in an instant.
That's an emotional shock.
What gets me is this.
This is such a basic rule. Why is it even possible to forget to sign your card? Who do you turn the card it to? Why doesn't that person just look and say, "you forgot to sign." It's got to be an easy check. Presumably there is security at the entry/exit to keep the public out of the tent. Why can't the person there just ask, "did you sign your card?"
I would not be surprised to learn that some person(s) purposely distracted her at the point she would have normally signed. At a minimum, I would like to hear a statement from the person who accepted the unsigned card.
from about 1 month ago
The crying in hysterics refers to when she was removed from the course. She wa red-eyed at the press conference. Two different scenarios.
She may have been distracted....that's still not an excuse. You see many professionals who don't really stop to make a statement until they officially finish their round. Until that card is signed, it is not an official round. It's that simple.
It's not the PGA or LPGA's responsibility to remind golfers to sign their cards. It's the golfers' responsibility. It's part of the game.
Who knows why they didn't immediately ask...maybe they were matching her card's scores up against an unofficial tally? Maybe she said she would be right back and they assumed she wasn't leaving the area? But your question of security asking everyone who leaves the tent is kind of unusual...they rarely have that problem. Failure of signing a card has rarely happened...it's signing in an inaccurate card that has been the problem. See link below for score card errors:
http://imgs.sfgate.com/c/pictures/2008/07/20/sp-wiefront20_0498807752.jpg
about 1 month ago
To me this would be like if I paid for my groceries at Safeway with a check.
The cashier would say, "this is fine, but I need a signature before you go."
The official charged with accepting scorecards should not accept until there is a signature.
Simple as that.
You say that signing the scorecard is "part of the game." Really? Do you get points for an especially nice signature? I get that signing says, "Hey, I swear to this score." But, I don't get the whole deal about leaving (what appears to have been) a loosely defined area.
My understanding was that Wie didn't know anything about the DQ until after she left the course and the LPGA official told her privately in the tent. Why would she be crying before that? Is there a video or witness account of that? I just haven't seen any mention of that except here.
I also wonder if thoughts of Saturday ratings played into waiting until the end of the round. Like her or not, the TV ratings would have certainly dropped for a Saturday round w/o Wie.
This whole thing stinks to me.
I don't feel sorry for Wie. She's a millionaire and has a brighter future than anyone I know. But, still, as a fan of sports and sportsmanship, I think this stinks and reflects poorly on the LPGA management.
about 1 month ago
Jim,
You made some good points and the media have been rather cruel to Michelle in the way they have reported her failure to sign the card. The so called "designated score card signing area" is strictly a LPGA rule (item 3) and doesn't exists in the Official Rules of Golf. The LPGA does not like Michelle for a variety of reasons. For Michelle to be one stroke from the lead going into Sunday, I am certain there were many things going around in her head and the possible rewards for her results on Sunday. What I do not understand is the fact that the volunteer or volunteers waited until the next day after Michelle had teed off before saying anything. Sue Witters seemed to be delighted giving Michelle the bad news and her comment was totally unnecessary. If the LPGA is going to insist to have such a stupid rule as the "designated signing area" and with DQ as the penalty, then they should at least have signs posted and instruct their volunteers better. This article written by Lisa Horne was rude and shows how envious she is of Michelle. I am sure Lisa is doing more research to see if she can find anything Michelle did wrong in peewee golf.
from about 1 month ago
joe-
They have to sign their cards in both LPGA and PGA. wHY DO THEY NEED SIGNS?
THEY HAVE TO SIGN THEIR CARDS BEFORE THEY TURN THEIR CARDS IN, AND AT LEAST THE LPGA HAS A SAFETY AREA WHERE YOU CAN LEAVE AND GO BACK IN W/O PENALTY. SHE LEFT THAT AREA!
Sorry for caps, I wasn't yelling. :(
How is this piece rude? She's been DQ'd twice for scoring and scorecard errors. She isn't ready to be a pro. Did you see the link above that tells how other golf players have lost tournaments due to score card errors?
Why should she be exempt? They weren't. What's fair is fair.
about 1 month ago
Lisa,
You are a jealous and vindictive person who can dish it out but can not take it when someone calls you out. You are one sad individual!
about 1 month ago
With all due respect, this is not about Lisa.
The article was written to discuss Michelle Wie, her disqualification, and the circumstances surrounding.
I disagree with some of what Lisa had to say however that does not give me the right to "call her out" and then call her names.
I am not sure, but I think this forum is for open discussion, not attacks.
about 1 month ago
"she's a Stanford student so she is very smart"
Did you ever hear her talk?! Her English is that of a twelve year old. Way too many "like, obviously, yeah, I mean, you know, like I said".
Examples:
"It went right into the hole and I was like Oh, that's cool, too. It was like surprisingly I wasn't like jumping up and down."
"Yeah, I mean, you know, it helps to have a good bounce here and there, you know. But overall I felt like my game was pretty solid. If the breaks keep coming my way it's always an extra bonus, you know."
So far she is mostly taking leaves of absence at Stanford anyway.
If she were to graduate in a tough major with good grades, then, _maybe_, she could be considered smart or hard working.
The only "question" so far is how she got into that school... Hint: big donation.
Poor Stanford.
--Coolio
about 1 month ago
"she's a Stanford student so she is very smart"
Did you ever hear her talk?! Her English is that of a twelve year old. Way too many "like, obviously, yeah, I mean, you know, like I said".
Examples:
"It went right into the hole and I was like Oh, that's cool, too. It was like surprisingly I wasn't like jumping up and down."
"Yeah, I mean, you know, it helps to have a good bounce here and there, you know. But overall I felt like my game was pretty solid. If the breaks keep coming my way it's always an extra bonus, you know."
So far she is mostly taking leaves of absence at Stanford anyway.
If she were to graduate in a tough major with good grades, then, _maybe_, she could be considered smart or hard working.
The only "question" so far is how she got into that school... Hint: big donation.
Poor Stanford.
--Coolio
from about 1 month ago
Coolio-
She didn't need any money to go to Stanford. She went to a private school in Hawai, and always had good grades. She's also loaded.
Stanford is an elite school and she doesn't play for their team. She got in on academics. I will defend her as far as her intelligence level. But not on her lack of professionalism.
about 1 month ago
I've heard Wie speak. Her delivery seems typical teenager to me. Especially West Coast.
But, it doesn't seem any worse than, for example, the current POTUS.
To get back on topic. It's an interesting one.
Does anyone know the steps from the 18th Green to leaving the "official scoring area?"
Whom does a golfer come in contact with? Who accepts the card?
Is the card just dropped in a "suggestion-like" box, for example, to be seen later?
Is there an official table where golfer typically sign?
Or, does the golfer hand her card to an official who says, "Thanks for the card."
Can anyone link to what a PGA/LPGA scorecard looks like? I've only seen public course cards. If it's anything like that, it's hard to believe an official would not recognize that it was unsigned.
about 1 month ago
lisa, it was an honest mistake so just quit with your passing judgement and bad mouthing her. everyone makes mistakes. stupid mistakes, big catastrophic mistakes, small mistakes, and the ones that seem harmless that can have huge consequences. you are sitting there harping on michelle as if you have never made any mistakes in you life. it would be one thing if she usually forgets to sign her scorcards, but she said that she always signs her scorcards first, and that she just forgot to do it this occsion. i'm sure if we all knew all of the stupid, and honest mistakes that you have made in your life, you would not be so judgemental towards her. let the one who has not sinned throw the first stone.
from about 1 month ago
Thanks for the lecture Sue. This is more than just one mistake. The injury pull-out at Ginn was contrived. She's been DQ'd twice and received numerous exemptions to enter men's tournaments when she clearly doesn't belong competing with them.
I am not bad mouthing her, but simply reporting what she did. If that appears to be bad-mouthing, then maybe the source should be looked at, and not the messenger.
about 1 month ago
And she has just decided to enter a PGA tournament next week. She has one sponsor's exemption left this year.
http://sports.yahoo.com/golf/pga/news?slug=ap-wie-pgatour&prov=ap&type=lgns
about 1 month ago
Lisa,
Like you said. You're just reporting "what she did."
Can you further support your "crying in hysterics" statement?
I've searched around and can't find any such assertion anywhere but here.
Thanks.
about 1 month ago
And, I just caught this: "cry like a 2-year-old."
Where did you get that?
Lisa,
You may be trying to be objective. You may believe that you are being objective. But an objective reader can see that you've got an agenda.
Why you have that agenda may not be jealousy, or envy, or just an effort to validate yourself in the "man's world" of sport writing. But, it is apparent that you had an opinion on Michelle Wie that drove what you wrote.
Ask yourself why you felt the need to go off of your College Football Beat (by the way, you're WAY off base on Joe Paterno too. He is still the best man for the job.) to jump on this story? I don't see any other columns on golf or on any women's sports.
Ask yourself this. If this had happened to another player -- maybe Pat Hurst or Ian Poulter or Tiger Woods -- would you have written the same column?
from about 1 month ago
Hmm.....crying like a two year old is literary license. It's my take on what happened. Just like you have stated that "I have an agenda." Can you prove that? No, you just happen to have an opinion of me which you have stated. It doesn't offend me one bit.
about 1 month ago
Michelle Wie is a joke. She's always screwing up and making mental mistakes that a donkey wouldn't make. She has started golfing proffesionaly way too young and has now paid the price. She gets too emotional and caught up in things. Someone needs to stop her before she somehow makes a bigger mistake than this.
about 1 month ago
Jim.....yes I would have. But there's more to this than you think.
Wie didn't sign her card...is there a reason why it wasn't called to her attention? Is there a possibility that her card was inaccurately scored, and officials didn't want to embarass her by calling her out?
Could she have deliberately not signed the card? You go into the tent to sign your card.
Think about that.
If her card was in error, her reputation could mar the golf world's reputation. Maybe it was a cover up? Not signing your card will cause you to lose the tourney. Cheating may cost you your status as a professional. Am I saying she cheated? Of course not. There is no proof- but the volunteers' silence is deafening and something stinks to high heaven here.
about 1 month ago
Lisa,
You still don't cite any evidence of "crying like a 2 yr old," etc.
Also, do you really think that every stroke that she made on the course was not watched/counted by anyone but the golfer? Come on. You're not that naive. If she had shaved strokes, surely that would have come out. A whole gallery (and I was away, but I assume TV Audience) witnessed every breath she took from First Tee to 18th Green. Many more witnesses than were in the signing tent.
How, on one hand can you argue that Wie is not mentally tough and does "know the rules," then, when challenged, completely change your thesis to a diabolical plot, that was well-thought out ahead of time?
I really started
Also, you change your argument again by saying that "officials did not want to embarrass her by caller her out." Go back and read your earlier statement that she was "crying in hysterics refers to when she was removed from the course." Which is it?
Lisa, you really ought to just chalk this up as a boondoggle. You took a chance to get some easy column inches on a weekend and failed. I don't get everything right the first time in my work either. Sometimes I fail on the first try and have to go back to the "drawing board."
about 1 month ago
Jim-
I am raising possible reasons for why things happened. Several witnesses reported seeing her in hysterics when she was DQ'd. Later, in the press conference, she was red-eyed.
Wie is the future of the LPGA...they have high hopes on her. If she shaved a stroke on her card it would be a real problem....that's cheating.
I am not changing my argument.....I am simply showing different angles or theories of what was going on. How do you know what her score card said? Have you seen it? Has ANYONE seen it besides the LPGA?
You keep bringing up all the people who watched her play and what does that have to do with anyone having an inaccurate scorecard? Look at the above link....a few golfers have had that problem- the difference is that they gave themselves an extra stroke. If Wie had shaved a stroke, intentional or not, that's cheating in the eyes of golf.
Finally, the whole thing stinks. I do not think Wie is mentally tough- she is also distracted a lot. She does not represent professional golf well.
Jim....I can see you are a fan of Wie's, fine. But your arguments are weak at best. Your questions make no sense. Like this one: "Also, you change your argument again by saying that "officials did not want to embarrass her by caller her out." Go back and read your earlier statement that she was "crying in hysterics refers to when she was removed from the course." Which is it?"
They probably didn't want to embarrass her...why is that so difficult to believe? The fact that she cried a lot defeated that goal.
I'm not wasting my time responding to someone who is asking questions that have absolutely no relevancy, and uses statements taken out of context to support an opinion.
Jim, while you may not like the article, and you are entitled to your opinion, I disagree with you. Sorry. Have a nice day.
To see articles of Michelle Wie crying, per your request, follow this link...and take your pick.
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&client=firefox-a&channel=s&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&hs=rfJ&q=michelle+wie+crying+after+disqualification&btnG=Search
about 1 month ago
Fair Enough. You avoided every question.
Searching around to find some credibility for your statements I ran across a couple of statements attributed to you. Maybe you didn't make them.
JAN 31, 2008 http://community.foxsports.com/blogs/Lisa%20H/lpga/33412
Dear LPGA-
Thanks for permitting the sponsor's exemption! I promise my wrists
are completely healed...unless, of course I hit 17 over-par. But I won't
embarrass you...I'll just faint, grab my wrists in pain or withdraw to avoid
any attention from the press.
Michell (sic) Wie
MAY 12, 2008 http://blog.baseballdigestdaily.com/blog/BillBaer/_archives/2008/5/12/3686885.html
While I am female, I don't follow LPGA and WBA, and I am their target audience.
So, you do not follow the LPGA but you do (on occasion) take a break from other sports to bash one particular golfer.
Lisa, I really only stumbled on this column trying to find some verification of Michelle Wie crying in public. Funny that a writer who starts out to mock an athlete's lack of professionalism, in the end, shows that she's lacking same in her own field. A journalist should regard FACTS above all else. You continually refuse to support statements with facts. Note TRUTH, FAIR, COMPREHENSIVE
You ought to read this:
Members of the Society of Professional Journalists believe that public enlightenment is the forerunner of justice and the foundation of democracy. The duty of the journalist is to further those ends by seeking truth and providing a fair and comprehensive account of events and issues. Conscientious journalists from all media and specialties strive to serve the public with thoroughness and honesty. Professional integrity is the cornerstone of a journalist's credibility. Members of the Society share a dedication to ethical behavior and adopt this code to declare the Society's principles and standards of practice. http://www.spj.org/ethicscode.asp
about 1 month ago
Jim-
I provided you a link where at least six articles describe her as "crying", so your statement of "You continually refuse to support statements with facts." is inaccurate, at the very minimum. Please look above in comments for the link. I'm not going to remind you again.
I am not a follower of the LPGA and WBA, HOWEVER, I still continually keep myself current with all games or tourneys- it's my job. Just because I am not a fan, aka, follower, doesn't mean I don't watch the competition, so please don't ASSume that. I was referring to "follower" as meaning the same thing as a "fan."
Just like I'm not a "follower" of MLB, but have written 10+ articles for MSN on that very sport. I keep myself current.
Finally, the fact that you have googled me and my comments tells me everything I need to know about your somewhat compulsive and obsessive nature- please, feel free to keep commenting, but you will no longer be responded by me.
Have a nice day.
about 1 month ago
lol.
You provided a link to a google search. Googling is great, ain't it? A neat thing is that you can click on the provided links to discern their veracity. I just googled "Moon Made of Cheese" and got over 8 million links.
Is that what stands for "citing a source" in your world?
I am obsessive about ethical journalism. You nailed it!
about 1 month ago
Jim-
You asked for stories about her crying....I googled it and the list shows numerous stories...take your pick. Did you not read what I wrote? I said, "take your pick."
about 1 month ago
Lisa. Journalism 101.
Actually I think I learned this Freshman year of HIGH SCHOOL.
Anyone with a keyboard and access to the Internet could have turned up on that google search.
Citing a source. The source should have a name. Barring that, if protecting a source, "an anonymous source," may work in matters of National Security, etc.
Please give me something like, "Joe Smith says that he saw Michelle Wie "crying hysterically.""
Or, "Sally Jones was quoted in the Chicago Sun. "I saw Michelle Wie crying like a two year old.""
Or, maybe, video footage from ESPN, The Golf Channel, CBS, NBC, Youtube, that shows Michelle Wie "crying like a baby."
You've done none of this. And, a cursory look at the first two pages of hits from your google search turn up no such cited source. No one on record. The best I got was a Golf Digest writer who said "appeared to have been crying." So your statement is as valid as mine.
The Moon is Made of Cheese.
I have no animosity. My only agenda is to hope that those who present themselves as journalists adhere to journalistic standards. In this case, your oversight is harmless. No one is hurt. But, the way that blogs are growing and the line between news and opinion blurring, such relaxing of standards could cause harm. It's a slippery slope.
Forget about journalism. If you turned this column in as a college paper, do you think that a professor would accept all that you've written? Or do you think that she/he would want to see footnotes, citations, a bibliography, etc.?
I just hope that in the future you will, in the back of your mind, always be thinking "what is my proof? How do I KNOW this?" If that photo next to your post is you, you appear to be pretty young, and likely just getting started in the news game. I envy you. You're doing what I had always wanted to do and you're young enough to either keep bad habits or learn good habits. You can follow the tradition of Woodward & Bernstein or of The National Enquirer. You can make a living either way and probably an easier and more lucrative one going the Enquirer route. But, at what cost?
For the record. If I had to guess, I would say that she probably did shed some tears in private.
What got me with your column is your unsupported statements that she was "in hysterics," etc.
Sorry for rambling. I am also sorry if I have gotten carried away and have come across as mean-spirited. That's not my intention. I really am just like a Don Quixote when it comes to facts in journalism.
about 1 month ago
Look, I don't have to cite sources for every single statement-otherwise, it would be unreadable. The bottom line is that almost every single news source I read or had access to (ie-Sporting News, the AP, witness' reports) claimed she was crying.
You didn't ask for sources on the Ginn Tribute injury, or her other DQ...why is that? In fact, you probably knew that to be fact, but according to you, I should cite every source. That's ludicrous. If you have breaking news, or news that is significantly different than others, then yes, citing a source would be relevant.
But to have in every sentence read like this: according to the AP, she cried, according to Golf Week, her agent used a cell phone, according to SI .com she practiced two days after a wrist injury etc...makes it unreadable.
She cried. That's fact. If you didn't read about it, I understand that, but that doesn't mean I have to cite it for you, and it is really off-topic considering the gist of the blog.
I have made mistakes and always own up to them. However a disagreement on an opinion is not a mistake. In one of my blogs, I said Notre Dame's biggest rivalries are USC and Michigan State. A couple of Domers disagreed with me, and I tend to agree Michigan is a more current rival than Michigan State. However, MSU is still an old and bitter rival.
Finally I don't think you are mean-spirited. But I do not have to cite sources on a well-known and well-publicized occurrence. If Obama wins the Presidential election, do I have to cite sources every time I say that? Of course not.
I googled that for you to show easy it is to verify various stories that said she cried. That was my intent. I was hoping you would read a few of them and see my assertion of her crying wasn't really necessary to cite sources.
The original AP story had her in near-hysterics, according to some witnesses. Unfortunately, as more information comes in, the AP edits to make room for the more current information, and some information that is not deemed important is no longer on there. It happens a lot.
about 1 month ago
Lisa,
I did not see the original AP Story.
But, from what you say, I wonder if they edited out the "hysterics" because they found it to be untrue. I have trouble believing that any writer would change "crying in hysterics" to "appeared to have been crying," for no reason. It's actually more words.
As I tried to point out. This is not only you. It's everyone. Everyone says, "she cried," but NO ONE says "I saw her cry." or "Joe Smith saw her cry."
Using your Obama Example. Do you remember in 2000? A lot of folks were reporting that Al Gore won the election and would be our next president. When their sources proved to be wrong (or non-existent), they did not continue to report it. No one was shocked on 1/20/01 when Geo Bush stepped to the podium to take the oath of office.
Not a single article (I've looked between phone calls, but not exhaustively I admit), quotes anyone who saw her cry. The closest I can find is the LPGA Official Sue Witters who said something about it was like telling her there was no Santa Claus. I also find some writers who said that she was "red-eyed" or "appeared to have been crying." (The pictures I see from the News Conference are inconclusive as to eye color).
I can infer from there that she may have cried at that point. But, I don't know. I, personally, didn't cry when I found out there was no Santa Claus.
about 1 month ago
I actually was in tears when I found out, and to this day, believe in Santa Claus! :)
It's no big deal as far as your difference in opinion. You have the right to voice your views and I would never stop you from doing that. I hold that dear to my heart. Some can be very disrespectful, but you have been respectful.
Thanks.
about 1 month ago
Thanks Lisa,
This has been fun. Our conversation has sure been a lot more interesting than work today.
I am glad that you appreciate that an "argument" can be civil.
It's so easy (in the anonymity of cyberspace) to cross the line of civility and I was afraid that my writing ability was failing me in my attempts to advance my points and still keep this discussion on a civil plane.
All my best,
Jim
about 1 month ago
Jim-
You are the second person today to tell me I helped their work day go faster or such. ROFL! And it was fun! Take care, and if you're ever bored, just let me know and we can spar again!
Cheers!
about 1 month ago
For Chris sake! Everyone makes mistake. And she is only 18. You are a Senior Writer and you wrote "After Saturday's third round in the LPGA State Farm Classic, Wie left the tent without signing her card." That was Friday. She should have been disqualified before she started her round on Saturday. Everyone makes msitake.
about 1 month ago
How'd I know this was going to get some comments...
Well done again, Lisa.
I enjoyed the article and the discussion.
about 1 month ago
Lisa,
Great article again. I would have engaged in the discussion on your side, against the golf ignorant Wie apologizers, but I was busy playing in a golf tournament.
about 1 month ago
Lisa,
Lovely article. While I agree with some of the points, what I find agonizing is that she lacks a proper manager and her parents must be counting the money rather than offer her proper guidance. She is after all a kid who has had early successes and I sure hope she is not on course to becoming another Jennifer Capriati(Tennis) - fame can make someone clueless about the basic things.
While knowing the rules is important, I don't understand what her highly paid managers, etc. are doing? Just using Wie as a money making machine and not caring for her performance or her talent is so typical of greedy, parasitic hangarounds.
Thanks,
Sarah
about 1 month ago
Great article - thanks for bringing us insight that no one else in the main stream sports media does.
If you like original humor - check out my Brett Favre column...you may liek it...you may hate it...
Either way - great stuff Lisa.
about 1 month ago
Lisa,
By now I am pretty sure you are tired of hearing about Michelle Wie but I have to say that she has been nothing but a disappointment in professional golf. All the hype when she turned pro has really come to zero. She still has really long legs and has a beautiful swing but pros are out there to win. Pros should know the rules and abide by all of them. That is just golf! There are lots of stories about other pros (men and women) that have not signed, signed for the wrong score, moved a ball before marking etc that have cost them tournaments and lots of bucks.
Perhaps Michelle's real problem is that she is a really a blonde and just dyes her hair to make herself look smarter!
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