Friday, June 05, 2009

25 things about Michelle Wie

Though Michelle Wie is not the top female golfer in the world, she is one of the most talented female golfers and a definite crowd puller. You can call her the John Daly of female golf who is more known for her failures and controversies rather than her success (she did not win any big tournament as a professional golfer). The 2008 LPGA Qualifying tournament at the Daytona Beach, Florida, attracted many golf fans and the only reason is Michelle Wie. Whenever Michelle Wie is on the field, every body will be watching the game. For this reason, she got numerous sponsors exemption but could not win any tournament. For the first time, Michelle Wie appeared in the LPGA Qualifying tournament in 2008 and earned her tour card by tying for the 7th position. Here are some interesting facts about Michelle Wie:

  • Michelle Wie was born on October 11, 1989.
  • Michelle Wie was born in Honolulu, Hawaii.
  • Both the parents of Michelle Wie are Korean.
  • In 2006, Michelle Wie was named by a Time Magazine article “one of 100 people who shape our world.”
  • Michelle Wie started to play golf at the age of four.
  • Michelle Wie became a professional golfer at the age of fifteen.
  • The first noticable thing about Michelle Wie is her height. By her midteens, she reached a a height of 6′ 1″. Both her parents are above average height. Her mother Hyon Kyong is 5′7″ and her father s 6′2″.
  • Michelle Wie graduated from Punahou School in Honolulu, Hawaii in 2007. She then announced to get admission into Stanford University in the fall of 2007.
  • Michelle Wie has long family ties with Stanford University. Her paternal grandfather was a visiting profession at Stanford. She has an aunt and uncle both of whom graduated from Stanford University. In September 2007, Michelle Wie started as a freshman.
  • Since Michelle Wie is currently a professional golfer. By the rule of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) she is not eligible to play in the golf team of Stanford University.
  • In Summer 2000, Michelle Wie got qualified for the Women’s U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship. At that time, she was only ten years old. This record stood for the next eight years. In 2008, Allisen Corpuz, another female golfer from Hawaii broke the record in 2008. Allisen was five months younger than Wie.
  • At the age of eleven, Michelle Wie won State Women’s Stroke Play Championship and Jennie K. Wilson Women’s Invitational. Jennie K. Wilson Women’s Invitational is the oldest and most prestigious women’s amateur tournament in Hawaii.
  • Also at the same age, Michelle Wie scored her personal best score of 64. She did it at the 5,400 yard tees at the Olomana Golf Links course in Hawaii. That year, she also advanced at the Women’s U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship.
  • As an amateur golfer, in 2002, Michelle Wie won the Hawaii State Open Women’s Division. She had a thirteen shot lead over Cindy Rarick, an LPGA player. Michelle Wie was twelve years old at the time. She was the youngest player to qualify for an LPGA event. However, Michelle Wie missed the cut at the Takefuji Classic. This record stood for the next five years.
  • She is the youngest winner of any adult USGA sanctioned tournament. At the age of thirteen she won the 2003 Women’s U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship.
  • At the age of 13, Michelle Wie got a cut in an LPGA tournament and major (2003 Nabisco Championship). She is the youngest player to make a cut.
  • Michelle Wie is also the youngest player to make a cut in an LPGA tournament and major.
  • In 2004, at the age of 14, Michelle Wie played in a PGA Tour Event – the 2004 Sony Open. She is the youngest player to do so.
  • Michelle Wie played the lowest round in a PGA Tour event. This is the lowest played by any female golfer. She played 68 strokes at the Sony Open in 2004 and 2006.
  • Michelle Wie is also the the first female to score a sub-70 in PGA Tour history.
  • Michelle Wie is the youngest player to win the Curtis Cup. She won it in 2004, at the age of fifteen.
  • At the age of fifteen Michelle Wie made another record by being the first female to qualify for the 2005 U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship Pittsburgh sectional. This championship is played by male golfers.
  • At the age of sixteen Michelle played the SK Telecom Open in 2006. She became the youngest female to make a cut in any professioanl male tour event.
  • By making a cut in the SK Telecom Open in 2006. Michelle Wie also became the first female golfer to make a cut on the Asian Tour.
  • Michelle Wie is the first female female medalist in a men’s U.S. Open qualifying tournament.
  • Interestingly, Michelle Wie created controversy for rapidly changing her caddies. Till date, she changed nine caddies.

Related articles:

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