Just a Wie Bit Overgrown

Unless you've been living under a rock (or Utah) over the past few days, you probably know by now that 16-year-old golf phenom Michelle Wie tried and failed to qualify for the U.S. Open.

The men's U.S. Open, not the LPGA version.

And I have a definite problem with that. Let me preface this argument by saying Wie is a remarkable golfing talent, leaps and bounds over anything I'll ever be able to produce on the golf course (for one thing, she can keep it between the strips of rough). Her talent is extraordinary, and I can't deny her the dream of one day being the best golfer in the world, male or female.

And I have no problem with women's athletics; I've long been a supporter of women's basketball and believe women are athletically capable of the same things men are capable of.

But Wie is 16 years old. Last I checked, that still qualified you as a "kid." Wie's not even old enough to compete full-time on the LPGA Tour; she can't do that until she turns 18.

So in the meantime, she competes off-and-on on the Annika Sorenstam circuit, while trying to cut her teeth on the "men's tour" thanks to a bevy of sponsors' exemptions. Twleve times Wie has tried to make the cut at a PGA Tour event; 11 times she's failed. The one success: a Korean tournament with an arguably watered-down field.

Could Wie be the greatest ever one day? Maybe, maybe not. But 16 years old is not the age to attempt this feat. Sixteen is the age to finish high school, concentrate on competing in the junior circuits. Compete within your age group, learn how to compete, how to win...maybe even how to dominate.

Tiger Woods, the current edition of "the best golfer ever," went about things much the same way. Yes, he tried to compete in PGA Tour events when he was a teenager and an ameteur, but he also cut his teeth in the junior ranks, winning the U.S. Junior four years in a row. He also played collegiate golf at Stanford.

Then, and only then, did he make the move to the PGA Tour. By then, he was ready; Tiger knew what it took to compete, to win. I think the rest of his resume speaks for itself.

Wie should follow the same career path. I'm not saying she should play collegiately--it's obvious she can jump straight into the LPGA once she's old enough to compete full-time--but she should begin by playing at her level. Play her competition, learn how to win, how to finish.

Right now, finishing is Wie's problem; she had three straight bogeys to close out her U.S. Open qualifier Monday, and more than once her play down the stretch has cost her making the cut at a PGA Tour event.

If Wie played against her level of competition, she might learn how to physically and mentally withstand pressure and perform up to her potential. She might dominate the junior circuit--even the LPGA one day--but the lessons she could learn from that would prove immeasurable.

Is Wie good enough to one day play on the PGA Tour? I think so, and I believe that, someday, she will play in the U.S. Open and even The Masters (take that, Hootie Johnson...). But for right now, at age 16, she needs to focus on fine-tuning her skills, playing against level competition and learning how to win.

There is learning in failure, but right now, the talented Wie is in over her head. The PGA can wait another five years. In the meantime, work on proving people like Paula Creamer (who I happen to agree with, by the way) wrong.

Play, compete, win.

Wie isn't even the best women's golfer right now--that honor goes to Annika. I think Wie needs to worry about trying to dethrone her before she thinks about going after the men.

Tiger, Vijay, Phil, and the rest can wait. For now, Michelle, just worry about your game.

The PGA will still be there when you grow up a little; I promise.