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Michelle Wie to Play Against Men in John Deere Classic

May 22, 2007 – 6:47 PM
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Michael David Smith

Michael David Smith %BloggerTitle%

Michelle Wie said a few weeks ago that she wouldn't play against men anymore (see correction*), reasoning that she'd be better suited working on her game on the women's tour.

Except that now a sponsor has offered her cash to play against men, and she's jumping at it. The 17-year-old Wie will play in the John Deere Classic in July, making her eighth attempt to make the cut against men. So far, she's 0-for-7.

I have no objection to Wie playing on the PGA Tour -- in fact, I think it's exciting, and I'm more likely to tune in when Wie is playing. But this seems certain to stunt her progress. Wie will grow more as a player if she's playing against women in tournaments she has a chance of winning, not against men in tournaments where she's just hoping not to come in dead last.

Wie's coach, David Leadbetter, said earlier this month that he had worked on convincing her parents that she's not ready to play men. "The thing I've tried to explain to them is that you have to work your way up the ladder," he said. Apparently that message didn't get through.

*Correction: Michelle Wie Never Said She Would Stop Playing Men
Filed under: Sports

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