Maybe Michelle Wie Would Have More Success on the Futures Tour

I don't think many people would disagree with the notion that Michelle Wie might want to mix things up and try something different, but I'm not sure the one-time phenom would be all that jazzed about Golf Digest's Ron Sirak master plan to revive her career.

Throughout her career, Wie has never played enough to get any momentum going -- not in junior golf, not as an amateur and not as a pro. But there is a way for her to get the tournament experience she needs: Write a letter to the LPGA and ask for a spot on the Duramed Futures Tour, a request that certainly would be granted.

The top-five Duramed money winners earn an LPGA card for 2009. And among those who have taken that route to LPGA membership are Lorena Ochoa, Nicole Castrale and Inbee Park.

Sirak writes what all of us -- including Michelle -- are thinking: the current set-up -- going to school and trying to earn an LPGA Tour card in just six starts (all sponsor's exemptions) -- is officially a failure. I just don't know if she'd go for the, "hey, I hear the Duramed Futures Tour is awesome, wanna give it a try?" sell.

The thing is, for as much as Dottie Pepper hates Wie's father, Bo, I get the sense that he wouldn't rule out Michelle honing her skills somewhere other than the LPGA. When talking about the prospect of his daughter having to attend Q-school, he said, "What other options do we have?" And now, thanks to Sirak, Mr. Wie has an answer to that question.