BogeyLounge: I hope Wie makes the cut... I also hope she doesn't

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January 12, 2006

I hope Wie makes the cut... I also hope she doesn't

Michelle Wie - BJ Wie

When I first sat down to write this post, my intentions were to announce that Michelle Wie would make the cut at this week's Sony Open. After all, she's a pro now ready to move on with her lifelong dream of playing at the top level of professional golf. She's stronger, she's working hard with swing guru David Leadbetter, and she's maturing by the day.

Then I read the transcript from Tuesday's media session...

"I would consider a successful week if, at the end of the week, I felt good about the week. I had a lot of fun and played as hard as I can."

"Playing with the guys has made me a better player. With that experience and knowledge, I think it will help me win women's events. That's my goal -- to win with the women's events."

"I am going to relax, have a good time, play my hardest and what happens, happens."

Hey Michelle, what happened to "I'm gonna play in the Masters"? What happened to "I'm gonna kick everyone's ass... including Tiger's"

O.K., she never said that last thing, but I'm concerned that Michelle's toned down attitude may be from the pressure she feels from becoming a pro with seven figure commitments and no turning back.

Maybe this is a media strategy (courtesy of Nike) to lessen the blow in case she fails miserably.

Or maybe this is a kid who wishes she could be a kid, but has a dad who wants her to be "more than she's ready to become".

Read the most telling part of yesterday's session below, and tell me that sounds like someone who wants to dedicate her life to playing pro golf. Guess what Michelle? Nike isn't paying you to hang out with your friends in the school cafeteria... even if that is what you'd like to be doing.

Q. Do you like school or are you looking forward to being done with school?

MICHELLE WIE: Part of me wants to play every week, but a big part of me wants to stay at school, be normal. That's very important to me and my family for me to go to school. I'm very grateful for that. I don't think I could be home-schooled. I'm not that kind of kid. If there were more days (in the year), I would love to play week after week after week, because that's what I love to do. But I love to go to school, sometimes, not when I have exams. That's a part of my life I can't live without it right now.

ATTENTION WIE FAMILY: If it was important for you that Michelle went to school... Why the heck did she turn pro? Golf has been around for thousands of years, it would have still been there after Michelle graduated from Stanford.

Because it would be such a great story, I will still root for Michelle to make the cut this week, but part of me says what may be best for her in the long run (as a person and as a golfer), would be for her to fail so badly that she never steps foot inside the ropes of a men's event ever again.

As always, Stay Tuned...

Read More: Interview with Michelle Wie [PGA Tour]

Big Wiesy Tries Again at Sony Open [The Sand Trap]

Wie Making Fitness a Priority [AP]

The Cut Looms Large for Wie [AP]