Here's a no-brainer
SYLVANIA, Ohio — To quote the late counterculture icon Timothy Leary, Michelle Wie needs to "turn on, tune in, drop out."
As in from Stanford. As in yesterday.
Wie and her 6-foot powerful frame of unharnessed talent stood before reporters Tuesday at Highland Meadows Golf Club and said she has no intention of quitting school to focus on a golf game that has grown inconsistent.
"I have different parts of my life and getting my degree was one of my goals almost as important as golf growing up," said Wie, who is in the field for the Jamie Farr Classic as a sponsor's exemption.
"I'm not going to give up on that dream. I have a lot of different dreams. Golf is definitely my No. 1 priority right now and that's all I'm going to focus on, trying to play the best I can right now," she added.
Normally, I would applaud anyone who pursues education. But not in this case. Wie is simply shortchanging herself on both her educational and athletic pursuits. She is a part-time student and a part-time golfer who is sapping the promise either lifestyle choice may have once held.
The decision is not a hard one. All Wie and her camp have to do is some simple math. Here are the numbers. There are roughly, oh, about a bazillion students enrolled in college around the world. There's only one 6-foot tall, photogenic female golfer who can hit it 300 yards and stands the best chance of competing against men.
Understandably, Wie is hesitant to pursue a full-time job in professional golf, which can be physically and mentally taxing and emotionally isolating for an 18-year-old eager to explore the world.
"I don't think it's for everybody when you turn professional right away," said Paula Creamer, 21, who skipped college and has won six times in four seasons. "There is a lot that you have to get used to, just traveling every week, the pressure. Being competitive 30 weeks of the year drains you after a while. But, you know, college is for some people."
Apparently, Wie thinks she's some people instead of some player. Critics have guessed at the reason for the decision Wie and her parents made to pursue academics. The consensus is that the Wie's actions were based on arrogance and an overestimation of her ability.
But after listening to Wie, I find that hard to believe. She sounds like a lot of people who enjoy two pursuits and have a hard time making a decision. I hate to invoke this phrase, but I'm going to anyway: Wie suffers from the Hannah Montana syndrome. She's a normal kid some of the time and a glamorous superstar at other times.
"I feel like I have two parts of me," Wie said. "One is just the normal me and the other part is the golf me. ... My other life is a little wack, it's a little hectic. But I like it. I like that I can switch on and off. I like that I have the one in the summers and the spring where I can play golf. I can play tournaments. I can travel the world. And when it comes down to September, I go back to school and back to off-season training and I just lead a normal life. So it's fine. Living in the spotlight is not the easiest thing, but I definitely enjoy it."
It's hard to argue with someone who is enjoying her life and says it with a smile. The problem is that she is running out of chances. After this week, Wie has two tournaments left to try to secure her LPGA Tour card for 2009. If she doesn't, she may try Q school or possibly even the Futures Tour.
"I haven't really thought about anything yet," Wie said of her prospects. "I'm just trying to live in the moment, actually. Just trying to play really well this week and play really well next week and play really well today and see where it takes me."
We can only hope it's far away from a classroom and into the arms of a golf career that can be as fleeting as it once was welcoming.
