Her 73 yesterday was enough to “energize” her supporters into all their old self-delusions. People were claiming she was “competitive” on the PGA Tour, and that she was ready to “make history.” But after she finished today with a trunk-slammer round of 80, the key stats were these. She averaged 24.5 putts per round and she only hit 41% GIR. That’s not enough to be competitive week-in and week-out on the PGA Tour…and that’s against the B flight players on a short course at elevation.
Meanwhile, these comments on a fawning sportswriter’s blog will show you what average sports fans are thinking. My personal favorite was, “Learn to stand before you try to walk or run, so you don’t fall on your face.”
Finally, here’s the quotes from her presser yesterday:
Q. Michelle, you were criticized from just about everybody this week from Annika Sorenstam to your own coach, David Leadbetter, I’m wondering if you used that for motivation.
And the second part of the question is, I want to read you something, (David) Leadbetter said, ‘There’s far too much negative energy surrounding Michelle right now. She’s getting slated by everyone. She is going to be like a pariah if she is not careful. This is the wrong decision.’ Are you going to fire him for saying that?
MICHELLE WIE: I think a decision is a decision whether it’s a wrong decision or a right decision. It’s a decision that I made and, you know, I’m not going to pull out. I’m not going to second-think my decision. I’ve already made my decision to play here and I shot a pretty decent round today. I’m not going to think about what people are going to think about me and other things that I can’t control.
Q. This is your own coach saying that.
MICHELLE WIE: All I’m going to think about is how am I going to shoot better scores tomorrow, and how I will shoot in the low numbers, and I feel like a low number will solve everything.
2-2-2
MICHELLE WIE TRANSCRIPT—7.31.08
Q. Have you spoken to Leadbetter about this?
MICHELLE WIE: I don’t really want to comment on that right now. I’m not going to focus on what other people are thinking about right now, because I can’t control that. All I’m going to think about is my own game.
Q. What about the elevation, the adjustments you made, also the greens are sometimes hard to read on the mountain slopes, how are you dealing with that?
MICHELLE WIE: I have to say when I first got here I had a lot of trouble walking up those hills. It was very tough. I’m getting used to it. I’m adjusting. It would be great if I can be at sea level, that would be awesome. But, you know, it’s taking getting used to.
Q. You have probably the biggest gallery in the history of the tournament I would wager today, can you sense that they wanted you to fail? Do you hear them when they’re out there?
MICHELLE WIE: The gallery was great today, they cheered me on, if I made a bogey or a birdie. They really saved it for me today and I really want to thank their support. A lot of people are coming up to me this week saying, I know you can do it. A couple of players came up to me. It really got me thinking really positive. It was very good energy.
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