Kimmie sets an LPGA season record in Takefuji

[Boola Boss]

Not too many LPGA fans on this site will know about this record, but I think it is one she should be REALLY proud of. Kimmie has not won a tournament since 2002, but if she keeps up the form she showed in this event, it may not be long until she hits the winners circle again.

Here is the release by LPGA.com:

Mi Hyun Kim sets season consecutive non-bogey mark. Mi Hyun Kim bogeyed her first hole at the LPGA Takefuji Classic. Once she pulled out her driver on the second hole, though, she didn't look back and went the remaining 53 holes bogey-free. The feat shatters a season-record 44 holes without a bogey set by Silvia Cavalleri at the Safeway International Presented by Coca-Cola in March. Kim finished the tournament in fifth place with a 12-under-par 204 (67-70-67).

[NTB]

Boola I have always said if she were bigger nobody could play with
her or at least beat her very often. She is more consistent then Annika
The big girls are hitting 8 iorns she has to hit a wood,still she stays
with them.
She is my favorite
little Mi Hyun Kim
notaxbill

[Buzzer]

Hey Notax....it is not often I disagree with you, but how can you say Kimmiie is more consistent than a player who has won 67 times, won POY , money title and Vare trophy more than anyone and began this year with a win. I will agree that Kimmie is playing very well and is due to win , but to quote a headline from yore: CONSISTENCY; THY NAME IS ANNIKA.................... Viva Annika

[NTB]

Buzzer To play at the level peanut always plays is a statement to her
consistency. She is maybe 5.0 ft tall. Very short compared to rest off
the tee box. She is always playing scoring high.If she were bigger
and stronger I believe she would be very good and Annika would
have her hands full. This is nothing new from me I have said this for
a long time.
notaxbill

[Buzzer]

Notax: I just have to defend my gal a little bit....I meant no disrespect toward Peanut..I do recognize her talent.....and as for Annika having her hands full, I think that's for sure, not just with Peanut, but with a bunch of the other youngsters coming along....Lorena, Paula, Natalie, Britt...and let's not forget the rejuvinated Juli Inkster.

This should be some year for the LPGA fans.

And while I'm at it, you and all the other posters have a Happy Easter.

VivaAnnika

[OldGeorge]

Some think the talk about Stanford and/or eventual PGA Tour membership is just hype that will never happen. I'd say they're probably right. But consider this: if she joins the LPGA tour she will be subject to the non-compete clause and can only be excused twice a year to play in competing events. The Sony in January wouldn't be a problem, but she's already got the SK Telecom, John Deere, and 84 Lumber. The last of these isn't a competing event either, but you get the idea. If she wanted to play more on the PGA and more in Korea and Japan, it would be a scheduling problem to really get much of that kind of thing done.

Now that bangkokbobby was kind enough to post the article in the SK Telecom thread that tells us Michelle's going rate for an Asian appearance fee is $700,000, we can see that not being able to play in such events would cost Michelle a lot of money. Just 2 or 3 such events would more than make up for the lost prize money from only playing 8 times a year on the LPGA. Of course, if she starts winning women's events and making men's cuts, that $700,000 could go up higher.

So the question is, will Michelle join the LPGA tour after graduation? She does claim to really get off on being unique--and not joining the tour would certainly be that. Should she join, even if it were to mean a cut in pay?

[wiefan]

Hi ya sag....ok here is my opinion....if MW does not win in 2006....her 2007 schedule will be almost the same as this year....with the exception, that she will play in the SBS in Hawaii.....probably the Match play event will be dropped....if she doesn't win an LPGA event....she will continue to participate in PGA stuff and Appearance Fee events overseas and she will apply to Stanford.....BUT....should she ever win an LPGA event....she will sign on the dotted line and ask for a waiver for membership....she will have whatever remaining events as Non-Exempt, but her following year will be exempt....and should this happen....it will be online classes from Stanford or it will be put on Hold

as far as MW missing out on the "appearance Fee" money.....I personally think this is not even in the TEAM Wie's concept.....what they want is a LPGA win....from there, the whole "money" concept just will take care of itself.....I look to see that MW will be invited to a "silly season" event either this year or next....but this is a "no-brainer'....she is too popular not to even be considered for a skin s game or something....also, she has the length and Game to make it pretty profitable for herself this way

the way that I look at it....MW is making more money than even she and her team can handle....with the money she makes, comes "committments".....meeting the committments are more important because these committments has a lot of Money stuff involved....MW only has so many days in a year to do all of these committments.....she has to budget her time very very wisely....if she screws up any of these committments, her "credibility Factor" will suffer a BIG Blow....the Wie Machine cannot have this happen....not even once.....they have to keep her in good standings with everyone that she is committed with

this is just my opinion....nothing based on facts or knowledge....this is just my "gut" feeling....anyway.....terriffic question on your part....I like it....anyway....have a good weekend....see ya!!

[Blue]

I think a lot depends on how the rest of this season goes. Given her selection of LPGA Tournaments, a win on the LPGA this year will most likely be a win in a major. I think her best chances are at the LPGA Championship. That would be huge, particiularly if she misses the cut in Korea. And the LPGA would offer her non-exempt status for this year, exempt for next. On the other hand, if she makes the cut in Korea, that boosts her popularity in Asia and gives her confidence for continuing to play against the men. I don't believe membership on the PGA Tour will happen unless a miracle happens (e.g., she wins a PGA Tournament)

It's really too early in the season to tell.

I'm doubtful that Stanford will happen. I'm not sure even online courses will happen, because Stanford's online program is not particularly geared toward kids coming right out of high school. It's more geared toward adult continuing ed students. Doesn't mean it can't be done, but I'm not sure if that's what the Wie's want from college. My biggest doubt about college is that Michelle has huge sponsorship contracts from Nike, Sony, Rolex (I believe) and other companies and those require her to be out playing golf not sitting in a classroom. I just can't see that her sponsors would be happy with her hidden in a classroom on a college campus.

[cleo]

Sag, I think you have made an interesting point with Michelle's appearence "fee". If becoming an LPGA member means losing those monies we may never see Michelle become a full time member on the LPGA.

John Daly doesn't win very often but with a couple of majors to his credit, long driving ability, great PR(transforming a problem child into a loveable icon) he doesn't have to. He has brand distinction.

Even as I write there are those(or at least Boola) who feel that even though Michelle has yet to post a single victory on the LPGA tour, she is the best player.

If Michelle can command hundreds of thousands of dollars before she even hits her first shot, why bother to play regularly on a tour where a top 5 gets her considerably less?

[Golf fan]

Cleo at the end of the day who do we remember in sport the people with all the publicity and dollars or the true champions. In fifty years time the record books will not have Michelle Wie earned a lot of money and had a lot of publicity. No one will know who she was. Record books only have winners.