Michelle Wie Tied for 1st - Now you have to watch!

 Update - Wie Leads at Nabisco!

2pm Today Golf Channel

Imagine if Tiger Woods left the game for a while at 17

Then came back in his early 20s - and was leading a tourney on Sunday.  

With a Chance to win for the first time in years!

Would you watch? 

Well here's your chance!


She excelled like Woods at the tender age 10 - as the youngest player ever to qualify in a USGA amateur.  At 15, Michelle Wie turned pro and was anointed as the next golf superstar. She has Maybe the most "perfect" golf swing ever, on any tour. She even Tee'd it up on the men's tour at the John Deer in 2006.

She was also beautiful - she did not look like a kid and was under a very adult spotlight. Like Tiger - she was a big draw for the tour. But unlike Tiger she did not dominate on tour and has been absent from the top of leaderboard for years - a has been or might have been at 24.

Michelle Wie never left the game. She decided to go to college. 
She is still a big name. You might have seen her a year ago in the KIA commercials. 

Today for the first time in years - she may be back as the most popular and potentially most important woman on the LPGA tour. If she starts winning - ticket sales and media coverage explode.

She is tied with Lexi Thompson - a blonde, Midwestern, girl next door, child prodigy - who successfully campaigned for membership on the LPGA at 16 just a few years ago. 

Between those two and Jump into Poppies pond for the winner - This one is a can't miss for any sports fan. 

Perfect Game

It not every day you see someone pitch a perfect game. Lexi Thomson almost did exactly that on Sunday at Nabisco. From the Tee - Wie - Center Fairway. Thompson - Center Fairway - 40 Yards Farther.  On Approach - Wie - Inside 15 Feet. Lexi - inside 10. On the Green - Wie - Misses just Right. Lexi - from the left - In the Hole. 

This was a coming Home party for Michelle Wie - Coming home to the Top of the Leaderboard. Something she hasn't done for years. 

Instead - it became a First for Lexi Thompson - Winning her First Major at 19.
Also the First Flip Performed during the Winners Jump into Poppie's Pond. 

Great Expectations.
The Media and Myself made this Final Round the End All Be All for Wie. But it wasn't. It was not her last Rodeo. If she becomes a regular at the top of leaderboards - it will be a Game Changer for the LPGA. That remains to be seen. As for Sunday. As it should be. Two young women under a glaring spotlight - looked more like girls walking in the Mall- Rather than Opponents at the years First Major. It is just a game after all - and Michelle Wie has a life outside that game. 

-Rick Jansen