From the Sidelines: 15-year-old could change golf forever years ago
Sports reporter
It seems every guy is afraid to lose to a girl. It doesn't matter if it's basketball or backgammon. It's threatening, and in some people's minds, impossible.
Well, this past weekend at the John Deere Classic Michelle Wie defeated David Duval, the 2001 British Open champ and 17th on the PGA tour all-time money leader list. She also defeated roughly 60 other men.
Michelle Wie is 15. When she was born, Duval was on the Georgia Tech golf team.
Granted, Duval has only two victories in 64 PGA events since his British championship, but still.
She's 15. It doesn't matter if she is a girl, a boy, or a blind dog. She's 15.
And she'll be beating men on a golf course near you pretty soon.
Yes, Wie, who has played in other men's tournaments, missed the cut at the classic last weekend, but she was playing with professional men-golfers and hitting off professional men's tees.
Did I forget to mention she's 15?
Her rounds of 70 and 71 didn't put her at the top of the leader board at the less-than-challenging course. But it would be safe to say not many people shooting from black tees at any course would have scores of 70 or 71. (And, no, nine holes doesn't count).
We're talking 18 holes for a golfer who is more scrutinized in a men's tournament than Michael Jackson at a Boy Scout retreat.
Rounds of 70 and 71 with the pressure of a Mack truck on her shoulders, should be praised.
She is currently playing this week in the U.S. Men's Amateur Public Links tournament at Shaker Run Golf Club. A victory in the 153-men, one-woman tournament, will mean a 2006 spot in the World Series of golf: the Masters.
The coveted Augusta National Golf Course in Georgia doesn't allow women to play.
It might have to now.
Whether or not she qualifies this year doesn't matter. She will at some point. It will upset some people, but there won't be anything they can do.
In today's world there are plenty of women who beat men at different types of competition. But no other sport has a female of this age who can compete, and compete well more than once, with professional men.
She will change golf just as Tiger Woods did eight years ago.
It might be this weekend, or 10 years from now at the ripe old age of 25.
Whatever the case, it won't be so embarrassing to lose to this girl. In fact, it's expected.
