[groo]

Michelle Wie is a special case and the standard rules/expectaions don't apply. Although I'm not sure what rules/expectations do apply.

Speaking as someone who has played numerous Monday Qualifiers, I'm fine with her getting exemptions to the Sony....She's proven she can play on that level; and, at least on the PGA Tour, Monday Qualifiers are a crap shoot at best. A reasonably good tour quality professional that plays 20-25 Mondays can count on shooting 67-68 on occasion and making a handful of events, but playing only 1-3 of these each year he might shoot 64 or 65 everytime and not get in. I've seen 63 miss qualifying. The PGA Tour takes too few players and fields are too large for a Monday Qualifier to be +EV. So again, Michelle is high enough profile and a good enough player that I'm fine with that exemption in her hometown.

The nationwide tour on the hand allows a minimum of 14 qualifiers every week. You play 3 qualifiers you shoot 68 each time you'll almost certainly qualify at least twice probably 3 times. It's not a crap shoot, it's +EV.


Also, I hope the USGA starts investigating amateurs who pimp for companies more closely. Michelle's grotesque display for Nike today was something else. Wonder if she happens to sign with them when she turns pro. Oh, probably not. I am sure she bought that ridiculous shirt with the money she made babysitting or caddying.

Does the USGA even standards on amateurism any more? Mens clubs give out cash instead of gift certificates, and no one sacrifices their amateur status. Million dollar Hole-in-One contests somehow allow contestants to retain their status. I've played tournaments where college players have accepted hundreds in cash with no worry. Where is the USGA on this?