Michelle Wie wins her first LPGA title
ESPN,
Monday, November 16, 2009 -
On Sunday, November 15, at the Lorena Ochoa Invitational in Guadalajara, Mexico, Michelle Wie finally won an LPGA title. She has competed in 65 LPGA events over the past decade.
Wie achieved this milestone with a two-stroke 13-under-par victory over Paula Creamer. Winning in exciting fashion, Wie set up a birdie on the final hole from a bunker, landing within a foot from the hole.
"Right now it feels fantastic," said Wie. "It's great year. I went through some ups and downs ... And obviously this tournament is the icing on the cake."
This has been a comeback season for Wie, who has received tough criticism since she played her first LPGA event at 12 years old. At 14, she played in PGA events and was criticized for not focusing on women’s events. Struggling after going pro in 2006, many thought it was a move too soon in her career. Wie then went through a playing slump, which was further exacerbated by a wrist injury.
Despite these setbacks, Wie has persevered, and is now making her way back into the public eye while gaining the respect of LPGA players. This year, she has finished second twice, and has two other third-place finishes on the LPGA Tour.
Whether she is making waves in the PGA or gaining respect from the LPGA, Wie remains an exciting athlete to watch.
"Literally, when Michelle Wie is atop the leaderboard it's like night and day and that's star power," LPGA spokesman David Higdon said the day before Wie's win. "That's all it is. This is somebody people want to follow. You see it in her presence, the way she walks around. The way people talk to her."