[ PGA TOUR ]
Wie to meet PGA Tour
commissioner
KAPALUA, Maui >> PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem will shake hands with Michelle Wie for the first time as early as today.
In town to meet with sponsors and site officials for the two island stops on the PGA Tour, Finchem discussed at length Saturday what Wie's playing in the Sony Open in Hawaii means to professional golf and whether there's any future in it.
Wie is likely the first teenage girl to compete in a PGA Tour event, although records are so incomplete prior to 1969, it's hard to know with any degree of certainty. But suffice it to say she's breaking new ground, with nearly everyone having an opinion on it, including the tour's commish.
"I wouldn't be particularly surprised if any tournament offered her the exemption," Finchem said. "I think she has already captured the attention of the best players in the world, who look at her and are very impressed. That, in and of itself, creates a situation where if you all (media) are going to give her significant focus and attention when she plays, tournaments will look at it because they are always looking for ways to position themselves and get more attention and focus. So I would not be surprised.
"What I would be surprised about is if it's a trend, if it's a constant. I don't see this developing to be a trend. However, if she becomes competitive at this level at some point -- I doubt that's going to be the case next week, but I don't know, I mean she is just 14. At some point, when she becomes competitive that could change. After all, she's indicated her plans are to try to play, at least at this juncture. So, I wouldn't be too surprised about anything that could happen."
Wie will play a practice round tomorrow with defending champion Ernie Els, who met her for the first time at last Wednesday's Mercedes Championships Pro-Am.
Annika Sorenstam helped alleviate some of the pressure Wie may experience by competing at the Colonial last year. But New York Times sportswriter Clifton Brown is covering his first Sony Open just because of Wie. The Associated Press golf writer Doug Ferguson is here as well. Expect the Japanese media to focus hard on Wie as she tries to make the cut in the first full-field event of the tour season.
"I think Annika playing was a very positive thing because it created so much interest in her, among semi-fans, among girls who are thinking about taking up the game in the future -- all those factors," Finchem said. "I think Michelle Wie could have some of the same impact. I don't think it will be at the same level or as impactful, but it certainly creates more interest, and anything that creates more interest in sports is beneficial.
"Whether it's a good thing to have a steady diet of individuals who are invited to play in tournaments and given sponsor exemptions who would not be competitive, that's a different issue. I don't see that as a particular problem at this point and I'd like to focus on the positive and it's pretty positive."
What might not be so positive is if other tournaments abuse a sponsor's exemption just to create a sideshow atmosphere. There are many players who aren't overly enamored with sponsor's exemptions. Finchem is aware of this and may address it in the future should it become a problem.
"I think you have to remember that there have been, over the years, very strong feelings of important players, when tournaments provide very precious playing opportunities to individuals who really, candidly, are not in a position to compete," Finchem said. "Over the years, we've had variable levels of pressure from players to eliminate or reduce sponsor exemptions for that very reason.
"I would hasten to point out that it has nothing to do with gender, it's just the level of competitiveness and I think players will continue to take that view that there are an awful lot of very good players in the world who want an opportunity, and are competitive, and when they're passed over by individuals who don't, it can create strong feelings and I think it's understandable."
As for Wie, Finchem looks forward to the opportunity to finally meeting the 14-year-old phenom.
"When somebody of that age starts to play in a tournament at this level it's always interesting to see how she performs," Finchem said. "I think it's going to be awhile until anyone can really tell how good she's going to be. She's still 14."