Michelle Wie's MSM Gotcha
Michelle Wie, a 16 year old from Hawaii, played in her first event as a professional at the Samsung World Championship this weekend. Many of us have watched her hold her own in LPGA major championships. There is no doubt that she is a quality talent.
Have you ever seen the PGA First Tee commercial? The kids not only talk about golf but they talk about life.
Golf is a game of honor. If you play, you are expected to know the rules. Breaking a rule has consequences. Those kids tell us so.
Kevin Stadler called a rules infraction on himself early in the fourth round of the Michelin Championship at Las Vegas. That is how it is done.
Golf is simply a game of inches, a fact that Michelle Wie learned on Sunday when she was disqualified for signing an incorrect scorecard.
Apparently Michelle took a drop that caused her ball to be closer to the hole. This is a clear violation of the rules. There are no excuses.
Here is the problem. A Sports Illustrated reporter, Michael Bamberger apparently witnessed the infraction as it happened (Saturday). An AP story (Wie disqualified for illegal drop in third round) reports that Bamberger waited until late Sunday to notify tour officials. When asked why he didn’t bring it up earlier Bamberger stated “That didn't occur to me. I was still in my reporter's mode. I wanted to talk to her first.'' Reporter mode?
According to the AP story, Rules Official Robert O. Smith reviewed the videotape and found it to be "inconclusive."
Wie and her caddy went to the spot of the infraction and provided a blow by blow to the Rules Officials. “They paced it off, then used string to measure the distance and determined it to be slightly closer.”
Had Bamberger notified tour officials before Wie signed her card on Saturday she would have incurred a two stroke penalty and would not have been disqualified. Again, this is a game of honor. Apparently it took a day for Bamberger to find his honor. “I thought about it more and was just uncomfortable that I knew something. Integrity is at the heart of the game. I don't think she cheated. I think she was just hasty.'' GOTCHA, Michelle.
What Michelle did was wrong. What Bamberger did was unconscionable and brings shame to the MSM.
Have you ever seen the PGA First Tee commercial? The kids not only talk about golf but they talk about life.
Golf is a game of honor. If you play, you are expected to know the rules. Breaking a rule has consequences. Those kids tell us so.
Kevin Stadler called a rules infraction on himself early in the fourth round of the Michelin Championship at Las Vegas. That is how it is done.
Golf is simply a game of inches, a fact that Michelle Wie learned on Sunday when she was disqualified for signing an incorrect scorecard.
Apparently Michelle took a drop that caused her ball to be closer to the hole. This is a clear violation of the rules. There are no excuses.
Here is the problem. A Sports Illustrated reporter, Michael Bamberger apparently witnessed the infraction as it happened (Saturday). An AP story (Wie disqualified for illegal drop in third round) reports that Bamberger waited until late Sunday to notify tour officials. When asked why he didn’t bring it up earlier Bamberger stated “That didn't occur to me. I was still in my reporter's mode. I wanted to talk to her first.'' Reporter mode?
According to the AP story, Rules Official Robert O. Smith reviewed the videotape and found it to be "inconclusive."
Wie and her caddy went to the spot of the infraction and provided a blow by blow to the Rules Officials. “They paced it off, then used string to measure the distance and determined it to be slightly closer.”
Had Bamberger notified tour officials before Wie signed her card on Saturday she would have incurred a two stroke penalty and would not have been disqualified. Again, this is a game of honor. Apparently it took a day for Bamberger to find his honor. “I thought about it more and was just uncomfortable that I knew something. Integrity is at the heart of the game. I don't think she cheated. I think she was just hasty.'' GOTCHA, Michelle.
What Michelle did was wrong. What Bamberger did was unconscionable and brings shame to the MSM.
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