Don뭪 Judge Wie By Her Numbers January 14, 2005 Michelle Wie opened Thursday at the Sony Open in Hawaii with a 5-over par 75. Naysayers ?there뭩 your ammunition if you so desire. I sing a different tune about the Sony, however. Wie뭩 75 in windy conditions was more impressive than last year뭩 Thursday 72 when the wind took a 뱎ersonal day?and called in sick. Frustrated that Wie tees it up with the men in the first place? Michelle Wie should not be the focus of your frustration. Don뭪 blame her for the attention she뭩 received this week. And don뭪 attack the PGA Tour for her presence at the Sony Open in Hawaii. The tournament itself has the opportunity (within tour guidelines) to offer its limited exemptions to players of its choice. Michelle Wie carded an opening round 75 at the Sony Open.Last year, Wie fired a Friday round of 68 at the Sony, missed the cut by a single shot, beating a catamaran-full of seasoned PGA Tour professionals along the way and was still the target of more than her fair share of criticism꿲isdirected criticism, in my opinion. Last year, Wie proved herself a worthy competitor and a great draw at the gate for a tournament that until recently had really struggled for an identity. Bottom line, she proved that she was worth the risk. This week, she뭩 stealing more headlines and receiving even more accolades. David Toms, winner of a PGA Championship at Atlanta Athletic Club, is as intrigued as anyone about the week뭩 obvious storylines. 밫o me, the two stories are: Can Ernie win three in a row? And Michelle Wie, how is she going to play? ... I think it뭩 good for this golf tournament.? Michelle Wie is more than just 밽ood for this golf tournament.?She뭩 good for golf. She뭩 good for girls who aspire to play golf. She뭩 good for girls who don뭪 aspire to play golf. Michelle is good for moms and she뭩 also good for dads. As a father of three myself (two girls included), Michelle Wie gives me a week뭩 worth of 뱒how and tell.?Find something you enjoy, practice hard at something you enjoy and enjoy the benefits of working hard at something. If you뭨e a believer in the benefits of a role model ?she fits. If you뭨e simply looking for a model young citizen ?she뭩 more than qualified. Now 15 years old, Michelle Wie will soon have to make official decisions on college and perhaps even professional golf. She told us as much last week at Kapalua where she played in the pro-am at the Mercedes Championships. While not yet the perfect 뱒ound bite,?her innocence is still charming. And her maturity grows on everyone. 밒t뭩 amazing what she is doing ?a 15-year-old girl playing in a PGA Tour event,?two-time defending champ Ernie Els said. 밪he뭩 doing a hell of a job, and she believes she can play with us, which is great. I think from last year to this year, I could see her developing as a person now.? Ernie뭩 right. And I find it comforting that the biggest names in the game are paying attention and paying compliments. The fact that last year뭩 68 was the lowest round posted by a woman in a men뭩 PGA Tour event speaks volumes about her ability in the game. But don뭪 judge Wie by her scores this week. Whether she shoots 75, 68 or 88, she뭩 already scored big. And so, too, has golf. We are lucky to have Wie to watch, emulate and talk about. She뭩 got the right gifts, and because of that, so to do we.