Time to Cut Wie a Break

The Wie we watched a year ago at the LPGA Championship at Bulle Rock was not the child prodigy who very nearly qualified two years earlier for the men's U.S. Open, not the same brilliant talent who seemed to be constantly getting into contention in women's majors, and posting top-five finishes while still a sophomore and junior in high school.

Her swing was a wreck, and her confidence seemingly was shattered as she tried to play at the highest levels of the women's game with injuries that would have made it difficult to win a high school golf match. It was a downward spiral painful to watch, and we all quite properly pointed accusatory fingers at Wie, her parents, her handlers at the William Morris agency, and even the sponsors who had reportedly invested $20 million in her future.

But this year, Wie clearly has shown more than occasional flashes of brilliance that provide hope for her future.

At the Women's U.S. Open at Interlachen in the Minneapolis suburbs last month, her longtime coach, David Leadbetter, one of the few voices of reason in her camp a year ago, was thrilled with the progress she had made in the run-up to that event and said he was starting to see positive signs that the old Michelle Wie was re-emerging.

He also correctly predicted that she was still several weeks away from being truly ready for primetime, only because she hadn't played much competitive golf. She needs a few more events, he said at the time, but what pleased him the most, he added, was that Wie "has that old bounce in her step again. She's excited to be out here and playing, and you're going to see the results of all the hard work she's put in very soon."

A month after he made that prediction, Wie had rounds of 67, 65 and 67 in Springfield two weeks ago before she was disqualified. Granted it's one of the easiest venues on the LPGA circuit, but only one other player, 54-hole leader Yani Tseng, did better after three days.

Why she decided not to qualify for the British Open -- requiring a trip to England for a qualifier this past Monday -- only Wie knows for sure, and she hasn't really explained that somewhat curious decision. Perhaps she simply didn't want to make the trip, obviously a waste of time and money if she didn't happen to qualify.

Players play, and Wie already was guaranteed a spot in the Reno field, so why not? Wie is not a member of the LPGA and as such, is only allowed seven sponsor's exemptions into LPGA tournaments. She only has one left and will play the Canadian Open in two weeks, also her final chance to earn a check large enough to keep her from having to go to LPGA qualifying school to win her card.

She'll need about $80,000 from the Canadian purse to finish in the top 80 on the money list and assure her card, and if she can post the same sort of scores there as she did in Illinois, she surely has a decent chance to accomplish that goal before she heads back to Stanford in the fall for her sophomore year.

Personally, I'm pulling for her to do it, and the women who have been so critical of her in the past ought to be rooting hard, as well. No question the LPGA has some telegenic rising stars, but Wie still has a chance to have a Tiger-like impact on that tour, in terms of attendance at the gate as well as eyeballs watching at home.

Seven of the last eight LPGA events have been won by young women, 22 years old or less. Of those seven, five winners came from Korea and one from Taiwan, which may be good for ratings in Asia, but hardly the sort of demographic American television officials get excited about. But Wie definitely pushes the ratings needle whenever she plays, and her full-time presence on the LPGA Tour next year couldn't come at a better time.

She obviously has all the talent in the world, and now that she's apparently almost fully recovered from her wrist problems, perhaps she'll finally be able to silence any and all critics, present company included, with her play.

So here's a bold prediction. Wie will play well enough in Canada to secure her 2009 LPGA card. And if she falls a few dollars short, she'll skip Q School and get her privileges by winning an event early next year. Barring injury, over the next two years she'll win her first major and become Lorena Ochoa's No. 1 rival in the game, a delicious prospect that also will translate into far more interest in the LPGA.

So let's lay off Ms. Wie for a while and see what happens. Let's not forget she's still only 18, for heaven's sake, with plenty of time to fulfill the potential she's shown ever since she won the U.S. Women's Amateur Publinx title at the ripe old age of 13. It's time to turn down the volume a touch and give her a chance to become something really special. It says here it will happen far sooner than later, and that can only be a good thing.

Leonard Shapiro can be reached at Len.Shapiro@washingtonpost.com.