Asians have gone golf mad in a big way, and it is only fitting that the pro ranks have also swelled with Asian players. The LPGA, of course, has felt the most impact as the 'Seoul Sisters', as the Korean LPGA cadre is sometimes called, has completely transformed golf, not just as also-rans but as genuine champions. The likes of Se Ri Pak and Grace Park are regulars at LPGA leaderboards, and Korean-american Christina Kim is one of the most popular players on the circuit.
The men also are coming up through the ranks. Vijay Singh is the only golfer who managed to interrupt Tiger Woods' string of #1s in 2003 and 2004. The workmanlike KJ Choi has won his share of tournaments and is 3rd in the British open going into the final round as of this writing. The utterly fearless Anthony Kim looks like he will mount a serious challenge to Tiger soon, and even the diminutive Tad Fujikawa has just won his first pro tournament. In our own backyard, the heartwarming story of Mardan Mamat and his humble background and subsequent success continues to warm our hearts. Even if Lam Chih Bing, this year's lone Singaporean at the British Open, had bad rounds, hey, he made the cut, that means for the moment at least, he's among the top 70 or so in the world.
But aside from all these players, there is one player which stands out and is unique from the rest, and that is Michelle Wie. Tall, pretty, extremely flexible, can hit a driver 350 yards, she looked like the perfect package, both as a player and as a marketing object. You can read all about her in her wikipedia entry, but what I want to write about today is her enigma. Everybody now knows about all the missed cuts in men's tournaments she should not have (in hindsight) entered, the wrist problems, the illegal drop that led to the DQ at her first event after turning pro, the long string of scores in the 80s during her slump... But I must admit, both as a golf fan and an Asian, I was part of the crowd that was egging her on earlier, believing that with the monster drive and wraparound swing, she can beat everybody, anybody, men or women, bring on Tiger ! Forgetting that she was not even 20.
In the end, we got to her, didn't we ? Maybe her parents also was to blame, but the golfing world's high expectations and thirst for instant success, which turned into vile name-calling the moment she fails to live up to them, got to her. After a long series of missed cuts, She was finally doing so well at the State Farm Classic, having carded a score of 17-under-par, sitting one stroke off the lead... and then officials announced she has forgotten to sign her score card after her second round. My heart sank when I read this. My eldest daughter's name is Michelle, and I was hoping if Wie continued to shine, I can use her as a motivating tool for her, now I have to think of something else...
I do hope Wie can turn her career around. I don't want to read a story 10 years in the future about her as a complete flameout, written as a morality story of what crushing high hopes and parental control can do to the most massive talent. But it's up to her now. The galleries and cameras have deserted her, now it's just her and the golf course. Of course this is easier said than done, writing from my den in my comfy shorts thinking when I'll ever break 100, but it's the truth.
Anyway, Asians don't need to worry. The #1 player of the world (you know who), maybe ever, the guy who will be sports' first billionaire by this time next year, is half Thai ! :)