Michelle Wie Fires her caddie today

[mmarler]

Greg Johnston was told by her wie's agent at the airport that he was fired!!!!!! Not one person from the Wie family told the caddie to his face that he was being fired.

[tickyboy]

It was really the caddies fault for her bringing her B game.

[mji009]

I will go out on a limb and say M Wie is the next Anna Kournikova, only not really as good looking.

[vthokie1157]

It was really the caddies fault for her bringing her B game.

 

haha, good one.

 

I think that the Wie's are over reacting in blaming michelle's caddy but i did notice that michelle and her caddie weren't a real good team, sorta like Tiger and stevie or phil and bones, they just didn't seem connected especially when i watched some of the last round of the Evian, i saw a few close up clips and they weren't really focused.

[themouth1]

Her issues have mostly come from missing putts (other than the Evian where she pulled some wrong clubs). Her caddy was not allowed to help her read them. That seems strange to me. He had a ton of experience on tour greens. Why not take advantage of that if you are having issues...How can you fire a guy if you don't let him at least attempt to help you with your problems???

[Ian_123456]

It was really the caddies fault for her bringing her B game.

 

thats what it was he forgot to get the A game out of the crawlspace :D

[NPVWhiz]

The lore of the Tours is littered over the last few decades with stories of brutal/unfair/impolite/rude/insertdescriptionhere caddie firings.

 

It comes with the territory. Show me a caddie that is so good that they can command a contract with a severance clause and a "termination only for cause" clause, and I'll show you someone who really should be putting their efforts toward a different career.

 

Caddies live with the knowledge that even with all the back-slapping and tears, they can be on the unemployment line tomorrow. Very few players have the loyalty of a Furyk or Watson, and in some respects, why should they? They're trying to win, and a caddie is a piece of equipment that only the player can evaluate. They're a sophisticated piece of equipment, and true, they're human beings as well, but being a tour caddie is the ultimate "employment at will" scenario.

[hogangolf4life]

trust me im not a fan, but a flop shes not. I mean hmm lets see she was waht in the top five and runner up in the previous majors. Yea lefty was a flop too the begining of his career, ha. I do agree she should stick to her tour though, let her win there.

[theinsider]

No big deal. Players and caddies change dance partners all the time.

 

Now back to regular programming...

 

[mr.titleist]

M. Wie shouldn't be playing professional golf. Annika is amazing, and she is not trying to play in mens events. Paula is amazing, she sticks to her tour. M. Wie is a total flop.

 

A total flop being a perfessional golfer yes. But a marketing flop no. I really think she is just some rich spoiled brat. She needs to grow up and go learn how to win before playing in any mens events. And to tell you the truth if I played on the pga tour I would tell the press that she doesn't belong here. And I would personally say that the pga tour is for men, we aren't alloud to play in the lga they can't paly here. It's just like letting women use the men's bathroom and that's Fd-up.

[themouth1]

You guys need to look at what a flop is. Michelle has had several top five finishes in majors and is seldom out of contention. It is silly to call her a flop. She has only been a professional for a few months...

[SnapHooker_307]

I do agree that it is too early to call her a flop. I also believe that she should have won SOMETHING as an amature before turning pro. Now, it might take her a long time to close the deal.

[gjones77]

You guys need to look at what a flop is. Michelle has had several top five finishes in majors and is seldom out of contention. It is silly to call her a flop. She has only been a professional for a few months...

 

But in the end, it's all measured in wins

 

She has 0 professional wins.

 

And it isn't her caddy that's killing her.

 

On a side note, have you guys noticed that most of Ledbeader's students seem to be on the skids?

[TXMB6]

I wish the media would quit covering her until she gets a win.

[theinsider]

I wish the media would quit covering her until she gets a win.

 

So they are supposed to ignore a 16 year old finishing consistently in the top 5 in Major Championships?? Doesn't quite make sense does it?

 

As for the caddie thing (which is the topic by the way) it is just a part of the life in professional golf trying to find the right fit for you at the time. A caddie is employed by the player and just like your boss - they can toss you out the door if they don't believe you are the right fit for their business - only caddie/player relationships can, and usually are, more fragile than that. Life goes on for all...I am sure there are better topics in golf to discuss

[TXMB6]

 

 

So they are supposed to ignore a 16 year old finishing consistently in the top 5 in Major Championships?? Doesn't quite make sense does it?

 

Ok. Maybe I should've said quit covering her so much. I just don't think her being treated like the female coming of Tiger is warranted.

[golfr03]

 

 

So they are supposed to ignore a 16 year old finishing consistently in the top 5 in Major Championships?? Doesn't quite make sense does it?

 

Ok. Maybe I should've said quit covering her so much. I just don't think her being treated like the female coming of Tiger is warranted.

 

well, they are sponsored by the same company :D

 

 

 

[tmagfan2010]

I wonder who she will get now.... any possible candidates?

[dmboak]

Greg Johnston was told by her wie's agent at the airport that he was fired!!!!!! Not one person from the Wie family told the caddie to his face that he was being fired.

 

As much of a talent that Ms. Wie is, Team Wie just doesn't get it. Whoever is being allowed to make these decisions should be fired. I pray that she's not the next Jen Cap...at least pre Second Coming of Jen Cap.

[dmboak]

I wonder who she will get now.... any possible candidates?

Sure won't be Fanny!!!!

[ghodges]

Did she not get along with Fanny?

[sergizmo]

Johnston's firing isn't that big of a deal, as pointed out happens all the time. But him being fired by Wie's agent instead of one of the Wie's (Michelle, BJ) is extremely disrespectful.

[sergizmo]

You guys need to look at what a flop is. Michelle has had several top five finishes in majors and is seldom out of contention. It is silly to call her a flop. She has only been a professional for a few months...

 

But in the end, it's all measured in wins

 

She has 0 professional wins.

 

And it isn't her caddy that's killing her.

 

On a side note, have you guys noticed that most of Ledbeader's students seem to be on the skids?

 

Lead is very mechanical, and a lot of his students obsess over their swings (Charles Howell III is a prime example). They should really be focusing on shortgame and course management, which in the end is what wins tourneys.

 

There are some exeptions to this of course, such as Ernie and Nicki Price.

[Damo75]

Johnston's firing isn't that big of a deal, as pointed out happens all the time. But him being fired by Wie's agent instead of one of the Wie's (Michelle, BJ) is extremely disrespectful.

 

I think this is more to the point. Whether her poor performance at the British is what ended up getting him fired isn't the point. The fact is that it appears she didn't even have the guts or common decency to do it herself, so she sent her agent.

 

For fear of pouring petrol on the fire, dare I say this another case of her taking the easy way out? (i.e. sponsors exemptions rather than pre-q etc.) I realise she's only 16, but one day she'll have to grow up and stand on her own 2 feet and make her own decision without dad/agent etc.

 

It seems this could have been a perfect opportunity...

[gjones77]

I realise she's only 16, but one day she'll have to grow up and stand on her own 2 feet and make her own decision without dad/agent etc.

 

It seems this could have been a perfect opportunity...

 

There's the rub, BJ Wie is the anti-Earl Woods

 

Early Woods never pushed Tiger to go pro, never tried to be the driving force behind Tiger's decisions, he gave him advice when asked I'm sure, but didn't try to control everything.

 

BJ Wie is the polar opposite and I fear that it's going to burn Michelle out, as well as eat up any good will Michelle might of had with their actions.

 

Time will tell

[peteman29]

It was obviously a personal issue, that being that the 2 of them didn't really Gel. Probably also some pressure from Mum and Dad to find someone new.

Johnston is a good Caddie with a lot of experience like being on the bag for Inkster when she was winning all her Majors.

It's her loss, not his

[CLEVELAND59]

Did she not get along with Fanny?

 

 

Fanny didn't want any part of being on her bag, and they wanted her on it pretty badly. They auditioned her for it earlier this season. And I think the reasons why are pretty obvious. You need a kevlar jumpsuit to be her caddy. Its pretty obvious that the Wie camp has taken the path of scapegoating and excuse making (the blame others approach) and certainly a caddie with as much experience and reputation as Fanny would have no desire to deal with that crap. She tried the young superstar golfer thing after splitting with Faldo when she worked briefly for Sergio. Didn't work then either. No need to come out of her semi retirement to deal with that crap. She carried for Poulter at the Masters, and I think for Mark Hensby one or twice earlier this year when she was over in the U.S. but it seems that she did quite well with Faldo all those years and seems to be enjoying life with no apparent need to caddy regularly.

 

This is a HORRIBLE move for MW. Getting a caddie with Johnston's experience will be difficult at best and maybe even virtually impossible. I think the picture is becoming pretty clear, that its anyone's fault but Michelle's and that is only going to make it more difficult to find a new caddie. I am sure that BJ Wie's over bearing presence can't help matters either. The next victim is probably some poor assistant at Leadbetter's school, who will get pressed into service for the balance of the year and get canned from both gigs at the end when MW fails some more.

 

When you look at that bag from a caddies point of view, even with all the circus crap aside, its not a great gig right now. 10-12 events a year, with a legit chance of cashing in only 7 of them, and cashing at the LPGA purse rate is not exactly great money. Unless their is a crapload of base salary and guaranteed money in the deal, its not a bag worth carrying money wise.

[sheppy335]

She is no flop, to many great finishs to be a flop. Oliver Perez is a flop, not Michele Wie. As for turning pro to early, i think so but that is her choice not ours. I also think it had to do alot with that fact dad was getting to far in debt and they couldnt take on anymore and needed to cash in on it now.

[John Dortmunder]

I will go out on a limb and say M Wie is the next Anna Kournikova, only not really as good looking.

 

 

I'm taking bets on that, you just name the terms. (I interpret this to mean you believe Wie will never win a tourney)

 

on the subject of caddie/player relationships, they are extremely sensitive/tenuous situtations at best and there are tons of instances where great players and caddies have separated for whatever reason...it just happens all the time and ain't that big a deal.

 

here's a link to a simialr situation, everyone came out ok in the end:

 

http://www.golftoday.co.uk/news/yeartodate...9/garcia22.html

 

C

[Links2131]

I also believe that she should have won SOMETHING as an amature before turning pro.

 

Uh didnt she win the 03 Amateur Pub Links?

 

As for the firing of the caddie, I think its gotta be more of a feel type thing. If you dont feel comfotable with your caddy then you might not get the best out of your game.

 

As for people calling her a flop, shes still 16 and has had a pretty good year for not winning.