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Alexis Thompson petition

JNRadio said:
She's got six shots...win one of those and the rest will take care of itself.
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I think as long as she is competitive, she should play. I just hate the one rule fits all. There is always an exception to the rule. If she ain't ready she is young enough to try try again.
 
I don't have a problem with her asking to play more events. They made changes for Wie a couple of years agoso why not this time. She is better than 2/3 of the field in most events and everyone wants to see the best players play. The only current LPGA players not in favor of this change are the ones that know they can't beat her. I say let her play.
 
What did they do for Wie?

And didn't Thompson make a stink a while back about not being able to play in some amateur event (Curtis Cup maybe) that she qualified for before she turned pro?
 
tnc200 said:
Just another case of parents living through/off of their kids. I read that Wie's parents were her biggest liability at her tournaments. Minimum age is 18. They gave her 6 exemptions and if that isn't enough, well...
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While I understand your argument,I remember when I managed at a course and Kevin Na was a junior (16) and he was telling me he was turning pro because there was little competition for him in High school and he had offers from sponsors to play the Korean tour and pay him pretty big money. He told me the closest guy on his HS team was 6-7 strokes worse than him. She won over 300k last year. Like was said earlier the only people afraid of her can't beat her.
 
Smallville said:
What did they do for Wie?

And didn't Thompson make a stink a while back about not being able to play in some amateur event (Curtis Cup maybe) that she qualified for before she turned pro?
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They gave Wie extra exemptions outside of the norm.
 
HoosierGolfer said:
They gave Wie extra exemptions outside of the norm.
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I thought the extra tournaments she got into she qualified for, like the U.S. Open. I don't recall her getting any extra exemptions. I'm probably wrong, but that's what I remember.

And Wie was a big teen phenom who has won what, twice so far? I think she has more DQ's than W's right now.
 
Rancho_Golfer said:
The USGA gave her an exemption from qualifying for the US Open one year based on her performance. I don't recall the LPGA giving her any extra exemptions outside of the 6 she was allowed.
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My research shows that you are correct and my thoughts that Michelle received more than 6 one year were in-correct. Typed before doing my home work.
 
HoosierGolfer said:
My research shows that you are correct and my thoughts that Michelle received more than 6 one year were in-correct. Typed before doing my home work.
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So are you still of the opinion they should give her more exemptions even though they didn't do it for the other phenom?

My whole thing is she's 15 years old. They have made exceptions before, for 17 year-olds (Morgan Pressel comes to mind), and let them join the tour. They are allowed six and only six exemptions and that's the rules. I haven't heard ofTiger trying to get more when he wasn't a member of the PGA Tour. She knew the rules when she turned pro so early, so why should they change the rules because she (or her parents, whoever) is whining about it now?

For the record, Pressel has as many wins as Wie, and one of those is a major. Not sure whether she or Michelle leads in DQ's, but I'm thinking it's the latter.
 
Smallville said:
So are you still of the opinion they should give her more exemptions even though they didn't do it for the other phenom?
My whole thing is she's 15 years old. They have made exceptions before, for 17 year-olds (Morgan Pressel comes to mind), and let them join the tour. They are allowed six and only six exemptions and that's the rules. I haven't heard ofTiger trying to get more when he wasn't a member of the PGA Tour. She knew the rules when she turned pro so early, so why should they change the rules because she (or her parents, whoever) is whining about it now?
For the record, Pressel has as many wins as Wie, and one of those is a major. Not sure whether she or Michelle leads in DQ's, but I'm thinking it's the latter.
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Honestly, I have been on the fence on this. I have to agree that she knew the rules turning pro so young. I guess I'm looking at it as an American fan of the LPGA. The tour needs new (and I hate to say) American talent in the worse way right now. The sooner she gets into more events, the better.
But.....I also agree that she needs to earn her way. She has the potential to take money out of the pockets of players that earned they way into events and that is not right.
Having given this lots of thought and doing some research the past 24 hours, I would vote right now against giving her more than the current six. If eight were maybe an option, I would consider that number but not twelve.
 
She just needs to wait until she's 17 to play more. The LPGA instituted the needs to be 18 yrs old rule after what happened with Beverly Klass in the 1960s. She was a 9 years old prodigy and her father forced her to play in LPGA tournaments. Beverly Klass golf prodigy
 
Rancho_Golfer said:
The USGA gave her an exemption from qualifying for the US Open one year based on her performance. I don't recall the LPGA giving her any extra exemptions outside of the 6 she was allowed.
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Further research shows that the LPGA did in fact make a change for Michelle. There were only 4 exemptions prior to 2003 and they increased the number from 4 to 6 while she was in the same situation.
 
HoosierGolfer said:
Further research shows that the LPGA did in fact make a change for Michelle. There were only 4 exemptions prior to 2003 and they increased the number from 4 to 6 while she was in the same situation.
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Was it a global change or just for Michelle? Because it's six for everyone now. Was it being considered beforehand or was it to pacify Michelle's parents? Either way, she hasn't really done a lot out there on tour so far considering what a wonderkind she was built up to be.

At any rate, she's 15 and should be happy she has the six exemptions and not expect any special treatment. Regardless of who may or may not have gotten it before her. Let her petition for letting her in at 17 like some others did and be happy if they let her in and not cry about it if they don't.
 
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I agree that 6 is enough. Any more than that and it is not fair to the players that have earned their way.
 
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