Michelle Wie Turns Pro: Good Idea?

Michelle Wie will become a professional golfer this week at the ripe of age of 16. Upon her decision to forego amateur status, Wie stands to cash in on approximately $7 million worth of endorsements. This will make her the highest paid and valued female golfer in the world. She will also have an opportunity to cash in on prize money for her finishes in LPGA Tour events. Additionally, she can charge appearance fees to play in tournaments that are not on the LPGA Tour schedule, such as an event in Japan she will play in November.

Again, she is 16 years of age. Wie is not much older than Carmen Bandea, the 15-year-old from Georgia who unsuccessfully attempted to challenge the LPGA Tour age ceiling for full-time exempt status. Alas, though, I reluctantly lend my support to Michelle Wie in her decision to turn pro.

Why? Well, there are a lot of reasons.

First, unlike Bandea, Michelle Wie has continually demonstrated that she has the ability to sustain herself as a professional golfer. If you saw Michelle Wie play at all on the LPGA Tour this year, you had an opportunity to see only a glimpse of what is sure to come from Wiesy. She finished solo second at the LPGA Championship and had a legit chance to win both the Kraft-Nabisco and the U.S. Women's Open. Carmen hasn't seen the top 20 of a LPGA Tour leaderboard.

Despite turning pro, Wie will maintain her current schedule load. She will only play in the six events she is allowed to play in per season under LPGA Tour rules for non-exempt players. It is likely with her play that she can earn a Tour card next season. But, she will not be able to take full advantage of that status until she is 18. In the meantime, she can rack up experience (and potentially victories) at the professional level while acquainting to the pressure and lifestyle of professional golf.

Although I take the following with a grain of salt, Michelle Wie and her father B.J. continue to say that Michelle will finish high school and continue on to college. Obviously, Wie will no longer be able to play for her academic institution because she is no longer an amateur. But, it is refreshing to hear that Wie still maintains that she would like to complete her education to some reasonable length. She may drop out of high school next fall, but at least for now, the Wie's commitment to education is commendable.

Money is obviously the motivating factor in all of this. It was also the motivating factor for the Bandea family to challenge Commish Ty Votaw. The difference between Michelle and Carmen is that there is monetary incentive from the get-go to become a professional. Wie is incredibly popular, well-known, and easily marketable.

The $7 million she stands to make this week will still be there in a couple of years. This may lead one to counter and ask as to why Michelle Wie will turn pro at this point in her life. It's a good question. The answer is essentially the same argument that college basketball stars enter the NBA early — the "what if" game. Michelle could drop off in talent like Beth Bauer, or sustain a trying injury, or any number of factors, which may decrease the value of her stock in the years to come. She can cash in now and take the pressure off and mystery out of her move to the LPGA Tour. At least Wie has a stock value to cash in — the same could not be said for Carmen Bandea.

The only real downside for Michelle regards her attempts to become the first woman to play in the Masters. Wie will no longer be an amateur golfer, which will close the loopholes to the Masters — winning the U.S. Amateur or U.S. Amateur Public Links events. Instead, if Wie wishes to make her dreams come true, she will have to do it via the PGA Tour. It will be extremely difficult to do, but if Wie were somehow able to pull it off, then her legend would be undying.

So, all in all, Wie's move will not change much for the golf fan. We'll get to see her just as much, except she'll be allowed to take checks home. Beyond that, it's the same ole Wiesy, minus the (A) next to her name.