Michelle Wie Wants to Turn Pro

“I want Tiger Money (to be treated equal with Tiger Woods).”

The Los Angeles Times reported on March 28 that 14-year-old “Genius girl” Michelle Wie intends to become a professional golfer at age 18 if she is offered big money.

Michelle Wie said in an interview with the newspaper that “if a person presents a hundred million dollars (approximately 120 billion won) or a briefcase full of money, I may enter the pro-golf stage when I turn 18.”

Wie and her family have repeatedly said that she would go to a four-year university, and they especially have mentioned prestigious Stanford University from which Woods graduated from. Her father, Wie Byoung-wook, said with a more flexible mind, “It could be possible. My daughter is getting more mature. I already talked about the possibility of her being a pro-golfer with U.S. LPGA commissioner, Tie Boto. I will watch the situation because we still have four years to decide.” But Michelle said, “I want to go college although I play as a pro-golfer. I won’t become a full-time pro just after graduating high school.”

Only persons who are older than 18 can be pro-golfers, but Song A-ree was permitted at 17 years of age by the official authority of Commissioner last year. Meanwhile, Tiger Woods became a pro-golfer in September of 1996 in his sophomore year at Stanford and signed a five-year contract worth 45 million dollars (approximately 54 billion won) with Nike.

Sang-Soo Kim ssoo@donga.com