KEY POINTS:
The cautionary tale of Michelle Wie, fallen starlet, turned a few more sorry pages when she missed the cut at the Women's British Open being played at St Andrews.
An 80 summed up the 17-year-old's year - disastrous. And to think Team Wie used to declare she could compete with the men.
Now, the top women are operating in a different class, too; certainly Mexican Lorena Ochoa, the leader before this morning's final round, and Annika Sorenstam.
As local woman Catriona Matthew stepped off the 18th green to rapturous applause on Saturday with a round of the day 68, there was an image of telling contrast nearby, as outside the clubhouse Wie commiserated with her parents.
This was the Hawaiian's fourth round in the 80s in her 13 completed rounds of this year and for the six tournaments in which Wie has competed, she is 89-over par. Compare that with the 14-year-old who almost made a cut on the men's PGA Tour.
It has all turned sour. Bitter, even.
Surely she will now take a break, enrol in her college, let her troublesome wrist and wrecked confidence recuperate and leave the reappearance at least until the New Year?
Do not bet on it. There are sponsors to be satisfied, vast entourages to be paid for, hype to be recranked.
If it is possible to feel sorry for a teenager who has earned US$10 million ($13 million) by the time most of us were finishing our newspaper rounds, then her handlers have gone a long way to accomplishing it.
- Independent
