Annika On Wie: "Now she’s one out of many."

Annika Sorenstam's critical comments to Alan Bastable in a Golf Magazine interview about Michelle Wie have been picked up in various publications. And while she is certain expressing some tough love, I think it's worth reading the interview for some context.

Of course, I'll now take part of it out of context because it's the most interesting criticism:

A couple of years ago you criticized Wie, who was then an undergrad at Stanford, for focusing too much on her education and not enough on golf. Do you stand by that opinion?

I never criticized her for getting an education. I said that I think it’s funny for her to go to Stanford when she’s at the peak of her career. I mean she’s almost gone backwards. She played more when she was younger and less when she’s older. Getting a degree from Stanford is something I applaud her for, but it’s funny to not play any of the high-school stuff and play against the men, and then she gets her [LPGA] card and she plays less than she did before. I thought that was strange.

She’s only 24. Couldn’t she still become the best player in the world?

She has a long way to go, let’s put it that way. There was a time when the LPGA really needed her. I thought she had a lot to bring to the table. Now she’s one out of many.