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Michelle Wie to turn pro? But what about college golf? Plus: Monarchs rule.

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Sept. 21, 2005 | Terrible news: Michelle Wie is reportedly turning pro before her 16th birthday next month. Goodness gracious, what's next, teenage tennis players? Hockey? Oh, dear, get me my pills. Golf World magazine, citing sources close to endorsement negotiations, reports that the decision has been made, and others who report about golf are reporting that people in the game believe the magazine story.

Wie's father, University of Hawaii professor B.J. Wie, told the Associated Press he hasn't made up his mind yet about whether his daughter will turn pro in time for the Samsung World Championship Oct. 13 in Palm Desert, Calif. Her birthday is Oct. 11.

The sources say the announcement will come by the end of September rather than on the eve of the tournament, to "minimize distractions." Right, right. Wie playing her first tournament as a pro two weeks after announcing her decision won't be nearly the media circus it would have been had she made her announcement the same week as the event.

Wie has severed all ties with amateur golf and has played only professional tournaments this year, though she hasn't taken prize money. If she had, she'd be 12th on the LPGA money list after playing seven events. Nobody above her on the list has played fewer than 16 of the 26 events this year, and the one who played 16 is only Annika Sorenstam.

The leading money-winner among women who have played fewer than 10 events is Paula Marti, who is 82nd, about $600,000 behind where Wie would be had she taken the money.

And thank goodness for all concerned she hasn't.

A 15-year-old pro. What a disaster. These teenage athletes need to stay in school instead of bringing their lack of fundamentals and their thuggish behavior to the pro game, which suffers as a result.

Not to mention the sorry state of college golf. And education! Oh, yeah, education. Do you know what the college graduation rate is for 6-foot-1 15-year-old girls from Hawaii who can hit golf balls 300 yards? It's atrocious. B.J. Wie says Michelle plans to graduate high school and go to Stanford, but she won't be able to play on the golf team.

You'd think a college professor, of all people, would for heaven's sake think of the children! Golly, won't anyone think of the children?

I think Wie should stay in school, get her education, play college golf and forget about the $10 million or so she could be making every year even if she never finishes in the money, which is a pretty funny if. I'm sure three years from now many colleges will be lining up to give her room, board and tuition in exchange for her golf skills.

Why rush things? Pro golf will always be there, and if not, well, she can always fall back on that degree and get a good job.

Next page: Look to LeBron James for a cautionary tale. Plus: Sacramento wins a basketball championship!