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Southhampton, New York - July, 2006 Michelle Wie, when she is not practicing her near-perfect swing, deciding what subjects to take in her up-coming senior year in high school, or making decisions on her busy schedule and career, must chuckle and shake her head when she reads her press and hears the criticism. Perhaps her reaction is a testament to her young age, sense of humor and patience. The comments from the traditional thinkers, or more accurately in some cases, from the Neanderthals, would drive any other progressive thinker, or untarnished mind – crazy. “She should win first on the LPGA Tour before playing with the guys,” a number of men and women in the golf industry have said to me. “She is taking the place of guys who should be playing, when she accepts sponsor exemptions to play on the PGA Tour events,” others have chimed. Some members of the LPGA Tour resent her playing with men. They look at her persistence as a putdown of women's golf and are jealous of the attention that she gets.  Michelle Wie: A teen on a mission. And why do the media focus on her failing to win instead of commending her for finishing in the top five in six of 11 Majors she has played as both an amateur and professional? Why is she criticized so severely for missing the cut in five PGA Tour events instead of being praised for beating so many formidable male players, some who have won major championships? Michelle Wie may be criticized more than any golfer in history. That's what happens when you make history. Thank goodness she is young and resilient. Along with her many other talents, the high-school junior has the mental strength and tenacity it takes to become a superstar, a hero, a pioneer – to dare to do the unusual and not become psychotic from all the negativity and sarcasm surrounding her. A pioneer? Imagine that, a pioneer, as a teenager. Or perhaps she took lessons from the woman who so positively influenced women's sports and the women's movement – Billie Jean King. King prevailed against Bobby Riggs in the 1973 infamous Battle of the Sexes. She was victorious in her conviction that girls attending public institutions should have the same sports opportunities as boys in her work behind the passage of Title IX legislation. She pushed for both genders to play sports together as pre-teens to help boys learn to accept and respect girls as athletes. Yet King was neither respected nor appreciated herself until years after she accomplished all of this. To this day, Billie Jean King deserves more recognition as one of the great thinkers of our time, a visionary beyond most legendary visionaries. Michelle Wie may truly be unaware of Billie Jean King and her impact on women in sports. She may not know the opportunities that King helped create for girls and women. But Wie's mindset is already visionary. And Billie Jean King must be proud of that in itself. Here is a teenager who is not blurred by other's expectations, biases and criticism.
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