If you have watched any golf news at all this past week, then you know that Michelle Wie won her first LPGA tournament last Sunday in Mexico. We can all relate to this young woman and learn from her trials to her success on the tour.

What can we learn?  We have all been there.  Let’s say that you are about to play your best round ever, you are keeping your score and know all you have to do is par the last 2 holes.  Maybe someone even reminds you how well you are doing.  Then the wheels fall off and you go bogey, bogey and you miss that great feeling of playing your very best.

Then one day it just happens.  Maybe you are distracted or maybe the moon and the stars are aligned just right and “poof’, you shoot your lowest score ever!

Michelle has had a lot of pressure playing golf, a greater amount of pressure that you and I will probably never experience.  She was a teen phenom and a multi-millionaire before she ever played any professional event.  She was playing on the PGA tour and wanting to prove herself on the biggest stage of golf.  Then the pressure of her parents, fans and players got to her.  Injuries occur when one is faced with extreme pressure and at that stage of her career that is exactly what happened to Michelle. She hurt her wrist and her ankle. 

Finally, Michelle turned 18 and went to the LPGA Q School and qualified to play on the LPGA tour.  She finished respectfully and got her card.  She made cuts and missed cuts but never was really close to winning.  Some people never win a tournament and others take years to win their first.  But once you win, you gain confidence and you can win again.

Then Solheim Cup Captain Beth Daniel picked Michelle Wie as her wild card for the Solheim Cup.  She gave her the confidence she needed to show the world what she is really made of.  With the rules that no parents were allowed, the LPGA players bonded with each other and everyone got to know Michelle for who she really is; a young, highly talented golfer who is still going to college.

I was there to witness the unveiling of Michelle Wie at the Solheim Cup.  She won her points and was a force to be reckoned with.  I knew she would win soon, and she did.

What most of us need is a good support system, confidence, and a little bit of talent to play our very best.  And remember, when you finally let go and take the pressure off, you will shoot your best game of golf.  It happened to me and it will happen to you.  I know now what I am capable of shooting because I have done it before.  Michelle now knows what it feels like to win and she will keep on winning.

Yes, the LPGA is smiling!  And so are the rest of us as well!

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