Leadbetter Not Happy with Wie's Choice

Count her own coach among those who believe Michelle Wie is making a mistake playing in the PGA Tour Reno-Tahoe Open this week. And David Leadbetter believes it's a mistake even though he also believes she might make the cut:

“I can see, now, what’s going to happen this week,” Leadbetter continued. “She will start swinging out of her shoes as she tries to keep up and that’s when things can go wrong technically. She may just become the first woman to make a cut since Babe Zaharias — but at what price?”

Leadbetter's comments were made to Lewine Mair of the Telegraph of London, and at Sunningdale, site of the Women's British Open. That's where Leadbetter is this week, working with Suzann Pettersen rather than heading to Reno to work with Wie.

Leadbetter says the decision for Wie to play Reno was a surprise not only to him, but also to Wie's agents - and he blames the family for what he views as a terrible decision:

“It’s a shock to me and to her agents that this is happening,” said Leadbetter, who has worked with the teenager for five years. “I don’t think the family has made the right choice. There’s definitely more to lose than to gain.”

...

“I’m one of Michelle’s greatest fans but what we’re seeing now smacks of what happened last year,” he said. “Then, she tried to come back far too soon and did none of the necessary rehab work. Now, just when there’s this little light at the end of the tunnel, they have her back playing against the men.”

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“I’ve put too much time and effort into Michelle to be able to sit by and watch this happening without saying something,” Leadbetter said. “If she doesn’t stick to doing what’s sensible, we could see one of the greatest potential talents the game has ever known going to waste.'