Wie Draws Crowds At PGA Tour Event As She Battles To Make Cut

Wie Draws Crowd At Reno-Tahoe Open

DRAWING POWER: ESPN.com's Jason Sobel wrote, "Like it or not, Wie remains one of the few golfers who can still cause a ripple in the already overflowing wave pool that is professional sports. ... We've seen her grow up -- and disappoint -- right before our eyes." Everything Wie "has done in her short career ... has come under the watchful eye of a skeptical public. So, why should we stop watching now?" (ESPN.com, 7/30). In DC, Leonard Shapiro wrote there is "no question the LPGA has some telegenic rising stars, but Wie still has a chance to have a Tiger-like impact on that tour, in terms of attendance at the gate as well as eyeballs watching at home." Wie "pushes the ratings needle whenever she plays." Meanwhile, Wie potentially qualifying for the LPGA tour next year "couldn't come at a better time" -- six of the past eight LPGA events have been won by women from Korea or Taiwan, which is "hardly the sort of demographic American television officials get excited about" (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 7/31). SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL's Jon Show reports a special page on PGATour.com for this week's event "will contain blog-style coverage from a Web site staffer following Wie around the course." There also are plans to "have a photographer document her rounds and post video of exclusive post-round interviews" (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 7/28 issue).

Wie Giving Sponsors Exposure By Competing In Men's Events

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