Michelle Wie to head a starcast at Omega Dubai Ladies Masters
Michelle Wie will bolster a stellar cast at the Emirates Golf Club when the charismatic American golfer tees it up for the second in a row at the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters that gets under way at the Emirates Golf Club from December 6 to 11.
With her star status in women’s golf, love of fashion and classical swing, the six-foot tall Korean-American will certainly be the blockbuster attraction at the season-ending Ladies European Tour event where she will be joined a slew of top drawcards from Europe in what promises to be an absorbing battle in the sun.
The 20-year-old Hawaiian provided a glimpse of her talent and fighting qualities on her debut in Dubai last year, finishing a creditable runner-up to fellow American In Kyung Kim, three shots off the pace. Feeling far more relaxed and upbeat after writing her fall exams the night before, the Stanford sophomore fired a stunning 65 in the final round to rake in an impressive 15-under-par total of 273.
She had her moments to wrap up the victory, but her title hopes were drowned in the huge lake guarding the closing hole. She managed to salvage par after an excellent recovery shot to within three feet of the hole from over the lake, but it was not enough in the end. That’s history.
The world number 7 is aiming to go one better and get the job done this time around. “Obviously, my number one goal is to win the tournament, but I can't really control all of it. What I can control is how hard I try and what I can do. What I can do is to have fun out there and just play the best I can," she said ahead of the euro 500,000 tournament, promoted and organised by golf in DUBAi.
“I have great respect for players on the Ladies European Tour and their competitiveness is second to none, something which I have experienced first-hand during the Solheim Cup,” said Wie, who, as a captain’s pick, was instrumental in leading the US team to victory with an impeccable 3-0-1 record.
“I am really looking forward to getting in Dubai, an extremely hospitable place where the people and the tournament organisers treat the players so well. I can tell from experience, the level of competition is pretty high there, the (Majlis) course is great and the Arabian hospitality is second to none,” said Wie, who ‘scaled new heights’ by becoming the first player to strike the ball from the 124th storey of Burj Khalifa, the tallest tower in the world, rising 825 metres into the sky.
“It was scary, but the experience was just amazing, and so was the sight of my parents riding camels during a desert safari. I think the tournament organisers are doing a great job by showcasing Dubai’s other attractions to the world,” said Wie, who is also a brand ambassador for Omega, the title sponsors of the Dubai Ladies Masters.
Commented Mohamed Buamaim, vice-chairman and CEO of golf in DUBAI: "We are really delighted to welcome Michelle back in Dubai. She is the face of women’s golf, not only in the US, but the world over. Young girls look up to her for inspiration and she is one player who has done wonders to raise the profile of women's golf.
“The fact that she mixed studies with golf when she was here in Dubai last year and still finished runner-up shows how focused and hard working she is. She is Michelle Wie for a reason. She is the one people want to see and want her to succeed.
"I wish Michelle a pleasant stay here in Dubai and hope her presence will further cement Dubai’s credentials as the ‘City of Golf’,” Buamaim added.
Wie captured her second career victory on the LPGA Tour last week at the CN Canadian Women’s Open. Wie led the tournament from start to finish and held off some of the biggest names in women’s golf, including defending champion Suzann Pettersen, Kristy McPherson and former number one ranked player Jiyai Shin to eventually win by three strokes.
Named in a Time magazine article as "one of 100 people who shape our world,” Wie has been building an impressive resume in golf since a young age. At 10, she became the youngest player to qualify for the USGA Women's Amateur Public Links Championship in 2000 and qualified for an LPGA event when she was 12.
A year later, she became the youngest to make a cut. She played in the men's Sony Open when she was 14. Now at 20, Wie is already a superstar.
'golf in DUBAi' is backed by Omega as the title sponsor and Dubal (Dubai Aluminium) as the sponsor. The co-sponsors are: CNN, Gulf News and wasl while Dubai Duty Free and Carpetland are the Patrons in golf in DUBAi’s drive to showcase the emirate's vibrant golfing scene to a worldwide audience.
