Michelle Wie to turn pro at 16: Instantly become highest paid LPGA pro.
 

Wie to turn professional before 16th birthday
By John Hawkins
Golf World

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Michelle Wie will turn pro sometime between now and Oct. 11 -- her 16th birthday -- perhaps as early as next week. In doing so, she will become the world's highest-paid female golfer.

According to sources involved in the negotiations who requested anonymity, Wie will sign endorsement deals with three companies (one believed to be Nike) worth an estimated $8 million. Adding in tournament appearance fees and other endorsements, the Hawaiian teen's compensation for her first year as a pro is expected to reach $10 million -- not counting what she wins on the course. She also will enlist the services of the William Morris Agency to secure further commercial endorsements and guide her pro career, shunning traditional golf-management companies and suggesting her long-term aspirations may involve transcending the game as much as dominating it.

The sources say Wie's first professional tournament will be the LPGA's Samsung World Championship, which begins two days after her birthday at Bighorn GC in Palm Desert, Calif., an important factor in the timing of her decision to turn pro. A source says she wants to declare as soon as possible, in order to minimize any distractions in her pro debut. "[The announcement] will happen before the end of the month," says one source familiar with the Wies' thinking. "To do it at the tournament would be a bit unsettling."

You think she is marketable???? Jesus is she going to do well.

Woman's golf has taken a turn for the best in terms of hotties on tour!

Womens golf will soon explode.

She's cute. Good luck to her.

amazing.. that's great

Be nice to see a female version of Tiger Woods on the LPGA. Annika has the talent, and the record, but she's not a marketable face like Wie can become.

Cool stuff. Nothing better than a teenage phenom.

She's really nice...best of luck to her :)

I went to an LPGA tour probably like 4-5 years ago, free tix through work. Holy shit was that a dyke fest.

Hopefully this gets other girls interested.

another hot sports chick. I like her.

I think she was from Hawaii or something like that

she is not going to college how can she expect to make a living without a college education ? lol

wouldn't that be nice

She is a remarkable player..Very dedicated player

Getting a degree is still important, but I think ther money she gets from golf will be enough for her to secure her future.

I imagine that XPays will have her Sidekick photos at age 18 and we will all be making money off of her... Kudos to celebrity.

Until then.... So cool.

Wow, good for her.

she looks good, no doubt
and she will have a lotta money

good looking and has real talent
good luck to her and her career
:thumbsup

She has the talent, and the looks.. She'll do great.

I wonder if shes stopped growing?