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Grandfather's town no longer passes hat to fund Wie
(Reuters)
Updated: 2005-10-10 10:10
ENDORSEMENT DEALS
The village formed an official committee to help support Michelle in 2003 and
sent her about $12,000 two years ago so she could buy equipment and travel to
tournaments.
 Several media sources have said that Michelle has just signed endorsement
deals with Nike and Sony worth $10 million per year, making her golf's richest
woman.
Already one of the biggest attractions in the game, Wie will make her debut
as a professional in the Samsung World Championship at Palm Desert, California,
on Thursday, two days after her 16th birthday.
Wie's picture graced every major South Korean daily on Friday with articles
announcing her decision to turn professional. Many of the newspapers dubbed her
"Golf's $10-million baby".
It has become common in South Korea to see a woman golfer with a Korean name
have her picture splashed across every major paper.
Unlike Wie, who has not won an LPGA event, the golfers featured in the local
press have been South Korean women who have just captured a championship and are
holding their trophies high.
Rarely does an LPGA tournament pass these days without a South Korean
challenging for the lead.
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