These incredible Golf Girls...they're getting younger and younger. When will it stop? Who knows, but for this moment at least, adorable Ariya Jutanukarn, a petite 11-year-old from Thailand, holds the record for youngest golfer to compete in an international tour event! She took the record by qualifying for the Honda LPGA earlier this week, and teed off yesterday to beat Michelle Wie's record by five months. No doubt she'll be hearing a few cautionary tales base on Ms. Wie's troubled trajectory, For the time being though,Ariya is just happy to play against so many golfers she admires, especially, Annika.
Ariya's Dad is ultra proud of her. He's also very proud of her caddy Moriya. You see Moriya happens to be Ariya's 13-year-old sister.
the lpga needs to put a stop to this exploitation. the argument that she qualified is not good enough - they should impose a minimum age on events - i'm for 18 - with the exception being invites to major championships for us amatuer winners - let the young'ins compete against other young'ins in junior events and keep them away from the exploitive reach of sponsors, agents and other marketing types and also their own parents (we imposed child labor law protection in this country to protect kids from exploitive parents like the wie's and other commercial interests) -
ReplyDeletei really do not get the benefits to this - we need to protect kids from the lpga as well if they do not self regulate and protect under age kids from this ugly exploitation.
Next thing you know they will be issuing a handicap card with the birth certificate. OH, how the world is changing...but I like it...Bring on the Junior Golfers. http://sdogolf.com
ReplyDeleteThis girl is going to have won just about everything on the Asian, Japan, and Korean Tours before ever setting foot in America to play in an American LPGA event. I really don't think she needs protection from Bivens and the LPGA. Plus, is this event even being televised in America? Some exploitation when you'd have to search out the news story on the web or watch Golf Central. And let's not forget, you do have to be 18 before becoming a member of the American LPGA tour.
ReplyDeletemembership is different from allowing sponsors to grant spots to minors. a rule disallowing the practice in any way, shape or fashion would prevent the building up of the marketing machine behind a minor - the way michelle wie was carefully built up for several years, all with the consent of her parents and of the lpga and pga - if she was not allowed to play in these events their would have been no story and no exploitation of a minor - the only story would have been that a very talented junior golfer was on the rise and was winning lot's of junior events - which michelle never did.
ReplyDeletethis is sad and exploitive - follow the money folks - the real story is that agents, parents, coaches and the lpga are getting rich at the expense of minors - shameful. i'm suprised you folks don't see thru the reality here.
Many girls in Thailand have a few years of school, and at age 11 are finished with school to work as shop keepers, or other. I think it admiral the parents have helped her learn a skill, the fine art of golf.
ReplyDeleteAriya, คุณดี
i can't believe you are trying to find ways to excuse exploition of minors. learning golf and playing golf with peers is wonderful for kids - take a hard look at what happened to michelle wie and that is what i'm taking about
ReplyDeletenice blog. greeting from www.ebay925silver.com
ReplyDelete