The 2010 Ryder Cup. The Michelle Wie Drama
Celtic Manor, Wales
Courtesy: Golfbreaks.com
Sir Terry Matthews is quite a guy. Before he became a "sir", Matthews was just your average multi-millionaire.
Matthews was born in Wales but came to Canada and made his money with partner Michael Cowpland when they formed Mitel, a high tech communications company headquartered in Ottawa, Canada.
The two became instant millionaires with Mitel before splitting up after selling the company to British Telecom. Cowpland went on to form Corel, a highly successful software company while Matthews hit another home run with Newbridge Networks.
When Alcatel snapped up Newbridge, Matthews went from multi-millionaire to billionaire.
And as a billionaire, Matthews now owns the Celtic Manor golf club and resort, home of this week's prestigious Wales Open, rapidly becoming a major tournament on the European Tour.
Celtic Manor is also home to the 2010 Ryder Cup and Sir Terry has big plans for that tournament.
In his mind, the Ryder Cup is a spectacle and he's bound and determined to deliver a high level of entertainment value come 2010.
So he's ordered a new course to be built just for the bi-annual U.S.-Europe get-together.
You can read about it here.
In the same story from the Daily Telegraph, is a disturbing report regarding Michelle Wie.
Coincidentally, the same information was told to me by National Post golf writer, Robert Thompson the other day.
It seems that, as Michelle Wie was approaching the score of 88 in her first round of the Ginn Tribute in South Carolina and looking for a lost ball, she received illegal advice from her father; only the caddie can offer advice and her playing partner, Janice Moodie grew very concerned and said so.
When the 88 rule was mentioned (if a non-tour player on the LPGA shoots 88 or worse, she is barred from the tour for the rest of the season), Wie's agent reportedly huddled with LPGA officials and, lo and behold, Michelle drops out with a re-injured wrist.
Very interesting and further evidence that Michelle Wie is not running her life; others are doing that for her. And, if not her agent and her father, then perhaps her sponsor, Nike which has a multi-million dollar endorsement deal with Wie and would expect her to appear in tournaments as often as possible.