Jim McCabe

The Golf Expert is here with answers to your questions. Since slow play is not encouraged, let's quickly move to the first tee, er, question and get started.

Q: Is it the right time for Michelle Wie to turn pro?
— Jeff from Petaluma, Calif.
A: Jeff, I'm not sure that there's ever a wrong time to accept millions and millions of dollars, but frankly, I don't think there's any choice for Wie at this point. She's now 16 and, it’s should be clear that her emphasis is not on amateur golf. So, if one as talented as Wie — and make no mistake about it, she is the most gifted junior golfer since Tiger Woods — yet doesn't care about the amateur stage, why continue with the charade? Going professional was certainly her goal, so why not now?

Not only do you reap an immediate financial windfall, you simplify your life; you stop all the speculation and inquisitive reporters, you accept a few select endorsement deals and establish your territory, you take a load of worry off your shoulders and free yourself up to just play golf. Most teen-agers — and it was true with Woods, too — can't even think about turning pro because they need the amateur ranks to polish their games and mature as individuals. But on both counts Wie is already there.

She not only is good enough to play on the LGPA Tour right now, she'd be Top 10 on the money list if she played a healthy schedule. As far as her maturity goes, the young lady is dazzling, with just enough innocence to remind you how young she is, but more than enough style and substance to blow you away.

Good gracious, she has already played head-to-head against great competition and had a handful of Top 10 finishes in LPGA Tour events.

In the process she has traveled to all corners of the world, even walking the Great Wall of China. As for which route she will take, that's still open for speculation, but all choices in life are made easier when you have options and the young lady has no shortage of options.

By turning pro, she can play a golf schedule in 2006 that will be very similar to what it was in 2004 and 2005 — seven LPGA Tour exemptions, a qualifier to get into the U.S. Women's Open, if she chooses, maybe a few sponsor's exemptions into PGA Tour events, and the added dimension of tournaments in Asia for appearance money (which would be substantial). The LPGA Tour eventually is the most likely home circuit for Wie, but you may not see her there full-time for a few seasons.

Slide show   Week in Sports Pictures Pain on the skating rink, flying high on the hardwood, upsets on the football field, and more. more photos

I can envision her in 2007, when she would be 17, playing another summer mix of LPGA and PGA. Also, I am not convinced that college is out of the question. She is intrigued with new discoveries and new challenges, and it wouldn't shock me at all if she were to enter college in the fall of 2007, wanting to live life as a normal 18-year-old, and on her summer vacations she could play tournaments and continue to add layers of polish to her game.

Will she petition the LPGA Tour for a waiver to its minimum age requirement of 18? Possibly, though I wouldn't think that would come until perhaps the fall of 2006.

Will she turn her attention even more seriously to playing against the men? Possibly, but my guess is she knows she has to improve quite a bit to do that regularly. You see, the young lady has options, most of them financially-rewarding ones, but the first step is to turn pro and on that point, I can't see her as having any choice. She's got to do it and she should do it.

Q: What does the future have in store for Jason Gore now that he’s won on the PGA Tour?
— Austin K. from Benton Harbor, Mich.
A: Austin, there are few certainties out on the PGA Tour — other than Tiger Woods, of course — so who knows how far Gore will ride this wave of success. But unlike his two previous trips to the PGA Tour that ended poorly, this time he has that priceless commodity — job security.

Special coverage Complete coverage of Woods’ life and career

For the next two seasons he's fully exempt, thanks to his win at the 84 Lumber. And at the age of 31, there's the sense that he's matured and learned how to better manage his skills, which have always been extensive. Equipped with great power and a charming demeanor, Gore should do quite well for himself now that he doesn't have to play with the overbearing pressure of having to keep his card.

MORE FROM GOLF

Golf Section Front

Nordqvist wins LPGA Tour Championship Out of Bounds: Tiger booed ... at Stanford? Latest golf videos Latest player news, rumors and more Tracking Tiger: News, features and more Tiger's triumphs: Recapping all Woods' wins Vote: When will Tiger win his 15th major? Vote, discuss: Best major of 2009? Special section: Golf on NBC Discuss: Sound off on golf at Newsvine.com Golf Section Front   Add Golf headlines to your news reader: