Topic: Michelle Wie

Michelle Sung Wie ( /ˈwiː/; Korean: Wie Seong-mi Hangul: 위성미 Hanja: 魏聖美; born October 11, 1989) is an American professional golfer who plays on the LPGA Tour. At age 10, she became the youngest player to qualify for a USGA amateur championship. Wie would also become the youngest winner of the U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links and the youngest to qualify for a LPGA Tour event. Wie turned professional shortly before her 16th birthday in 2005, accompanied by an enormous amount of hype and endorsements.

Wie was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, the only child of immigrant parents from the Republic of Korea (South Korea) who came to the United States in the 1980s. Her father, Byung-wook Wie, is a former professor of transportation management at the University of Hawaii. Her mother, Bo, was South Korea's women's amateur golf champion in 1985 and competed in a Miss Korea pageant. Her paternal grandfather, Dr. Sang Kyu Wie, a resident of Jangheung, Jeollanam-do, was an emeritus professor at Seoul National University. When she was born, since both of her parents had been Korean, Wie was a dual citizen of both the Republic of Korea and the United States automatically. However, the Republic of Korea does not allow dual citizenship after the age of 21. Wie has opted for United States citizenship.

Wie graduated from Punahou School in Honolulu in June, 2007. On December 19, 2006, she announced that she would be attending Stanford University where there are family ties. Her paternal grandfather was a visiting professor and an aunt and uncle are both graduates. She enrolled in September, 2007 as a freshman, but as a professional golfer, Wie is not eligible under NCAA rules to play for Stanford's golf team. During her first three years at Stanford, she attended only during the fall and winter quarters, running from late September through mid-March each year. She took leaves of absence during the rest of the year to play professional golf.