Goosen tells Wie to stay away from men's circuit

In the week that Michelle Wie returns to golf, Retief Goosen has made it clear he thinks she should receive no more invitations to men’s events.

Wie’s comeback from wrist injuries is on the LPGA Tour in South Carolina, but the 17-year-old Hawaiian will be taking on the men again at the US Tour’s John Deere Classic in July.

“The players in general feel it is not right,” said Goosen, competing this week at the Wales Open at Celtic Manor.

“If she qualifies to play in an event then fine, but there are youngsters and good players coming up who could have taken that spot and broken through.

“We all know with her playing in the men’s events that she is not going to get anywhere, so I’m not really sure what she is trying to achieve.

“If she thinks it is helping her development then fine, but so far I think it has been damaging to her game.”

At 13, Wie came within a stroke of making the cut at the Sony Open and she did make the cut in an event in Korea last year, but last September she had two last places in Europe and America and also struggled at the Sony Open this January.

Recently, coach David Leadbetter said he thought she would be concentrating on women’s events, but on that Wie said: “I don’t think my coach is the person who would talk about what events I’m going to play in.

“I think that it was an unfortunate event. He got misquoted. I don’t think he was represented the way he wanted to.

“I learn so much from playing with the men and I just feel so grateful I have the opportunity to play that kind of golf.

“It brings a different perspective into the way I play and I learn a lot of cool shots from them. I just like it, so I’m going to do it as long as I enjoy it.”