Michelle Wie calls out radio host over his comments about Korean golfers
ASSOCIATED PRESS / APRIL 5
Michelle Wie watches her tee shot during the second round of the LPGA Tour ANA Inspiration golf tournament at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, Calif.
SiriusXM radio golf show host Hank Haney knew enough about the LPGA Tour that Honolulu’s Michelle Wie was hurt and wouldn’t be playing in this week’s 74th U.S. Women’s Open. The comments that followed from Tiger Woods’ former swing coach led to Wie firing back on Twitter and Haney being suspended.
On Wednesday, Haney opened the predictions segment of his PGA Tour Radio channel show saying that a Korean would probably win the U.S. Women’s Open that began Thursday in Charleston, S.C.
It went downhill from there.
“I could name you like six players on the LPGA Tour,” he told guest Steve Johnson, also a golf instructor. “No, maybe I couldn’t. Ah, well, I’d go with Lee. If I didn’t have to name a first name I’d get a bunch of them right.”
With the Jim Carey “so you’re telling me there’s a chance” clip from the movie “Dumb and Dumber” playing in the background, Haney continued.
“Honestly, Michelle Wie is hurt,” he said. “I don’t know that many (LPGA golfers). Where are they playing, by the way?”
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The usually private Wie, who withdrew from this week’s event due to a lingering hand injury, responded on via Twitter @themichellewie.
“As a Korean American female golfer, these comments that @HankHaney made disappoint and anger me on so many levels,” the Punahou School graduate said. “Racism and sexism are no laughing matter Hank … shame on you. I don’t ever do this, but this must be called out.
“Too many of these girls, Korean or not, have worked countless hours and sacrificed so much to play in the US Open this week. There are so many amazing players in the field. Let’s celebrate them….Not mock them.”
Haney, who coached Woods for six of his majors from 2004 to 2010, began apologizing during Wednesday’s show after being “blown up” on Twitter but claimed “I can’t remember what I said.
“I guess people are taking this as racially insensitive,” he added.”So I’m gonna apologize right now if I offended people. I guess I said something that made people feel bad.”
A joint statement from the PGA Tour and SiriusXM on Thursday said the comments were insensitive and do not represent the views of either party. The statement says Haney has been suspended “at the PGA Tour’s instruction.”
Haney says he accepts the suspension and apologized again.
