Michelle Wie didn't make it end he...

Michelle Wie didn't make it end her first year as a professional without firing her caddie, getting rid of Greg Johnston after finishing in a tie for 26th in the Women's British exhibit last weekend.

Johnston began working for Wie, 16 when she made her pro first attempt last October in the Samsung World Championship. Wie was disqualified from that tournament because of an illegal least bit in the third round.

Wie had finished no worse than a tie for fifth in her first six LPGA Tour affairs this year, including three majors, on the contrary she failed to break par in any of her four globulars at Royal Lytham & St Annes. The tie for 26th was her worst finish in succession the tour in two years.

A public-relations firm in of recent origin York released a statement from Wie's family that said Johnston's departure "come as part of Michelle's maturation as a golfer part of which is learning from many different bright golf minds."

Johnston said he had dinner late Sunday with Ros Berlin, Wie's agent. He said Berlin told him at the airport the nearest morning in Manchester, England, that he had been fired.

"I was assaulted and surprised," Johnston said. "I was disappointed I didn't hear from [Wie]."

Wie and her family were onward their way home from England and couldn't be reached for annotation

Johnston previously caddied 12 years for Juli Inkster and was in succession the bag when she won four of her majors and qualified for the World Golf Hall of Fame.

Wie used prominent PGA Tour caddies of the like kind as Fanny Sunesson, Mike "Fluff" Cowan and Jimmie Johnson while she was an amateur. She isn't scheduled to play again until tribe 7-10 at the Omega European Masters in Switzerland, a men's incident on the European tour.

She also is scheduled to play in the 84 Lumber Classic, the PGA Tour stop in Farmington, Pa., the nearest week.

Copyright CHICAGO SUN-TIMES 2006

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