Korean Golf Phenomenon, Michelle Wie?

Michelle Wie has announced that she has in fact turned pro:

Michelle Wie has turned pro, the Korean golf phenomenon announced on at the Kahala Mandarin Hotel in Honolulu, Hawaii on Thursday.

“Korean golf phenomenon”? Shouldn’t that read American or Korean-American golf phenomenon? Michelle Wie is of Korean ancestry but is from Hawaii. Notice the name Michelle is American. The Korean media easily labels Kim Chorong as being too American and don’t want her to attend a golf tournament in Japan, while they clamor to claim Michelle Wie as one of their own. Notice how the CBC labels Wie:

American Michelle Wie, the most celebrated teenage player since Tiger Woods, will turn pro on Wednesday, according to Golf World magazine.

That’s right, she is an American. Later on in the article the address her as a Korean-American which is fine, but IMHO it is inaccurate to label her solely as Korean when she isn’t.

If Michelle Wie keeps making money like this from sponsorships she probably isn’t going to be to eager to be labeled only a Korean:

Wie will be turning 16 on Oct. 11 and two days later take part in the Samsung World Championship in Palm Desert, California, which will mark her pro debut. Flanked by Mike Fasulo, chief marketing officer of Sony, and Bob Wood, president of Nike Golf, Wie confirmed she signed endorsement deals with the two companies worth $10 million a year and will use Nike golf clubs.

I think it is clear Michelle Wie is becoming a “global phenomenon” not a Korean phenomenon.