Michelle Wie: Not Your Average Teen

Steve Kroft Profiles Teenage Golf Sensation Michelle Wie

(CBS) 
No one is happier with the prospect than the TV networks and tournament sponsors. When Michelle plays against men or women, television ratings and ticket sales go up an average of 50 percent. But Hawkins points out that Michelle hasn't won anything since she was 13, and if she is going to justify her eight-figure endorsement deals over any length of time, she needs to win some tournaments.

"I think a lot of that money is predicated on her not only competing against men, Steve, but beating the women. She is a special talent. She is a transcendent figure," says Hawkins. "She's got it all. But you still gotta have W's in your pocket. I mean, that's the deal."

Does Michelle feel the pressure to start winning tournaments?

"Well, I mean, I've heard a lot of people say that, but you know, I, hopefully, a lot of my fans will recognize that I'm still a full-time student," she says. "I still have a lot of other things that I have to do. And, hopefully, they'll be patient with me because I believe that I can do it."

Last weekend at the Kraft Nabisco Tournament, she just missed another opportunity to win a major championship on the women’s tour. After making a birdie on the 16th hole, all she had to do to make the playoff was get it down in two from the edge of the 18th green. But her chip shot went 10 feet past the hole and she just missed the putt coming back.

"I think, when you're 16, you still come across situations that you've never encountered before," says Hawkins. "You still feel emotions that you've never felt. Your heart beats a little harder. You're not used to feeling the crunch of pressure. I think she's still learning."

But if you ask Michelle what has been her most stressful experience this year, she’ll likely give you the 16-year-old answer — which was taking and barely passing her driver’s test.

"I got 15 points wrong. So I made it on the number," she explains.

While she just made the cut, she says she was really nervous and didn't know what to expect.

"More than a PGA event?" Kroft asks.

"Yeah, I think so. It was different, though," she replies.

Michelle says she would rate her driving skills as OK. "But I kind of panic sometimes. It's not very good. I have to get better on that."

When her parents finally allow her to have her own car, she’ll not only get exactly what she wants, some company will gladly pay her to drive it. But to her friends at Punahou High, she is just another junior.

"She lives her life just like us. We all go to the movies. We all go shopping," says Michelle's friend Raquel.

And Meghan, another friend, says even when Michelle is halfway around the world, they text message each other a lot. "I just upped my minutes by the way," she says, laughing.

Wie is not one of those prodigies who has been robbed of her childhood; in some ways she is still holding on to it — the final stages, anyway, and enjoying every minute of it. At 16, the days and weeks still last a long time for her. An endless summer competing against some of the best golfers in the world still feels a long way off. Anything beyond that is hard for her to grasp.

"I always fantasize with me being on my own, traveling by myself, you know, being independent," she says. "But then the reality sinks in that I never booked a hotel room by myself. I've never bought a plane ticket. I barely know how to do laundry. I can't cook. I can't even, I almost cannot microwave stuff. I mean it's pathetic. So basically the reality sets in and I can't do that."

"That's why you have William Morris," Kroft remarks.

"Yeah," she replies.

"Isn't it?" Kroft asks.

"No, that's a good point, that's a really good point. I haven't thought about that before. I mean, I guess I just have to learn how to do laundry," she says.

Asked whether she wants to get married and have kids, Michelle Wie said, laughing: "Yeah, most definitely. That's way down the road. I mean, I'm 16 right now. Might be illegal right now."