London , England ( CNN ) -- The downfall of Tiger Woods has left the golf world eager for an uplifting story , and arguably there are few better placed to provide this tale than 20-year-old Michelle Wie . The women 's game may struggle to compete with the men 's in terms of profile , but if there is any player who could help to bridge this gap it is the Stanford University student from Hawaii . The expectation on Wie has always been great after she amazed the sport by qualifying for the USGA amateur championship aged just 10 . She went onto become the youngest player ever to qualify for the LPGA Tour and became a millionaire 10 times over by signing sponsorship deals with both Sony and Nike after turning professional aged 16 . The similarities with Tiger Woods were clear for all to see . Her fame grew as she persisted to compete in men 's competitions while suffering inconsistent form at women 's events , but she had to wait until 2009 to capture her first LPGA title . With her victory at the Lorena Ochoa Invitational and starring role in the 2009 Solheim Cup , Michelle Wie has once again captivated fans and gone some way to reassure doubters that she still has the potential to become a major force in women 's golf . With the 2010 LPGA season due to tee off next month , Living Golf caught up with Wie to discuss her plans for the year ahead in work and play : . `` I love what I do . Once my college work is done , I get to go out and focus on my golf . Academically right now , I 'm a sophomore , but I 'm in my third year , so hopefully I 'll finish in five years or so , '' she told CNN . Like many students her age , friends play an important role : `` They bring me down to earth you know . They always make fun of me and they do n't know what I do , they do n't know what a par is . Basically I tell them , if my scores look red , you can call me , if my scores look black , then I might not be in such a good mood so do n't talk to me ! '' The Solheim Cup marked a turning point for Wie , proving she could hit shots beyond her female counterparts . Wie says it was an unforgettable experience : `` It was such a great experience , I 've always heard that rumor that , the American team does n't bond as well as the European team , but I felt that we just bonded so well and had so much fun -- I really enjoyed every second of it . '' Despite this , there still remains a cloud of disapproval over the way in which Wie has conducted herself throughout her career . Entering her first PGA Tour event at the tender age of 14 , her attempts and failures to make it on the men 's tour have drawn criticism from players and fans . So does she regret these early decisions ? `` No , I do n't think so . I think that every decision that I 've made in my life , at the time seemed like a great decision ... the mistakes that I 've made , I 've definitely learned from them . But you know , I enjoyed myself and I really had a lot of fun . '' While the sun shone on Michelle Wie in 2009 , the LPGA experienced a difficult year . Like the men 's Tour , financial crisis saw sponsors and media pull out -- and a seriously diminished schedule of events for 2010 led to the dismissal of LPGA Commissioner Carolyn Bivens . Despite the turmoil , Wie feels the tour will bounce back : . `` I just think that we have such a strong product , you know the players are amazing , we have different personalities , its so global , so international -- there 's so many ethnicities which gives us more opportunity to be in different countries that never really had golf before . '' As she looks ahead to this year , Wie 's resolve remains clear : to build on her new found confidence and success : `` I want to show my fans and my country what I have . ''
The 2009 Solheim Cup marked a turning point for Wie . Michelle Wie is currently 10th in the World Golf Rankings . Wie says the LPGA will bounce back from a difficult year .