AROUND THE GREENS
Wie to have company in challenging male golfers

By Bill Kwon

Punahou eighth-grader Michelle Wie will be playing in her third State Amateur Championship this week at Pearl Country Club. Advertiser library photo

Joining the 13-year-old in the 108-player field for the 72-hole Hawai'i State Amateur Championship, beginning today at the Pearl Country Club, will be two other teenage girls, Amanda Wilson and Kira-Ann Murashige.

That Wie is entered is no surprise. She has taken on the guys before. This is her third State Amateur. She missed the 36-hole cut in 2001 and finished tied for 17th last year.

This year, she'll be joined by Wilson and Murashige, two high schoolers from Hilo. That they'll be skipping school for two days and flying over from the Big Island shows they're serious.

"I think it's cool. I'm looking forward to that. It's kind of exciting," said Wie about Wilson and Murashige joining her in an attempt to show up the guys. "It'll be interesting."

"Michelle seems to be a motivating factor," says her father, B.J. Wie.

She's certainly got everyone's attention.

Wilson, a 15-year-old sophomore at Waiakea High School, said Wie's success has a lot to do with her thinking about playing in the event.

As does Annika Sorenstam agreeing to play in the PGA Tour's Bank of America Colonial in May, added Murashige, 16, a Hilo High School junior. "I want to be like her."

They both talked about the idea of playing in the State Amateur several weeks ago when the entries went out.

"I wanted to play to see how I do," Wilson said.

Said Murashige: "I kinda wanted to try it out. It seems like a challenge."

It's not just a lark for them. They've got game. But whether they can compete from the men's tees is something else.

Wie, a Punahou School eighth-grader, has shown that she can, thanks to her length off the tee with drives averaging 280 yards.

Wilson and Murashige both average about 230 yards on their tee shots.

But they've been playing from regulation tees in high school tournaments.

It will be even farther back this week, but they want to give it a shot.

They come with solid credentials.

Murashige is the defending champion in the Jennie K. Invitational, one of the amateur women's major tournaments, posting a three-stroke victory last May. Wilson was second.

They were roommates then and will be again this week. If they make the cut, which will be the low 40 players and ties, they can extend their stay for another two days.

Gabriel Wilson, a Waiakea High senior who will be playing in his fourth State Amateur, is confident about his sister's chances.

"It's good. She should do all right. It'll be a good experience," he said.

Said Amanda: "We've practiced together. But we've never played in the same tournament before."

While the three girls are getting their share of attention, the tournament will feature most of the state's leading amateurs.

The field includes defending champion Joe Phengsavath and former champions Randy Shibuya (2001), Brandan Kop (1996) and Guy Yamamoto (1995).

Also entered are Del-Marc Fujita, Clayton Gomi, 2002 Manoa Cup champion Travis Toyama and former UCLA golfer Parker McLachlin.

Phengsavath welcomes the addition of the three girls and the notoriety they will bring to the event.

He asked tournament director Jay Hinazumi to be paired with Wie for the first two rounds.

"I played with her last year, and I want to see how much she has improved," Phengsavath said. "She's got a big advantage over the other two girls because of her drives."

Phengsavath is also familiar with Wilson and Murashige.

He was paired with Murashige in the Hilo Invitational last year and came away impressed.

"She's a little longer than Amanda, and her iron game is very solid," he said.

Wilson's game around the greens is her strength, according to Phengsavath.

"If Michelle had Amanda's short game, oh my god. She'd beat everybody," Phengsavath said.

He ought to know. That's also his strength.

"My putting's been a little streaky. But I cannot wait for Thursday," he said.

Neither can the three young ladies.

For Wie, it will be an ideal tuneup for the first of her six LPGA sponsors' exemptions this year. She'll leave next Friday to play in the Kraft Nabisco Championship, one of the LPGA Tour's majors, at Rancho Mirage, Calif.

For Wilson and Murashige, it is the first of what they hope will be more men's amateur events because there are so few for the women locally. But first, they want to see how they do this week.

Bill Kwon can be reached at bkwon@aloha.net.