Wie gets exemption for LPGA Nabisco

By Ann Miller
Advertiser Staff Writer

A day after tentatively accepting offers to play in two men's Canadian Tour events this summer, Honolulu 13-year-old Michelle Wie was given a sponsors' exemption to play in the Kraft Nabisco Championship — the LPGA's first major.

The tournament will be March 27-30 at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, Calif.

Wie played in three LPGA events last year, missing each cut. At the Takefuji Classic, played at Waikoloa in 2002, she became the youngest to qualify for an LPGA tournament. Wie also reached the semifinals of the U.S. Amateur Women's Public Links last year.

This year, her tentative schedule begins with repeat performances at the Hawai'i Pearl Open, Hawai'i State Amateur Stroke Play Championship, Jennie K. Invitational and Manoa Cup. This summer she will again train at the David Leadbetter Academy and play in several U.S. Golf Association events, and possibly more LPGA events.

• Waikoloa tees off: University of Hawai'i-Hilo's 13th annual Taylor Made/Waikoloa Intercollegiate opens Wednesday at the Waikoloa Kings' and Beach courses. The 27-team tournament runs three days.

The format features a 54-hole stroke play competition with the low four individual scores counting each day toward the team total. Ties will be broken using the fifth player's score.

There will be a longest-drive contest Tuesday at 11:30 a.m. at the Kings' driving range. A College-Am tournament will follow at the Kings' Course.

Along with UH-Hilo and Manoa, participating teams include Arizona State, Fresno State, Georgia Tech, Nagoya University of Commerce, Pepperdine, Stanford, Houston, Nevada, Oklahoma and Southern California.

From Feb. 19-21, UH-Manoa will hold its annual John A. Burns Intercollegiate at Leilehua Golf Course.

Among the 18 teams are the last three champions — San Diego State, Brigham Young and New Mexico.