Meyer leads Pearl Open by 3 strokes

Advertiser Staff

Gregory Meyer shot a 5-under-par 67 yesterday to take a three-stroke lead in the $80,000 Hawai'i Pearl Open.

Meyer, a former head pro at Pearl Country Club who won the event in 1987 and '88, has a two-round total of 9-under 135.

Steve Schneiter and Hiroyuki Naito both shot 66 for 138 totals.

First-round leader Kiyoshi Murota shot 72 and is tied for fifth with Jeff Cook at 139.

Michelle Wie, 13, the lone female in the field, shot 73—147 to make the cut. The top 80 players plus ties will play in today's final round.

• Wie gets another invitation: Punahou eighth-grader Michelle Wie accepted a sponsor's invitation to play in the ShopRite LPGA Classic, June 27-29, in New Jersey.

Last week, Wie was invited to play in the Kraft Nabisco Championship — the LPGA's first major — and two men's Canadian Tour events. Last year, Wie played in three LPGA events but missed the cut in each.

The LPGA invitations came the same week the organization announced its complete 2003 schedule. It includes 35 events, with 31 offering "official money" and 23 featuring a full field.

For the first time since 1981, there will not be a full-field event in Hawai'i. The Takefuji Classic moved to Las Vegas this year. Wie became the youngest to Monday qualify for an LPGA tournament at last year's Takefuji.