Wie fails to qualify for Sony Open

By Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Writer

Michelle Wie was the only female among 98 golfers competing in Sony Open qualifying. Regan Lee, Andy Miller, Roy Heirakuji and Richard Pride qualified. Jeff Widener • The Honolulu Advertiser

Wie, a 13-year-old eighth grader at Punahou School, shot a 1-over-par 73 and failed to qualify for this week's Sony Open in Hawai'i by seven strokes. Wie was 1-under after nine holes but bogeyed her next two holes and could manage only one birdie the rest of the way.

Regan Lee of Waipahu and Andy Miller — TV announcer Johnny Miller's son — each shot 65 to earn berths. Royden Heirakuji of Makawao and Richard Pride of Orlando, Fla., each carded a 66 and received the other two qualifying spots after a playoff with Pearl Country Club's Greg Meyer and Mark Worthington of Seattle.

Lee, a former 'Aiea High School and University of Hawai'i standout who most recently played on The Gateway (mini) Tour in Arizona, failed to earn a PGA Tour card in qualifying school seven weeks ago. Miller, of Napa, Calif., earned his card in November after an All-America career at Brigham Young University, but his Q-school finish (26th) was not high enough to get him an automatic berth into the Sony Open.

Wie finished in a tie for 47th, beating out 34 men and tying eight others. She was the only female in the 98-player field (nine players withdrew).

"It's just a challenge," Wie said. "I'm not really happy with my round. I've been hitting my drives straighter — it's more compact and consistent and it doesn't hook anymore. I have a lot more confidence in it and I could play from the fairways, but I just made stupid mistakes. It's just experience."

Watching Wie bomb her monstrous drives was an experience for others as well. Playing from the blue tees, Wie often out-drove playing partners Robert Ota of Honolulu and Juan Rodriguez of San Juan, Puerto Rico.

On the 497-yard, par-5 No. 5 hole, Wie's tee shot reached the 125-yard marker and she followed with an approach to 10 feet past the cup. She missed her downhill eagle putt and settled for her lone birdie of the back (she began her round on No. 10).

"I play Pearl a lot, and top-to-bottom, the greens are really fast," Wie said. "On that one (No. 5), I got scared. It was heading for the hole but turned at the last minute, and there was nothing I could do."

On No. 7, a 335-yard downhill par-4, Wie smashed her drive to within short chipping distance. She two-putted from 15 feet for par.

And on No. 9, a 414-yard par 4, Wie's tee shot neared the

125-yard marker and her approach came to a stop a mere six feet from the pin. She missed the downhill birdie putt and ended up with a par.

"After the front, I wasn't feeling too good (at 1-under)," Wie said. "I knew I had to make four birdies on the back to have a chance."

A three-putt on No. 1 and a missed approach on 2 effectively took her out of contention. But she remained the star attraction of a field that included former PGA Tour winners Keith Clearwater and Dave Eichelberger.

"She's very strong," said Dick Mast, a member of the Champions (Senior) Tour who played a group behind Wie yesterday and in Sunday's practice round. "When she gets to the top of her game, there's no doubt she could play with anybody."

Rodriguez, a nephew of Chi Chi Rodriguez, was himself a phenom who set a still-standing course record in South America at age 14. Now 34, he is struggling to rebuild a pro career that fell apart shortly after college. But he said Wie appears to be on the right track.

"She just needs to stay level-headed and keep practicing," Rodriguez said. "She seems mature for her age and she behaves well on the course, which is important."

For this year, the surprise qualifier is Heirakuji. A 1983 graduate of Maui High School, Heirakuji said he used to play the local amateur circuit but eventually "gave up on it." Yesterday's qualifier was his first tournament action since 1999.

"I've been playing pretty well the past two-and-a-half months, and my friends told me I should try," Heirakuji said. "Today I had what you could call a 'calmness.' I had seven birdies and only one bad swing, and when that happened, I didn't get flustered."

Heirakuji, 37, birdied the fourth playoff hole to gain his Sony pass for the week. Pride parred the fifth playoff hole to grab the final berth.