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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Thursday, January 23, 2003

GolfWorld to have Wie on latest cover

By Ann Miller
Advertiser Staff Writer

A familiar face, with an even more familiar golf swing, peeks off the cover of this week's issue of GolfWorld: Honolulu's Michelle Wie, a "Tower of Power" according to the magazine and the most well-known eighth-grader among PGA Tour players.

WIE
GolfWorld is the latest to feature Wie, who can come and go from her advanced classes at Punahou School without a fuss but was seen signing autographs at the Mercedes Championships and Sony Open in Hawai'i. She played in the Mercedes Pro-Am and, for the second straight year, participated in the Pro-Junior Challenge Sony week.

The girl Tom Lehman calls the "Big Wiesy" — for the long, languid swing that mimics Ernie Els — has also been in ESPN Magazine, Golfweek, Golf Magazine, Golf for Women, Golf Journal and Sports Illustrated lately.

That will happen when you dominate women's events in Hawai'i, play in three LPGA tournaments before you are a teen and openly talk of a future on the PGA Tour, after you get a scholarship to Stanford like idol Tiger Woods.

Wie's short-term future includes playing in the Hawai'i Pearl Open and State Amateur Stroke Play — again. In May, she will return to the Jennie K., where she first shot into the headlines in 2001 when she won at age 11.

Her itinerary includes four LPGA tournaments, qualifying for the U.S. Women's Open, Women's Amateur and Junior Girls championships, and the Public Links, which offers an exemption to the Masters for the winner. There is also one American Junior Golf Association event and the Trans-National.

She will go back to the David Leadbetter Junior Golf Academy in Florida to start her summer.

"Her primary goal this year," says her father, B.J., "is to play in the U.S. Women's Open."


Skins games scheduled

Last year was yet another golf year to remember for Annika Sorenstam and Hale Irwin. This weekend, Hawai'i gets to see if anything has changed.

2003 ConAgra Senior and LPGA Skins Games

• WHEN: Saturday, 9:45 a.m. (Seniors all 18 holes) and Sunday, 8:30 a.m. (LPGA all 18 holes)

• WHO: Seniors—Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Hale Irwin and Lee Trevino. LPGA—Laura Davies, Annika Sorenstam, Karrie Webb, Laura Diaz.

• WHERE: Wailea Gold Golf Course, Maui (6,821/6,414 yards, Par 72)

• PURSE: $600,00—$20,000 first 6 holes, $30,000 next 6, $40,000 next 5, $100,000 18th. Money carries over if no player wins hole outright

• PRO-AM: 9:30 a.m. tomorrow

• ADMISSION: $10 tomorrow, $25 Saturday-Sunday or $50 for tomorrow-Sunday (Champions and LPGA). Children 12-under free with ticket-holding adult.

• TV COVERAGE (HST): Seniors—ABC, Saturday, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.; Sunday, 7-9 a.m. LPGA—ESPN2, July 1-2

INFORMATION: 1-800-332-1614 or SkinsGamesSeries.com.

The ConAgra Foods Champions and LPGA Skins Games will be Saturday and Sunday at Wailea's Gold Course on Maui. The seniors start at 9:45 a.m. Saturday. The start of Sunday's LPGA Skins Game has been moved up to 8:30 a.m. to allow spectators to get home in time for the Super Bowl.

Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Lee Trevino will attempt to end Irwin's domination of what was formerly called the Senior Skins Game. Irwin has won three of the last four years, the only exception in 2000, when he did not play.

Irwin is coming off a season when he won four tournaments and his third Jack Nicklaus Trophy, given to the Player of the Year. Trevino is the only other player to capture the award three times.

Sorenstam won 11 times last year, the most of any LPGA player in 38 years. She also captured the Australian Ladies Masters and Swedish Open, giving her 13 wins in 25 starts. Sorenstam won $2.8 million and her fifth Rolex Player of the Year Award.

Her competition will be Karrie Webb, the Rolex Player of the Year in 1999 and 2000, Laura Davies, who has won four majors, and Laura Diaz, who earned her first two LPGA victories last year.

This is the ninth LPGA Skins Game, but the first since 1998 and at Wailea. Davies is "defending" her 1998 title. She also won in 1996 and is making her fifth Skins appearance. Sorenstam won the 1997 Skins and has played in three, while Webb has played twice. Diaz is making her debut.

There will be a charity auction during tomorrow's Pro-Am and the tournaments over the weekend. It will benefit Bailey House Museum and Alexander & Baldwin Sugar Museum.

Players have also committed a minimum of 10 percent of their winnings to charity.

Parking will be available at the grass lot on Wailea Ike Drive, with free shuttles to the Gold Clubhouse from 7:30 a.m. Friday and Saturday and 7 a.m. Sunday. Parking fee is $3, which goes to the Maui Boy Scouts and Maui Junior Golf. Free shuttles will also be available between Wailea hotels and the tournament.

SHORT PUTTS: The Kris Moe Golf School is back at Kaua'i Marriott Resort and Beach Club through March 7. Five- and seven-day schools are offered as well as single-day lessons at Kaua'i Lagoons Golf Club's Kiele and Mokihana courses. For reservations or more information, call 707-529-6458 or visit krismoegolfschools.com.