Tournament gets a boost from Wie
| • | Wie finishes 39th at U.S. Women's Open |
| • | Ferd Lewis: It's time for dad to step aside as caddie |
By John Baker
Special to The Advertiser
NORTH PLAINS, Ore. — When Tom Fullmer found out that Honolulu's Michelle Wie had qualified for this year's U.S. Women's Open, he had no idea she'd bring her own special spirit of "aloha" to Oregon.
Fullmer, this year's championship director, had followed the 13-year-golf prodigy since last year, and admitted to secretly rooting for her to make the field. But, once on the grounds, he was stunned to find out just how much she was going to give to this year's tournament.
"The U.S. Open, in and of itself, is a global event," he said. "It might just as well be called the 'World Women's Open,' with the diversity of our players. Michelle, for being such a young person and such a great athlete, she's definitely helped spike interest."
In fact, said Fullmer, walk-up ticket sales have more than doubled what the projections were leading up to this year's tourney. Wie, for all her youth and dazzling talent, played no small part in that.
Her gallery numbered in the hundreds Thursday and Friday and seemed to increase in size over the weekend. At one point during the final nine holes yesterday, people were lined up two and three deep around the green and extended another 75 yards down the walkways on each side of the fairway. During practice rounds Tuesday and Wednesday, the stands at No. 1 were filled to watch her tee off, then emptied after her opening drive.
Wie had turned into one of this year's biggest stories at the U.S. Open — all before she had actually played a counting round or recorded a score that mattered.
Heady stuff for a girl who will be a freshman at Punahou School in the fall.
Fullmer knows why people came to Pumpkin Ridge to catch a dose of "Wie-mania." The kid is hard to take your eyes off of — something special might happen at any moment. Fullmer knows, he's seen it before.
"When you talk about Annika (Sorenstam), Tiger, and Michelle, you're saying that our notable and greatest sports figures are golfers," Fullmer said. "I think the fact that Michelle talks about playing in the Master's and in PGA events is really cool."
Fullmer, who hadn't been able to catch this year's big draw but for a few holes, saw her impact while he walked around the tournament. She was the topic of conversation for many he talked with. Where her considerable talent takes her will be interesting to see, he added.
"I think her family has a great perspective," he said. "I think she's a real inspiration to not only girls, but boys as well."
But it's at the gate where Wie seemed to have offered her greatest help to this year's Open. Though it will be a few days before Fullmer has final attendance figures, he said he feels confident the numbers will be solid.
"There's no doubt Michelle has made a tremendous impact," he said. "As the tournament has unfolded, I think Michelle has brought out the casual fan or the non-golf fan. I hope she can keep everything in perspective. I'd love to sit down and talk with her for a while."
