Wie six back at ShopRite

By Tom Canavan
Associated Press

Michelle Wie, 13, missed six makeable birdie putts and hit just two of 14 fairways at the ShopRite Classic. Associated Press

Laura Diaz, Kris Lindstrom and Angela Stanford shot 6-under 65s and held a one-shot lead over Hall of Famer Juli Inkster, who once again seems to be peaking with a defense of the U.S. Women's Open on tap next week.

The much anticipated battle between Sorenstam and Wie — the two biggest current names in women's golf — never materialized on a hot, humid day on the Bay Course of the Seaview Marriott Resort and Spa.

The No. 1 player in women's golf, Sorenstam shot a scrambling 1-under 70 in a round where she had trouble controlling her distance playing the new Calloway Hex-Tour ball.

Wie, a 13-year-old Punahou School student from Honolulu, settled for a par round after making a crowd worthy of a leader's group groan repeatedly by missing six makable birdie putts.

"Today was one of the days I was playing good and then I had bad breaks," said Wie, who last weekend became the youngest winner of a USGA event for adults when she won the U.S. Amateur Women's Public Links Championship.

Sorenstam's problem was controlling a new ball.

"It's just a hotter ball," said Sorenstam, who had five birdies, two bogeys and a double bogey. "I hit it farther. The sand wedge is normally my strength, and today I was missing the greens with my sand wedge, it was flying so far."

That was very evident on the front nine when Sorenstam, who has three wins and no finish worse than sixth in eight LPGA starts, needed only 11 putts. Five were par-savers ranging in length from 3 to 10 feet.

Her back nine started out double bogey, bogey, birdie, birdie.

"It took a few holes, or maybe I should say 18, before I got used to it," said Sorenstam, who plans to use the same ball in the final two days of the 54-hole tournament, which has a $1.3 million purse.

Wie had no problem finding the greens. The long-hitting 6-footer couldn't make putts. She missed at least six from 15 feet or less, including a 5-footer for birdie after reaching the par-5 16th with her second shot.

Diaz, Stanford and Lindstrom had no problem with their putting. All three had the advantage of playing in the morning, when the 90-plus degree temperatures weren't as oppressive as in the afternoon.

Diaz had seven birdies and a bogey. She birdied all three of the par-5s and made four other birdie putts between 9 and 20 feet.

Lindstrom, who had made 13 cuts in 46 career starts dating to 1998, had seven birdies and a bogey in her fourth event of the year.

Stanford, whose best finish in 10 events has been a tie for seventh, had four birdies and an eagle.