McLachlin joins Wie in Boise golf field
By Ann Miller
Advertiser Staff Writer
BOISE, Idaho — Michelle Wie can't get away from those McLachlin boys.
On a two-week golf tour sabbatical from her freshman year at Punahou School, where Spencer McLachlin is a classmate, Wie caught up with Parker McLachlin yesterday at Hillcrest Country Club. The two played a practice round after McLachlin qualified for the Albertsons Boise Open yesterday morning.
Wie
The event on the Nationwide Tour — considered the PGA's minor league — begins tomorrow. Wie is playing on a sponsor's exemption and will be the first female junior amateur to compete in a PGA Tour-sanctioned event. The $600,000 tournament will be McLachlin's first as a professional.
The 1996 Hawai'i state high school champion turned pro Monday by entering qualifying at nearby BanBury Golf Club. McLachlin shot 4-under-par 67 to tie with seven others for eighth place. Those eight returned yesterday morning for a playoff to eliminate one player. Kelly Grunewald bogeyed the first hole (No. 10) to fall out of contention. Nearly 180 players tried to qualify for 14 spots.
McLachlin, 24, had never pondered playing his first professional event with his little brother's classmate.
"Wow, I didn't even think about that," he said. "I can't even imagine him being here playing, let alone her."
11 a.m. Albertsons Boise Open Golf Channel
McLachlin has been working at Tree Tops Resort in Michigan this summer for former Hawai'i pro Scott Head. Golf instructor Rick Smith owns the resort and has been helping McLachlin with his game. Mostly though, McLachlin has been playing — at the Public Links, U.S. Amateur and Pacific Coast Championship. He is going to the PGA Tour's qualifying school next month.
TOMORROW ON TV
McLachlin planned to try earlier, but injured his wrist after graduating from UCLA. Yesterday, McLachlin told the Wies that the UCLA coach was looking into recruiting Wie for the Bruins men's team. Michelle is contemplating playing for the Punahou boys team next semester because she is worried that playing off the forward tees might inhibit her progress.
• Another Hawai'i connection: Kamehameha Schools graduate Keoke Cotner is the third Hawai'i player in Boise this week. Cotner, who won a Nationwide event in 2000, is 63rd on the money list this year with nearly $60,000.
Wie goes out at 10:45 a.m. HST tomorrow and 5:50 a.m. Friday, while McLachlin is flip-flopped and starts at 5:50 a.m. tomorrow and 10:45 a.m. on Friday. Cotner tees off at 4 a.m. tomorrow and 8:55 a.m. on Friday. TV coverage begins at 11 a.m.
The 156-player field is cut to the top 60 and ties after the second round.
• Putting on a clinic: Wie participated in the Idaho Statesman Junior Clinic yesterday, with John Cook and Steve Scott, who is best known for falling to Tiger Woods in the thrilling 1996 U.S. Amateur final. Cook, an 11-time PGA Tour winner (including the 1992 Hawaiian Open), is making his first start since the Masters. He is coming off shoulder surgery.
The clinic was emceed by Gary Gilchrist, Wie's instructor from the David Leadbetter Golf Academy.
One of the highlights was Wie clapping for herself as she demonstrated a high fade that dropped right over the flag. She looked back at the crowd of about 500 kids sitting on the hill and explained her form in terms they could understand:
"If you want to hit it super-high," Wie said, "you gotta really dig in."
Short Putts: Hillcrest will play to 6,769 yards for the tournament — 56 yards short of its limit. ... Also in the field are Casey Martin and Tommy Tolles. ...ÊSpectators 12 and under — or a year younger than Michelle Wie — get in free this week. ... The Pro-Am sponsors are M&M's and Kudos. ... The Nationwide Tour started in 1990 as the Ben Hogan Tour. It later became the Nike and Buy.com Tours. Nationwide insurance and financial services took it over this year. ... Albertsons Boise Open is one of four events remaining from the 1990 inaugural season. ... Zach Johnson, the tour's leading money winner, is the first to surpass $400,000. In 16 starts, Johnson has finished at par or better in every tournament. He is 175-under par for the season and has a tour-record seven top-three finishes, including two victories.
