Wie, Creamer grab LPGA spotlight

Associated Press

DUBLIN, Ohio — Just to be clear, the word "children" in the tournament called the Wendy's Championship for Children isn't intended to describe who's playing in it.

Some of the top players in the world will be play in the LPGA event, but much of the focus will be on a pair of teenagers.

"I'm enjoying the heck out of it. I'm heartened by the fact we have a youth program now," said U.S. Women's Open champion Meg Mallon, 41. "It was discouraging there for a while because I felt like we were bringing girls into the game but we weren't keeping them in the game, and it's because our courses aren't accessible to them. It's great to finally see."

Amateurs Michelle Wie, 14, and Paula Creamer, 18, tee it up against the pros in today's opening round of the Wendy's. Both were given special exemptions to play in the 72-hole tournament.

This will be the second time Honolulu's Wie will play in Dublin. She played in the 2002 Wendy's at the age of 12 and would have made the cut if not for a two-stroke penalty she received for slow play.

Now the Punahou School sophomore is prepping to become the Tiger Woods of women's golf, a multiethnic marketing dream who hopes to play both the LPGA and PGA tours someday.

"I hope Michelle Wie just opens the floodgates for young girls to have the opportunity to play golf," said Mallon, a former Ohio State player who will share the spotlight at the Wendy's.

Creamer isn't as famous as Wie, who has graced the cover of every major golf magazine. Yet she may have the stronger game now.

"Paula's stepped up to the plate. She's kind of given it a, 'Michelle who? Come look at me,' " tour player Wendy Ward said. "Yet she goes about her business her own way. She doesn't try to bring a lot of attention to herself, she just kind of lets her game do the talking."

In June, Creamer almost became the youngest winner of an LPGA tournament, and the first amateur to win one since JoAnne Carner in 1969. Cristie Kerr birdied the final hole to beat Creamer by a shot at the ShopRite Classic.

Wie and Creamer tied for 13th at the U.S. Women's Open in July. Neither made it to the final of the U.S. Women's Amateur last week, Wie losing in the second round of match play and Creamer falling in the semifinals.

Creamer hopes to graduate from high school in January. She turned 18 on Aug. 5, so she meets the age requirement for LPGA membership.

Wie will be 15 in October, the age necessary for her to petition LPGA commissioner Ty Votaw for early entry to the tour.

"If I had had all the opportunities Paula Creamer and Michelle Wie have," tour player Lorie Kane said, "I definitely would have been out here a lot sooner."

The Wendy's wraps up Sunday at Tartan Field Golf Club.