Wie wraps up another hectic summer schedule

By Bill Kwon
Special to The Advertiser

Michelle Wie's 2004 Summer Tour finally ended Monday when she returned home in time to begin her sophomore year at Punahou School. And if any instructor or classmate who's not a golfer should ask what she did this summer, Wie has a never-ending tale to tell.

Michelle Wie obliged fans at Evian, France, during the Evian Masters on July 21 to 24. "It was my first pro tournament internationally and I enjoyed playing before the people there," Wie said. Associated Press

For the second year in a row, it has been an awfully busy summer for the teen sensation, who also played three LPGA events and went to Lisbon, Portugal, to receive an international award earlier in the year.

Jet-lagged upon arrival, Wie nevertheless was looking forward to hitting the books with second-year courses in algebra and Japanese among them. And putting aside her golf clubs — for one week anyway.

"Then I'll start practicing for the Samsung World Championship," said Wie, who will be celebrating her 15th birthday on Oct. 11, the Monday the week of an LPGA event at Woodland, Texas, she will be playing in.

It's her final tournament of the year. Obviously, a hectic summer more than made up for it.

In comparing the past two summers, Wie thought she did better this year than in 2003 when she won the U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links title.

"I didn't win a tournament this year, but overall I think I did better. I placed well in all my tournaments," said Wie, who finished tied for sixth in a group that included U.S. Open champion Meg Mallon in last week's Wendy's Championship at Dublin, Ohio.

She finished four strokes behind playoff winner Catriona Matthew, whose only other LPGA victory came in the 2001 Hawaiian Ladies Open at Kapolei. Just imagine if Wie hadn't taken a quadruple-bogey 7 at the 17th hole in Saturday's third round.

Wie offered some observations about her 2004 summer journey that began when she left Hawai'i on June 4 with her parents to meet up and practice with the U.S. Curtis Cup team at St. Simons Island, Ga.

"I played lights out (in the singles matches)," said Wie, who won her two singles handily, 5 and 4, and 6 and 5, in helping the Americans retain the Curtis Cup trophy with a 10-8 victory over the team from Great Britain and Ireland.

While Wie was unbeatable in the singles competition, she and her partner lost both of the alternate-shot team matches.

"It's hard for all of us girls," Wie said about the alternate-shot competition. "We didn't grow up with it. We don't have enough experience with that format."

It was just before the team left for England that Wie received a special exemption to the U.S. Women's Open, which created quite a stir.

Not having to qualify for that event, she used that window of opportunity to try and qualify for the U.S. Men's Public Links Championship at Hershey, Pa., where she missed by two strokes.

The following week, she attempted to defend her women's public links crown in Williamsburg, Va.

Breezing to four straight victories, Wie gained the final for the second year in a row. Leading 4-up after the morning round, she lost 1-up to Ya-Ni Tseng of Taiwan.

"I really wanted to win," said Wie, even now, two months later. "Things didn't work out."

Her resiliency again was displayed the following week in the U.S. Women's Open in South Hadley, Mass. The Public Links disappointment soon was forgotten as Wie shared honors as the low amateur with Curtis Cup teammate Paula Creamer. Both finished tied for 13th place, enabling them to gain exemptions to next year's U.S. Women's Open at the Cherry Hills Country Club at Colorado.

Her showing this year gave her a sense of validation for getting the special exemption, she said.

"I did a lot better than last year and I got an exemption for next year. There's no more controversy."

Wie and her parents, BJ and Bo, then spent more than a week in Los Angeles with friends and relatives before flying to Paris for the LPGA Evian Masters in France. Despite an unfamiliar course and greens, Wie finished with a 3-under 69, the final round's fourth-best score, to tie for 33rd place.

"The course was so different from what I'm used to," Wie said. "It was my first pro tournament internationally and I enjoyed playing before the people there."

After several days of sightseeing and shopping in Paris, Wie played in the U.S. Women's Amateur at Erie, Pa., losing in the second round to In-Bee Park.

"The course was perfect for people who hit 220, 230 yards. But I wasn't comfortable with my driver. I couldn't keep it in the fairways," said the long-hitting Wie.

Again, there was no time for disappointment as she went to the Wendy's Championship, posting yet another impressive showing in an LPGA event.

Wie noted the difference between playing in USGA and LPGA events.

"The atmosphere's different. It's fun in amateur play. With the pros, they're playing for money. But I get a lot more experience, playing with them," she said.

Bill Kwon can be reached at bkwon@aloha.net.