Wie has seven offers to play PGA Tour events this year

By Jaymes Song
Associated Press

Michelle Wie's 2004 schedule will not be as hectic as 2003, her dad says. Associated Press

One month into 2004, the 14-year-old from Honolulu already has had a dream year.

Wie, a ninth-grader at Punahou School, turned so many heads with her 68 at the Sony Open that her father said she has received seven more offers to play on the PGA Tour.

"Michelle's still thinking about it and what to do with it," BJ Wie said.

Her schedule already includes several events competing against women, and her parents promise this summer won't be as hectic as 2003.

"Last year, we made a mistake, because she played three consecutive tournaments and she got so tired," BJ said.

This year's itinerary is more spread out.

Wie is playing this week in the Hawai'i Pearl Open. After that, Wie travels to Phoenix for the Safeway International, one of the strongest fields on the LPGA Tour, followed by the Kraft Nabisco Championship, the first LPGA major of the year.

She also plans to play in the Michelob Ultra Open, Evian Masters in France and Wendy's Championship on the LPGA Tour. Wie's amateur schedule includes her defense of the U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links and the U.S. Women's Amateur.

This season, she said playing against the PGA Tour's best in the Sony has helped her game and raised her expectations.

"It gave me a lot of confidence that I can play with these guys," she said. "I think it's going to help on the LPGA because some of the (men's) par 4s are a little shorter than the (women's) par 5s.

"I just want to win one LPGA tournament and the USGA tournaments," she said. "I want to win more tournaments because last year my goal was to make the cut, this year I want to move ahead."

She already has one believer in Nicklaus.

"She's terrific," Nicklaus said of Wie, his playing partner in the pro-am for last weekend's Champions Skins competition in Maui.

"She doesn't swing a golf club like a woman," Nicklaus said. "What I mean by that is women have a hard time with less strength and transition to put really something on it."

Nicklaus said he hopes Wie finishes her education and does the things she needs to do to be "normal."

"If she's a normal human being, then she's got the chance to be an exceptional athlete," he said. "If it goes the other way, then you don't know what's going to happen to her. But I think her parents have her feet on the ground, and I think she has her feet on the ground."

BJ tried to dispel the perception that he is an overbearing parent.

"Because she's highly visible on TV, it looks like she plays golf everyday, but it's not true," he said "Some people believe Michelle doesn't do anything outside golf and that's not true. She does all kinds of things.

"She makes her own decisions — where to play and what tournament she wants to go," he said. "I present her a list of tournaments and we schedule together."