Wie comes up a wee bit short

• Wie's scorecard (graphic)

By Ann Miller
Advertiser Staff Writer

In what she called the key moment in her round, Michelle Wie blasts out of the greenside bunker to the par-5 ninth hole, watches as the ball rolls toward the pin, then reacts after just missing a birdie. Wie, whose lob shot from the rough had come up short, had to settle for par on Waialae's easiest hole. Photos by Gregory Yamamoto • The Honolulu Advertiser

If only her approach shots had been as accurate.

Golf's most precocious 14-year-old put on yet another mesmerizing show yesterday at Waialae Country Club, but came up a shot short of making the cut.

"I was like no, no, this is not happening," Wie said.

The fourth — and by far youngest — female to play in a PGA Tour event closed with a 2-under-par 68 for a two-day total of even-par 140. She tied for 80th, with 79 players making the cut to advance to the weekend. Australian Steve Allan shot a tournament-record 62 yesterday to take the lead into today's third round.

It will be weird without the Wie one.

A crowd 15 deep waited for her on the first tee yesterday, and ESPN followed her every move, even extending its coverage an hour to take her home — almost. It cut to an NBA game with Wie facing yet another tenuous par putt on the 17th.

She drained that. Needing eagle to make the cut, Wie launched her drive 286 yards into the center of the 18th fairway — 252 yards from the pin. Her second shot on the par-5 came up 80 feet short. Her chip at eagle, rolled 4 feet past the hole.

With birdies on two of the last three holes, the Punahou School freshman became the first female to shoot in the 60s at a PGA Tour event, and first to shoot under par. All it got her was a spectator pass for the weekend and an incredible amount of respect.

Wie displayed grace under pressure and extraordinary skill. Her scintillating second round saw her bury a pair of 50-foot-plus birdie putts and scramble from nearly every conceivable angle around a course located 10 minutes from her home.

She saved par eight times with one-putts as, for the second day, approach shots were her only obvious weakness. She hit only eight greens in regulation yesterday.

Thursday her approach shots left her an average of 34 feet from the hole. Even with a pure stroke and course knowledge, she needed 31 putts. Yesterday, the distance was nearly identical, but she needed just 23.

Wie bombed in a 58-footer for birdie at No. 7, running after the putt and breaking into a broad smile when it dropped. On the 11th, she rammed in a birdie from 52 feet, and on the 16th she was good from 17.

"I think I played very well the last few holes," Wie said. "I don't think I could have hit any better."

Wie called the par-5 ninth the difference between making the cut and missing. Her second shot drifted right behind the bunker and her lob shot ducked into the sand. Her bunker shot rolled over the edge of the cup.

Wie saved par from 5 feet but that was not good enough at Waialae's easiest hole. The birdie putt that hung on the lip at the 14th would also haunt her.

"My first couple holes, my ball was a wimp, he wouldn't listen to me," Wie said. "But I changed balls after two holes and he listened to me very well. I just told him to go in and he would go in.

"I think I played really great today. Just one more shot and I would have made it. It's killing me now. I can't believe it was 1-under par."

While the golf world watched Wie, Allan sneaked into the lead at 11-under 129. Harrison Frazar (63) is a shot back. Defending champion Ernie Els made his move with a 64 to pull into third, two shots back. Then the "Big Easy" retired to his room to watch the "Big Wiesy."

"If she can make it (the cut), that would be a lifetime achievement on this tour," Els said. "A 14-year-old making the cut on the big tour. That's unheard of. I'd like to watch it."

Els is one of three past Sony champions in the top five. Paul Azinger (66) and Jerry Kelly (65) are tied for fifth, four shots behind Allan. Hawai'i's David Ishii, the 1990 Hawaiian Open champion, is eight back after a second-round 71.

Reach Ann Miller at amiller@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8043.

Sony Open in Hawai'i

At Waialae Country Club

Par-70 (35-35), 7,060 yards

• Steve Allan 67-62—129
• Harrison Frazar 67-63—130
• Ernie Els 67-64—131
• Luke Donald 66-66—132
• Robert Gamez 67-66—133
• Jesper Parnevik 65-68—133
• Hideto Tanihara 67-66—133
• Pat Bates 68-65—133
• Fred Funk 69-64—133
• Frank Lickliter II 71-62—133
• Jerry Kelly 68-65—133
• Paul Azinger 67-66—133
• John Riegger 68-66—134
• John Huston 67-67—134
• D.J. Brigman 69-65—134
• Briny Baird 68-66—134
• Craig Bowden 70-64—134
• Richard S. Johnson 68-67—135
• Jason Bohn 69-66—135
• Kevin Na 68-67—135
• Carlos Franco 63-72—135
• Jonathan Kaye 67-68—135
• Corey Pavin 68-67—135
• Davis Love III 70-65—135
• Craig Barlow 66-69—135
• Scott Simpson 70-66—136
• Stephen Ames 66-70—136
• Joe Durant 70-66—136
• Charles Howell III 68-68—136
• Tim Herron 67-69—136
• Retief Goosen 67-69—136
• Shaun Micheel 72-64—136
• Bo Van Pelt 71-65—136
• Ryan Palmer 70-66—136
• John Maginnes 68-68—136
• Brian Gay 69-67—136
• Jonathan Byrd 67-69—136
• Brenden Pappas 67-69—136
• Hidemichi Tanaka 67-70—137
• Brent Geiberger 70-67—137
• Mark Hensby 68-69—137
• Tjaart Van der Walt 69-68—137
• Vijay Singh 69-68—137
• Duffy Waldorf 70-67—137
• Michael Allen 68-69—137
• Ted Purdy 66-71—137
• David Ishii 66-71—137
• Olin Browne 70-68—138
• Bart Bryant 68-70—138
• Danny Briggs 71-67—138
• Omar Uresti 72-66—138
• Aaron Baddeley 66-72—138
• Chris Riley 69-69—138
• Ben Crane 68-70—138
• Shigeki Maruyama 71-67—138
• Heath Slocum 67-71—138
• Andre Stolz 68-70—138
• Bobby Kalinowski 70-68—138
• Russ Cochran 69-69—138
• Jeff Brehaut 69-69—138
• Bob Burns 71-67—138
• John Senden 71-67—138
• Brad Lardon 69-69—138
• Joe Ogilvie 71-68—139
• Todd Fischer 69-70—139
• Tom Lehman 72-67—139
• Peter Jacobsen 69-70—139
• Tom Carter 70-69—139
• Ken Duke 70-69—139
• Rod Pampling 72-67—139
• Cameron Beckman 70-69—139
• Pat Perez 70-69—139
• Tommy Armour III 72-67—139
• Loren Roberts 71-68—139
• Woody Austin 69-70—139
• Kenichi Kuboya 73-66—139
• Arjun Atwal 71-68—139
• Jason Dufner 69-70—139
• Lucas Glover 71-68—139
• Failed to qualify
• Brett Quigley 70-70—140
• Jim Furyk 67-73—140
• Chad Campbell 69-71—140
• Gene Sauers 73-67—140
• Kenny Perry 69-71—140
• Jeff Maggert 70-70—140
• David Morland IV 70-70—140
• Boyd Summerhays 68-72—140
• Rich Barcelo 71-69—140
• Grant Waite 72-68—140
• Dean Wilson 73-67—140
• Stuart Appleby 71-69—140
• Ben Curtis 71-69—140
• Darren Clarke 71-69—140
• Craig Perks 72-68—140
• Daniel Chopra 67-73—140
• a-Michelle Wie 72-68—140
• John Cook 70-71—141
• Zach Johnson 70-71—141
• Ron Castillo, Jr. 69-72—141
• Tripp Isenhour 69-72—141
• Roger Tambellini 71-70—141
• Tom Pernice, Jr. 67-74—141
• Esteban Toledo 72-69—141
• Scott Hoch 73-68—141
• David Branshaw 70-71—141
• Brian Kortan 73-68—141
• Kris Cox 70-71—141
• David Peoples 70-72—142
• Chris Couch 71-71—142
• Spike McRoy 74-68—142
• Steve Flesch 74-68—142
• Vaughn Taylor 71-71—142
• Greg Meyer 74-68—142
• Chris Smith 71-72—143
• Adam Scott 73-70—143
• Tim Petrovic 75-68—143
• Hunter Mahan 70-73—143
• Notah Begay III 71-72—143
• Craig Stadler 71-72—143
• Roland Thatcher 74-69—143
• Dan Olsen 71-72—143
• Skip Kendall 74-70—144
• Patrick Sheehan 71-73—144
• Wes Short, Jr. 71-73—144
• Blaine McCallister 71-73—144
• Matt Kuchar 73-71—144
• Jeff Sluman 72-72—144
• Brian Bateman 73-71—144
• John Morse 76-69—145
• Todd Hamilton 74-71—145
• J.P. Hayes 74-71—145
• Hirofumi Miyase 73-72—145
• Yusaku Miyazato 72-73—145
• Kevin Hayashi 75-70—145
• Tetsuji Hiratsuka 75-70—145
• Scott Hend 76-70—146
• Carl Pettersson 74-72—146
• Kevin Muncrief 73-73—146
• Myung Jun Park 76-72—148
• Guy Boros 75-73—148
• a-Jonathan Ota 74-74—148
• Tom Byrum 77-73—150
• Dave Eichelberger 79-78—157

Boldface indicates players with ties to Hawai'i; a—amateur

TODAY'S TEE TIMES

First tee

• 8:11 a.m.—Lucas Glover.
• 8:19—Arjun Atwal, Jason Dufner.
• 8:27—Woody Austin, Kenichi Kuboya.
• 8:35—Tommy Armour Jr., Loren Roberts
• 8:43—Cameron Beckman, Pat Perez.
• 8:51—Ken Duke, Rod Pampling.
• 8:59—Peter Jacobsen, Tom Carter.
• 9:07—Todd Fischer, Tom Lehman.
• 9:15—Brad Lardon, Joe Ogilvie.
• 9:23—Bob Burns, John Senden.
• 9:31—Russ Cochran, Jeff Brehaut.
• 9:39—Andre Stolz, Bobby Kalinowski.
• 9:47—Shigeki Maruyama, Heath Slocum.
• 9:55—Chris Riley, Ben Crane.
• 10:03—Omar Uresti, Aaron Baddeley.
• 10:11—Bart Bryant, Danny Briggs.
• 10:19—David Ishii, Olin Browne.
• 10:27—Michael Allen, Ted Purdy.
• 10:35—Vijay Singh, Duffy Waldorf.
• 10:43—Mark Hensby, Tjaart Van der Walt.
• 10:51—Hidemichi Tanaka, Brent Geiberger.
• 10:59—Jonathan Byrd, Brenden Pappas.
• 11:07—John Maginnes, Brian Gay.
• 11:18—Bo Van Pelt, Ryan Palmer.
• 11:25—Retief Goosen, Shaun Micheel.
• 11:34—Charles Howell III, Tim Herron.
• 11:43—Stephen Ames, Joe Durant.
• 11:52—Craig Barlow, Scott Simpson.
• 12:01 p.m.—Corey Pavin, David Love III.
• 12:10—Carlos Franco, Jonathan Kaye.
• 12:19—Jason Bohn, Kevin Na.
• 12:28—Craig Bowden, Richard S. Johnson.
• 12:37—D.J. Brigman, Briny Baird.
• 12:46—John Riegger, John Huston.
• 12:55—Jerry Kelly, Paul Azinger.
• 1:04—Fred Funk, Frank Lickliter II.
• 1:13—Hideto Tanihara, Pat Bates.
• 1:22—Robert Gamez, Jesper Parnevik.
• 1:31—Ernie Els, Luke Donald.
• 1:40—Steve Allan, Harrison Frazar.