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The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted on: Friday, July 23, 2004

Wie fires 1-under again, trails by 8 shots at Evian

Advertiser Staff and News Services

Michelle Wie

Playing what she called "the best and worst round of my life," Honolulu teenager Michelle Wie shot a second consecutive 1-under-par 71 yesterday and fell eight strokes off the lead held by Karen Stupples at the Evian Masters in France.

Wie had six birdies, five on the front nine, but succumbed to a balky putter that resulted in five bogeys.

"It wasn't like I didn't really feel good, but I thought I should have made more birdies," said Wie, who is tied for 26th entering today's third round. "I had five three-putts. ... I couldn't get (my) first putts close to the hole. It (my putting) was horrible today."

Not at the outset, when the 14-year-old Punahou School sophomore birdied three of the first five holes to drop to 4-under for the tournament. She sank birdie putts of 4 feet on the second hole, 9 feet on the fourth and 5 feet on the fifth.

Wie also birdied the 481-yard, par-5 seventh — putting a 5-iron shot to 9 feet and two putting — and the 490-yard, par-five ninth — chipping to less than a foot of the cup.

Her undoing came during a four-hole stretch of the back nine when she bogeyed Nos. 10, 11 and 13 — three-putting each time.

Wie recovered on the 284-yard, par-4 16th when she drove the green, then two-putted from 30 feet for a birdie that put her a 2-under for the tournament.

"On Monday or Sunday, when I practiced, I took out 10 balls ... to see how many I could get on the green," Wie said of her attempt to drive the 16th green. "I said if I feel comfortable, then I would do it. Today was the perfect opportunity to go for it."

The day was also a perfect one for Stupples, who shot a 6-under 66 to take a one-shot lead over Laura Davies and Annika Sorenstam.

Stupples is at 10-under overall after a round that included seven birdies and just one bogey.

"That was all-around enjoyable," said Stupples, who will be paired with Sorenstam today. "But I must admit I'm a bit surprised to find myself leading."

Sorenstam finished with a 69 while Davies, the leader after the first round, eagled the 18th for a 71.

Davies bogeyed four of the first five holes, before getting birdies on the seventh and ninth holes.

"Frankly, I considered heading for the beer tent," she said of her early struggles.

Stupples has been on the tour for four seasons but didn't win her first title until the Welch's/Fry's Championship in Tucson, Ariz., in March.

At the ANZ Ladies Masters in Australia in February, Stupples shot 70 and 68 in the last two rounds, but Sorenstam came from behind to win by four shots with two 65s.

"That would be lovely to do again. Certainly, I'm playing really good right now," Sorenstam said, though she felt "a little disappointed how I finished." She shot 3-under on the front nine, but even-par on the back.

Stupples said she's aware of what the world's top player is capable of in later rounds.

"If Annika can win by 20, she will," Stupples said. "She always wants more. That's what Australia taught me."

U.S. Women's Open champion Meg Mallon shot a 69 and was six shots off the lead at 140. Defending champion Juli Inkster had a 73 and is tied for 28th at 1-over 143.

The Associated Press and LPGA.com Web site contributed to this report.