Wie likes lengthy course

Associated Press

Michelle Wie launched seven drives of 285 yards or longer in Tuesday's pro-am. Advertiser library photo

"It's a bomber's course, and it's just beautiful," said 14-year-old Michelle Wie of Hawai'i, who had seven drives 285 yards or longer in her pro-am round Tuesday.

The Safeway International was known as the Safeway PING when it was played on the cozier Moon Valley Country Club course in north Phoenix a year ago.

It has moved 50 miles to the east, to the Jack Nicklaus-designed Prospector Course at the Superstition Mountain (Ariz.) Golf Club, site of the 2001 Tradition on the Champions Tour.

One big reason for the move is money. There are 36 holes available for pro-am play, and that doubles the amount of earnings from amateurs who pay $5,000 apiece to participate.

The four-day, $1.2 million event begins today on a par-72, 6,620-yard course lined with luxury homes — some still under construction — in the shadow of the Superstition Mountains, where legend has it the lost Dutchman gold mine lies waiting to be rediscovered.

The course is longer than any of last year's LPGA layouts, including the U.S. Women's Open. It's nearly 500 yards longer than the site of last week's season-opening Welch's/Fry's Championship in Tucson, Ariz., where Karen Stupples shot 22-under par for a tour-record raw score of 258.

The Prospector Course is about 100 yards longer than the Mission Hills layout for next week's Kraft Nabisco Championship, the season's first major.

"This golf course is in such good shape that it prepares us really well for next week," said Annika Sorenstam, who makes her season debut this week. "It's a bit longer than we used to play at Moon Valley. I think the greens are firmer, the rough a little thicker, so I think it's good preparation."

A long course is fine with Sorenstam, who won the LPGA driving title last year with a 269.7-yard average. Besides, she has some good memories of Phoenix. She won at Moon Valley in 2001, when she shot an LPGA record 59 in the second round. She tied for third a year ago, four shots behind winner Se Ri Pak.

This year, Sorenstam is aiming for a grand slam sweep of the four majors, something never accomplished in women's golf.

"I played in Australia three weeks ago, played really well," she said, "and enjoyed two weeks off, one week doing nothing and another week of just practicing, so I feel like I'm playing as good as I can."

Not everything is to Wie's liking in the first of six LPGA events she plans to enter this year.

"It's kind of hot," she said.

That's true, even by Arizona standards for mid-March. Temperatures are expected to top 90 degrees through the weekend.

PGA TOUR

Tiger tracks history: Tiger Woods played only 11 holes yesterday at Bay Hill in Orlando, Fla., driven off the course by a sore neck that caused him to spend nearly an hour in the fitness trailer getting it massaged.

"Same old thing. I'm fine," Woods said.

It might not have been the best preparation for the Bay Hill Invitational, although Woods should have no problem remembering what to do.

Show up on the first tee today. Pose with tournament host Arnold Palmer and hoist the trophy Sunday.

That's been the formula the past four years, which leaves Woods with a chance to make history.

No one has ever won the same tournament five straight years.

"I don't want to think about Tiger winning five," Ernie Els said with a laugh. "I want to try and win this week because I love coming here. But it's a hell of an achievement, especially in modern-day golf. He's set so many records already, and this will be another one that will stand — if he does it — for a very long time."

Els is making a return to the PGA Tour for the first time since he won the Sony Open in Hawai'i in January.