At 14, Wie is 11 years younger than Grace Park and 13 years younger than Mi Hyun Kim, the 1999 LPGA Rookie of the Year. But, at nearly 6 feet 1, Wie has a full foot on Kim and seven inches on Park. She looked like the oldest player in the group, particularly when she out-drove her senior partners on every hole.

Park, who shares the lead with Aree Song entering today's final round, does have something in common with Wie. She went to school in Hawai'i for a few years after moving from South Korea. Park graduated from high school in Arizona and was part of Arizona State's 1998 NCAA Championship team. She turned pro the following year.

Asked if she's "mentally ready" to win a major now, Park didn't hesitate.

"I'm ready," she said. "I've been ready. I'll be ready. ... Not winning last year made me realize that I really, really want this. I'm really craving it."

Korean players dominate

Half the players in the Top 10 this morning are of Korean descent, including the first four. Park and Song were both asked why there are so many good female Korean players, as opposed to male players.

"I've said all along, women are just better," said Park, smiling.

Her serious answer was almost identical to Song's, who pointed to the fact that there were so many more golf opportunities for men, making it more competitive.

"Apart from the pressure (on males to build business careers), I think for men there are so many more players that play this game from all over the world," Park said. "It's much deeper.

"And for women Koreans, you know, we're just good, what can I say? But we're all very hard-working players and we have that crave that we want to ...everybody wants to succeed. It's obviously showing."

No dollars makes sense

Wie and her father, BJ, have joked the past few years that she should turn pro when someone offers her "Tiger money" — or something similar to the endorsements that pay Tiger Woods more than $100 million a year.

As the fascination with Wie grows, along with her talent, everyone realizes it could end up not being a joke. The Wies are now asked much more often if Michelle still plans to go to college. Yesterday she gently chided reporters for asking if she had plans to go pro.

"I don't know, it's a long ways away," she said. "Still in high school you guys."

Wie also sang the praises of playing as an amateur, after someone asked if she was concerned about "passing up a considerable amount of money" in pro events. Wie would have collected about $100,000 in the past year if she had been allowed to keep her winnings.

"It takes a lot of pressure off me," Wie said. "If I was playing for money, then, I don't know, I haven't experienced it before, so I think, at this young age, if I'm playing for money, I don't think I would be able to handle it. It's a little bit hard to play for a living when I'm 14. I like being an amateur, being carefree out there."

SHORT PUTTS: LPGA Hall of Famer JoAnne Carner made the cut here after opening with a 1-under 71. That means a 14-year-old (Michelle Wie) and a 64-year-old (Carner) are playing this weekend. ... Annika Sorenstam rallied yesterday with a 69. She is eight back going into the final round as she chases her quest of winning all four majors in one year. She won here in 2001 and '02, and was second last year. ... Sorenstam shot 76 in Friday's windy conditions. There were only three sub-70 scores Friday, all 69s. ... The cut came at 8-over 152, with 21 of the 98 players who started failing to reach the weekend. Two players who quit Friday because of darkness finished yesterday morning. ... Dorothy Delasin, who recently signed a deal to represent Turtle Bay Resort, also has rallied. After opening with a 76, she has shot 71 the past two days. ... Only 18 players are under par going into the final day.