Posted on: Friday, January 14, 2005
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Wie falters, learns from her mistakes in Sony Open
| • | Wie blown off course with 5-over 75 |
| • | Wilson: Better late than never |
| • | Notes: It's baptism under fire for Wie's playing partner |
| • | Scores, tee times |
By Ferd Lewis
Advertiser Columnist
Just because she has a pass from school doesn't mean this week is devoid of important lessons for Michelle Wie.
While her 10th-grade classmates at Punahou School were learning theirs in classrooms, golf's 15-year-old wonderchild was being course-schooled at Waialae Country Club yesterday in the Sony Open.
Wie, who missed last year's Sony cut by one shot while shooting an even-par 140, shot an opening-round 5-over-par 75.
Gregory Yamamoto • The Honolulu Advertiser How well she applies them in today's second round will help decide whether she becomes the first female in 60 years to make a PGA Tour cut.
The top 70 players and ties in the 143-man — and one-girl — field after today make the cut for tomorrow and Sunday's rounds. Wie is tied for 120th place, but nobody should write off her decidedly uphill assault at history just yet.
A gallery of about 3,000 that lined fairways and ringed greens exulted and winced with Wie's up-and-down round.
As suddenly as the winds kicked in, Wie's announced goal of shooting an opening-round 68 was blown away by the same gusts that scattered spectators' hats and sent scorecards soaring.
"Yeah, I was hitting great shots, and then, after the 16th hole (hole No. 7 on her round that started on the 10th tee), I don't know what happened," Wie said. "I guess the wind starts blowing (and) you want to rush a little bit."
Today's cut (top 70, plus ties) Wie was at even-par after six holes, not a bad place to be under the weather conditions, when she drove into trouble on the 16th, her first missed fairway.
"It is tough for the boys over here, you know," said Vijay Singh, the world's No. 1-ranked player, who shot a 1-under 69 in the second-toughest round in Sony history. "(It is) going to be tough for a girl here, too."
Wie discovered that when she drove into the right-side bunker on the 17th and, in trying to force a difficult chance to save par instead of escaping with the bogey and moving on, she putted past the hole and ended up three-putting for a double bogey.
"You've got to not waste any shots (on a day like this)," said David Leadbetter, her swing coach. "She got a little greedy out there, but she will learn."
Four holes later, she was 5-over and at risk of going south in this tournament in a hurry.
But if there is anything we have observed of Wie, it is that she possesses not only a focus and fearlessness beyond her tender years, but a quick ability to learn — a combination that allowed her to rally, making an important save of par on No. 3, and close with pars on the final seven holes.
"It (education) comes with age and experience," Leadbetter said. "And I think a day like today will only add to her résumé." Said his pupil, Wie, before heading back to the driving range: "I learned a lot today. Especially about playing in the wind."
There, on a course made unforgiving by winds that gusted up to 30 mph in the morning, Wie learned — sometimes, the hard way — lessons in patience and economy.
After she shot an opening-round 5-over-par 75 in the Sony Open yesterday, today's second round will help decide whether Michelle Wie becomes the first female in 60 years to make a PGA Tour cut.
Wie showed a solid knock-down driver at times, hitting low through the wind, but that tendency to rush and some youthful over-aggressiveness helped doom her to four bogeys — one of them a double — in the space of five holes bridging the turn.
STANDINGS
Leaders (4 tied for first)
-4
Wie (tied for 120th)
+5
+1
Wie's tee time: 1:24 p.m. today
On TV: ESPN, 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
