All eyes on Wie at PGA's John Deere Classic
By Rick Brown
Des Moines Register
The headline attraction at the John Deere Classic in Silvis, Ill., this week will be Michelle Wie teeing up with the men in the first round. But the underlying story is nearly as good — it's possible that she might find herself on the way to the British Open.
Advertiser library photo • June 25, 2005
The Punahou School 15-year-old accepted a sponsor's exemption in April, a decision that has brought international attention to an event that serves as the final British Open qualifier. The highest-finishing, non-exempt player at the Deere will receive an invitation to St. Andrews, even if that player is a woman.
An auxiliary media center has been set up at the Tournament Players Club at Deere Run to accommodate the press for Michelle Wie.
Her decision to play the Tournament Players Club at Deere Run — her third PGA tournament — has brought international attention to an event that once battled financial instability, has had difficulty keeping a sponsor and often struggles to attract big-name players.
"There's a real buzz around town," said Clair Peterson, the John Deere Classic's tournament director. "I can't go anywhere without people saying, 'I'm so excited about this.' "
Peterson doubts that the Wie Watch has the potential to overshadow the tournament, pointing to storylines that include reigning British Open champion Todd Hamilton, 2004 Ryder Cup member Stewart Cink and David Toms.
"Even though everyone seems to be talking about Michelle, and we're excited about that, I think the entire field is going to be solid and people are going to enjoy watching all 156 players," Peterson said.
But an auxiliary media center didn't go up north of the clubhouse, with media inquiries from London, Tokyo, New York and Washington, D.C., because of Hamilton, Cink, Toms or Johnson. "We've sold tickets from coast to coast," Peterson said. "Our sphere of interest, in our mind, used to be a two- or three-hour drive. It's become much wider than that."
Two waves of attention have followed Wie to the Heartland. The first came when she accepted the sponsor's exemption April 11.
The second came later that month when Peter Dawson, chief executive of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club, said Wie would be welcome to play in next week's British Open at St. Andrews if she qualified.
That decision came even though official wording in the British Open entry form states that entries would be accepted from "a male professional or male amateur golfer."
Faced with a tough date on the PGA Tour schedule — one week before the British Open — Wie could bring the John Deere Classic more attention than it has received since 1996, when Tiger Woods nearly won the tournament in his third event as a pro.
Wie finished second at this year's McDonald's LPGA Championship and took the lead into the final round of the Women's U.S. Open until unraveling into 23rd place, was a shot shy of making the cut at the 2004 Sony Open after rounds of 72-68. She also has become the first woman to qualify for the men's U.S. Amateur Public Links championship.
"When I go and play in a PGA Tour event, I don't go there to win now but to learn from the best," Wie said after accepting Deere's offer.
Wie's draw this week will cut across all interests, from celebrity-chasers to true golf fans curious to see how good she really is.
"There isn't a demographic group I've run into that isn't excited and interested in what's happening with Michelle and the tournament," Peterson said.
A woman has not made the cut in a PGA Tour event since Babe Zaharias at the 1945 Tucson Open.
"I would love it if she made the cut," Peterson said. "I'd love to fill both media centers and build another one. It would be fun."
