SILVIS, Ill. — Michelle Wie will make a cut on the PGA Tour. In fact, she will make several of them.

And if all the conditions are right, Wie might even contend in a tournament.

Wie may have come up short yesterday at the John Deere Classic, but let's not forget, she's only 15-years old. Repeat, she just finished her sophomore year at Punahou School.

She doesn't have her driver's license yet, for goodness sake.

We're talking about a teenager who still is a long, long way from reaching her potential. And it is going to be huge.

Name another 15-year-old who could come within two shots of making a cut in a PGA Tour event. Tiger Woods played in eight tournaments before he advanced to the weekend in a pro tournament. And he might just be the best player ever.

Annika Sorenstam, perhaps the best women's player ever, missed the cut by four shots at the 2003 Colonial, her lone foray into men's golf.

Wie now has come within a shot of making a cut at the 2004 Sony Open, and was two terrible holes from doing it yesterday. Not bad work from a player who won't celebrate her 16th birthday until October.

"I feel like my game is a lot more consistent," Wie said. "I feel like I'm in the little control room pressing the buttons now. It feels good."

Wie hit several good shots this week, but two really stood out. Her cut 3-wood from behind the trees on the ninth hole Thursday, leading to a birdie, showed her immense talent.

Yesterday, she hit a 7-iron into a sucker pin on 18 (she started on the back 9) that was hugging the lake on the left. Perhaps another player takes the safe route and goes for the middle of the green. Not Wie. With everything on the line, she fired for the flag, netting a kick-in birdie.

Wie has some guts too.

It all was on display at the TPC at Deere Run. While the critics will continue to question why Wie is playing on the men's tour, clearly she is benefiting from the experience.

Wie's father, BJ, noted that when she arrived here last week, her drives were carrying 260 yards. Forced to step up against men, her drives were flying 275 to 280 yards, he said.

"You always learn from the best players," BJ said.

Wie broke par on a course that played to 7,193 yards. If the LPGA Tour played all of its tournaments at that length, instead of 6,200 to 6,400 layouts, Wie and Sorenstam might win every tournament. And Wie might win more.

It remains to be seen where Wie's future lies. Her father acknowledges the possibility that she could go pro when she turns 16. Even if the LPGA won't consider her a pro until her 18th birthday, that wouldn't stop her from signing endorsement deals that would bring in millions. And her price just went up again yesterday.

Then down the line, Wie will make a run at trying to qualify for the PGA Tour through Q-school. She thinks she can play at this level. After what Wie did at the John Deere, she made a few more believers.

There was only one player in the field during the first two rounds who is truly special.

The men know it. The fans know it. And Wie knows it too.