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The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted on: Wednesday, June 15, 2005

Another first for Wie

Advertiser Staff and News Services

Michelle Wie's wonderful week continues.

A tired Michelle Wie went head-to-head with 84 males at Belle Vernon, Pa. — and qualified for the USGA Public Links tourney.

Photos by Gene J. Puskar • Associated Press

The 15-year-old became the first female player ever to qualify for an adult male U.S. Golf Association championship, tying for first yesterday in a U.S. Amateur Public Links sectional tournament.

"The first couple of holes I was very tired and I can barely walk right now," Wie told The Associated Press. "But then the adrenaline kicked in and it was very fun."

The Punahou School student stunned the golf world by finishing second on Sunday to Annika Sorenstam in one of the world's most prestigious women's tournaments, the McDonald's LPGA Championship. Yesterday in Belle Vernon, Pa., she shot a 3-over-par 145 on the Cedarbrook Golf Course to tie for first place with Artie Fink Jr.

The only female among the 85 players, Wie opened with an even-par 71 to lead the field. She shot 74 in the rain-delayed second round.

Every year, the USGA holds tournaments across the country so players can qualify for the Public Links tournament — the country's leading golf tournament for male amateurs — which will be held at Shaker Run Golf Club in Lebanon, Ohio, from July 11 to 16.

Wie and Fink were the only qualifiers from the Pennsylvania sectional.

The Public Links winner has traditionally received a spot in the Masters. Wie is eager to play in that tournament.

"I've wanted to do this since I started playing golf and got really serious about it," Wie said. "The Masters was the first tournament I ever watched on television."

Wie said a rain delay yesterday helped her.

She had three holes left when rain forced the suspension of play for 45 minutes.

"I was hoping that we would finish today because I didn't want to come back tomorrow because I was very tired," Wie said. "The rain delay really helped me because, before that, I wasn't very focused and I made a lot of bogeys."

Michelle Wie lined up a par putt on the 12th green at Cedarbrook Golf Course in Belle Vernon, Pa., yesterday on her way to a 145 over 36 holes. Wie earned a Public Links berth at the sectional qualifier.
Only three Hawai'i golfers have played in the Masters — Stan Souza in 1977, David Ishii in 1990 and Guy Yamamoto in 1995. Yamamoto qualified by winning the Public Links championship.

To win the Public Links, a golfer must first play 36 holes over two days. The 64 top scorers from a field of 156 advance to match play (head-to-head competition). The eventual champion must win six matches.

"To get from 156 to 64 is one thing, but from there, it gets tougher. It's match play so anything can happen," said Yamamoto, who had to defeat eventual PGA Tour players Matt Gogel, Notah Begay III and Chris Riley to earn The Masters invitation. All three of those players have PGA Tour victories with Begay winning four.

"I don't think my opinion (of Wie) has changed in the last four years," Yamamoto said. "She has a gift. ... She's a bright girl with a good head on her shoulders."

Wie, who won the 2003 U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links at age 13, tried to qualify this spring for the men's U.S. Open, but failed to advance in a local qualifying tournament.

She will play in the U.S. Women's Open next week in Colorado, and has received an exemption into the Women's British Open in late July.

Wie also will make her third appearance on the men's PGA Tour when she plays in the John Deere Classic the week before the Public Links. The top finisher in the John Deere not otherwise exempt for the men's British Open will earn a spot the following week at St. Andrews, leaving open the long-shot possibility that Wie could earn a spot in the major championship and skip the Public Links.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.