When disaster, in the form of a second double bogey, struck on the 16th, her fans only grew more fascinated. As she sank clutch par putts on the final two holes, before a crowd that swelled into the thousands, it was clear few golf fans could take their eyes off her.

"She's had a dramatic impact on whichever tournament she's played in since the first year here (2003) ...," Kraft tournament director Terry Wilcox said. "She had one of the biggest galleries on the course Saturday and Sunday that first year. Every place since then, that's the impact she's made."

Wie, a shot off the lead after the first round, rose to the top of the leader board when she birdied two of her first three holes yesterday. By the time it was over, the Honolulu 15-year-old was tied for 14th at even-par 144, five behind the greatest player in women's golf.

Annika Sorenstam shot a second-round 69 and is tied for first with Rosie Jones (70) going into this morning's third round.

Sorenstam, who has broken most LPGA records in her Hall of Fame career, is going after another this week. She has won her last four starts and could tie Nancy Lopez's record of five in a row with a win in the year's first major.

Michelle Wie joked with her caddie, Fanny Sunesson, on the third hole during yesterday's second round. Sunesson was a longtime caddie for PGA Tour veteran Nick Faldo. Chris Carlson • Associated Press

The Punahou sophomore is one of six amateurs here on sponsor exemptions, but the only one with 19 previous LPGA starts. In the past two years, playing here against the world's finest players on the Dinah Shore Tournament Course, she has finished ninth and fourth.

She accomplished that first Top 10 at age 13, buoyed by a stunning third-round 66. "I'm trying to shoot that tomorrow," Wie said softly when yesterday's wild ride finally subsided.

Her hot start, in idyllic conditions yesterday, consisted of four-foot birdie putts on the second and third holes. People gasped when she hit her driver. "She hits a beautiful shot," one fan said to no one in particular. "She's a pleasure to watch."

Wie cooled considerably when she bogeyed the fourth hole and double bogeyed the seventh. She pushed her drive into the trees at No. 4, then hit a tree and needed to sink an 8-foot putt for bogey. She pulled her approach shot at No. 7 and was left with a "horrible lie" in the bunker. She blasted out to the fringe. Her par putt from there lipped out, as did the 3-footer coming back.

"I hit some bad shots that came out really horrible," Wie said with a shrug.

When she dropped in a 4-footer for birdie on the ninth, to pull back to even-par for the day, one man looked at his friend and said, "The healing has begun."

But Wie would not rediscover the brilliance that began the day.

A 5-foot par putt would not fall on the 14th. She got that back when she converted a birdie putt of the same length on the following hole. On the next tee, with 4-wood in her hands to avoid the white stakes on the left and trees on the right, she hooked her drive into someone's backyard — out of bounds by 10 feet.

"I just pulled it, I guess, simply putting it," Wie said. "Today on the back I hit it just really horrible."

Her swing coach, David Leadbetter, was more analytical: "She has a tendency to clear her hips a little early," he said. "Then she either closes the face down or doesn't quite release it so .... It's just a little timing thing, nothing major. We'll work it out on the practice range."

Wie was ready, as soon as she did three TV interviews, another for the print media, and signed autographs. The golf gods had messed with her game, but she was immensely gracious when it was all over.

"Things happen," Wie said. "I felt good, but a couple shots made the whole difference."

How does she come back from that?

"I have to think about it," Wie said, her voice growing even softer. "Everything's a blur right now."

Leadbetter has no doubt she can come back. "If she's going to win a tournament she's going to come back from five or six shots back in one round, never mind two rounds," he said. "Obviously, Annika is up there and a whole host of great players, but it's all part of the learning curve. She started out really well today and then ... that's golf. She made a couple crucial up and downs so it wasn't disastrous or anything."

Despite the ideal conditions, no one ran away. Defending champion Grace Park and Reilley Rankin shot 68s — the day's low rounds. They are tied for fourth, two off the lead and one behind Mi Hyun Kim.

Park almost didn't play because of a bad back. Yesterday she said rest, treatments and Advil had her back to "80 percent," but ... "I'm Adviled out."

Morgan Pressel, a 16-year-old amateur, is in a group another shot back at 1-under. Pressel had it to 4-under after 10 holes, but went double bogey-bogey on the next two and couldn't rally.

NOTES

Mi Hyun Kim, alone in third a shot back, has a little different take on winning majors: "Everybody wants to win majors," she said yesterday. "Also, I want to win a major because it's an important tournament and my parents say ... my parents told me if you win the major, you can marry. So I have to win the major."

After the laughter died down, Kim was asked if she had a guy picked out. She didn't.