Michelle Wie's day wasn't all bad. The Kraft Nabisco Championship, the first major of the LPGA season, announced changes to its eligibility rules yesterday that allow Wie to play for the fourth straight year.

Tournament director Terry Wilcox said Wie has been invited to play and "verbally accepted." Wie said yesterday she "would definitely play if they invite me."

Either way, expect her to be at Mission Hills Country Club, March 30 to April 2, chasing defending champion Annika Sorenstam.

The rule change makes non-LPGA professionals who finish in the top 20 in the previous year's Kraft tournament eligible to be invited, along with non-members who finished top 5 in a major. Previously, those players had to be LPGA members.

Wie tied for 14th at Kraft last year, was second at the McDonald's LPGA Championship and third in the Weetabix Women's British Open.

FRIENDLY REMINDER

Chris Couch had plenty of incentive to shoot a better score than Michelle Wie yesterday.

Couch, who played with Wie and Camilo Villegas in the 8:40 a.m. tee time grouping, was among the 47 players Wie had a better score than two years ago in the Sony Open.

After Wie shot an even-par 140 in 2004 and Couch a 2-over 142, his friends in Gainesville, Fla. didn't let him forget it.

"I got home and my buddies had a shirt for me that said: 'I need to practice a Wie bit harder,' " Couch said yesterday. "They made me wear it the whole round."

So, Couch said, "I did think about (scoring better than Wie) a little bit. I wasn't trying to focus on what she was doing. I focused on my game."

Couch shot 1-over 71 and Villegas 2-over 72 yesterday. Wie had her worst round in three Sony Opens, a 9-over 79.

While some of Wie's playing partners have shunned the spotlight that comes with playing with her, Couch embraced it.

"I feel like I was blessed this week," he said. "I got a (sponsorship) deal from Hilton this week, I got put up at the Hilton and then got to play in front of this huge crowd. This is what you play for."

GORE'S TEAM WINS

Jason Gore's team won Wednesday's $10,000 Pro-Am with a score of 50. His amateur partners were Steve Mosko, Mark Lazarus, Gary Valentine and Matt Griesser.

Chad Campbell and Billy Mayfair's team tied for second at 53.

Reach Ann Miller at amiller@honoluluadvertiser.com and Ferd Lewis at flewis@honoluluadvertiser.com.