Michelle Wie wasn't among the 8,544 golfers to submit qualifying applications for this year's U.S. Open. AP library photo | February 2007

Wie tied for 59th in a field of 153 players attempting to qualify for golf's second-oldest tournament last year at New Jersey's Canoe Brook Country Club. A wrist injury forced the 17- year-old Punahou student to skip this month's Kraft Nabisco Championship, the LPGA Tour's first major tournament.

She hasn't played since missing the two-round cut by 14 strokes in the U.S. PGA Tour's Sony Open in January. Family spokesman Jesse Derris of New York-based Ken Sunshine Consultants declined to give a reason for Wie's decision.

"I wish I could be more specific, but we're not going to talk about it," Derris said in a telephone interview.

Beth Gast, a spokeswoman for Nike Inc., one of Wie's primary sponsors, said the Beaverton, Ore.-based company doesn't dictate the scheduling of its athletes. Greg Nared, Wie's agent, didn't immediately return a phone message left at his office or respond to an e-mail.

Wie has accepted a sponsor's invitation to play in the LPGA Tour's Ginn Tribute Hosted by Annika Sorenstam, May 31-June 3 in Mt. Pleasant, S.C.

While Wie won't attempt to compete in the U.S. Open, scheduled for June 14-17 at Pennsylvania's Oakmont Country Club, two other women will. Carmen Bandea, 16, of Duluth, Ga., and Isabelle Beisiegel, 28, of Norman, Okla., have submitted qualifying applications, according to the USGA.

The U.S. Open is golf's second major tournament of the year.

Brad Nelson, 12, of Ponte Vedra, Fla., is the youngest applicant, while 76-year-old Ordean Olson of Hollywood, Fla., is the oldest.