Wie, 17, has missed the cut in 11 of 12 men's events she has entered, including five on the U.S. tour, a golf circuit generally considered to be the world's best. Wie also hasn't won a women's event.

"She should just let it go for now and come back when she has a more accomplished game," Appleby, who is seeking his fourth consecutive Mercedes-Benz Championship this week in Hawaii, said on a media conference call. "She's just not ready for it. She's certainly not proving anything except that she can't play with the men at her level right now."

Wie, a Punahou School senior who's just been accepted at Stanford University, has been invited to play in next week's Sony Open in Honolulu for the fourth straight year by the event's sponsor, Sony Corp. Wie signed an endorsement contract with Sony when she turned professional in October 2005.

Under U.S. PGA Tour rules, tournament sponsors can offer exemptions to a limited number of players. Many organizers invite players who will boost ticket sales or television ratings. Major-tournament winners John Daly and David Duval will also play in the Sony Open on sponsor's exemptions.

Decline

Since Wie first appeared at the Sony Open in 2004, several players have complained that her spot should be given to a more accomplished men's player.

"I know that she's a big draw for the tournament and people love to come out and see her play, but it's kind of hard for me to see tournaments giving exemptions to her when there are other guys out here," said Chad Campbell, a three time winner on the U.S. Tour.

When Wie came within one shot of advancing to weekend play at the Sony Open three years ago as a 15-year-old, her future in men's events seemed bright. Since then, her results have declined.

She finished second-to-last at the Casio World Open in Japan in November and last at the European Masters in September. Her only weekend appearance at a men's tournament was at the Asian Tour's SK Telecom Open in May, when she tied for 35th. She also was disqualified from her first professional women's event for taking an illegal drop, fired her caddie after finishing 26th at the Women's British Open and withdrew from the U.S. PGA Tour's John Deere Classic with heat exhaustion.