NEWPORT, R.I. — Juli Inkster took only 105 putts when she won the U.S. Women's Open four years ago at Prairie Dunes, and caddie Greg Johnston played a big role in helping Inkster read some of the subtle breaks in the greens.

Now that he's on the bag with Michelle Wie, however, Johnston has gone mute.

That's by design.

Wie is trying to develop independence as a golfer by reading greens by herself, and some believe it has cost the 16-year-old from Hawai'i in her past few tournaments.

She missed six birdie putts inside 12 feet in her morning round of U.S. Open qualifying, and she took 12 more putts than LPGA Championship winner Se Ri Pak at Bulle Rock.

"The old saying is you learn from your mistakes," said BJ Wie, her father. "On the LPGA Tour, I think some players are overly dependent on their caddies."

But there were two contrasting images from Bulle Rock.

On the par-5 eighth green, Wie paced off a 45-foot chip from the first cut that went over a ridge, studying the break the last 12 feet to the hole as Johnston stood on the far side of the green, keeping to himself. Earlier that day, Karrie Webb — one of the best putters on the LPGA Tour — crouched over a 10-foot par putt when she called over caddie Mike Paterson for a second opinion.

Is it hurting Wie to not take any advice from her caddie, especially one of Johnston's caliber?

Probably.

But the teenager isn't about to change now. She feels she will be a better putter in the long run if she learns to read greens by herself, and Wie has shown she is under no pressure to win immediately. This remains a work in progress.

"I feel like I can trust myself better," Wie said yesterday. "Obviously, if there's a really tricky putt, then I'm going to ask Greg to read it with me. But if I feel confident the way I'm putting, then I should just go with how I feel."

Even so, there are many examples of players relying on their caddies for a second set of eyes. One of the biggest putts Tiger Woods made in a major came on the 17th hole at Medinah seven years ago in the PGA Championship. Uncertain of the break, caddie Steve Williams gave him the line and Woods holed the par putt, winning by one shot.

"I'm not going to make every single putt, and I'm never going to be really happy with how I putt," Wie said. "But I think that every putt I hit, miss or make, is just going to make me a better putter."

HAWAI'I FOUR-OH

Hawai'i's flag will be flying proudly at Newport Country Club.

Along with Michelle Wie, the most famous golfer from the Islands, Hawai'i has three other players at the U.S. Women's Open. Stephanie Kono, 16, Kimberly Kim, 14, and Ayaka Kaneko, 16, each made it through sectional qualifying, giving Hawai'i its own foursome at Newport.

Wie played with Kim's sister in junior events in Hawai'i, and she played with Kim during a practice round yesterday.

"I was really surprised when I played with her today," Wie said. "It was nice seeing someone from back home."