Canada
FARMINGTON, Pennsylvania (AP) - Michelle Wie seemed to be describing a round that only she saw.
Maybe that begins to explain why the teenager's admirable but still-unsuccessful attempts to become the first woman to make the cut on the PGA Tour in 61 years are increasingly taking on the look of folly, rather than soon-to-happen reality.
A week after finishing last against men in the European Masters, which isn't a tour event, Wie had a 5-over 77 Thursday that bettered only nine others during the opening round of the 84 Lumber Classic. She was in a five-way tie for 125th, with only the top 70 moving on to weekend play following the second round.
Last year's cut was even par, so Wie probably had to shoot a 5-under 67 or better Friday for any chance to make the cut - something no female golfer has done in a PGA event since Babe Didrikson Zaharias in 1945.
"I'm going to go out with the same mind-set I had today, just try my hardest and keep plugging away," said Wie, a Hawaii high school senior who skipped a week of classes to play in her third PGA tournament this year. "I think I'll be shooting a low score."
She didn't say if she meant low like first-round leader Nicholas Thompson, a 2005 qualifying school graduate who is only 181st on the money list but shot an 8-under 64. It was the lowest round in the 84 Lumber Classic since eventual winner Vijay Singh's first-round 64 in 2004.
Thompson was two shots ahead of six tied at 66 and three up on the six who had 67s. The low scores partly were the result of 1 1/2 inches of overnight rain that saturated the course and made the greens much friendlier.
While the 16-year-old Wie is among the longest hitters among the women, she outdrove only two others with her 259.3 yards average. That left her constantly facing long iron shots on the 7,550-yard Mystic Rock course, the third-longest on the PGA tour.
When she finally reached the greens, her putter let her down as she averaged 2.091 putts - the ninth-worst average in the field. That's a combination that won't win anywhere, short drives and too many putts.
For a golfer trying to compete against some of the best in the world, it wasn't nearly good enough, even though she said, "I felt I played really good."
No doubt the four others who had 77s didn't feel the same way.
And no wonder some like Chris DiMarco are politely trying to persuade her that she would be better off challenging LPGA golfers whenever she can - she can't get a full-time LPGA tour card for another one year-plus - rather than constantly coming up short against the men.
Wie's last six rounds against men, not including an Asian Tour stop this year in which she made the cut against a field of unknowns, include two 79s, a 78 and two 77s. Maybe this is a factor, too - before beginning her round, she spent time studying for her high school history class.
"Does she deserve to be out here or does somebody who's put in time and effort more deserve that? ... I'd like to see her play more events her age, girls her age, and not only win but whip them by a lot," DiMarco said. "That's what breeds confidence and that's what Tiger (Woods) did and that's why Tiger is so good."
Wie got off to an encouraging start with three consecutive pars after starting at No. 10. Her round began getting away when she missed a short par putt on the par-4 13th, beginning a stretch of three consecutive bogeys.
She never had a chance after that, despite being repeatedly encouraged by a large gallery that chanted her name on No. 17 and appeared to include nearly every spectator on the course. It was her first PGA tour event since she became ill and pulled out of the second round of the John Deere Classic in July.
Her best chance for the birdie she never got was on the par-4 No. 4, but she missed a 6-footer.
"I felt like from tee to green I played very well. My short game and putting let me down a couple of times - every time," Wie said. "It doesn't feel like I played 5-over because I hit the ball really good."
However, that's good by a 16-year-old's standards and not those of the male pros she is competing against this weekend. Some of the men are unhappy she is taking away a spot that might be used by a golfer trying to keep his tour card for next year.
"I want to make cuts because it's an achievement and a goal of mine. I'm not here to justify anything," said Wie, who is playing with a sponsor's exemption. "I don't really feel any extra pressure just because I'm a girl out here."
My guess is she shoots 75. You heard it here first.
R35
Maybe that begins to explain why the teenager's admirable but still-unsuccessful attempts to become the first woman to make the cut on the PGA Tour in 61 years are increasingly taking on the look of folly, rather than soon-to-happen reality.
A week after finishing last against men in the European Masters, which isn't a tour event, Wie had a 5-over 77 Thursday that bettered only nine others during the opening round of the 84 Lumber Classic. She was in a five-way tie for 125th, with only the top 70 moving on to weekend play following the second round.
Last year's cut was even par, so Wie probably had to shoot a 5-under 67 or better Friday for any chance to make the cut - something no female golfer has done in a PGA event since Babe Didrikson Zaharias in 1945.
"I'm going to go out with the same mind-set I had today, just try my hardest and keep plugging away," said Wie, a Hawaii high school senior who skipped a week of classes to play in her third PGA tournament this year. "I think I'll be shooting a low score."
She didn't say if she meant low like first-round leader Nicholas Thompson, a 2005 qualifying school graduate who is only 181st on the money list but shot an 8-under 64. It was the lowest round in the 84 Lumber Classic since eventual winner Vijay Singh's first-round 64 in 2004.
Thompson was two shots ahead of six tied at 66 and three up on the six who had 67s. The low scores partly were the result of 1 1/2 inches of overnight rain that saturated the course and made the greens much friendlier.
While the 16-year-old Wie is among the longest hitters among the women, she outdrove only two others with her 259.3 yards average. That left her constantly facing long iron shots on the 7,550-yard Mystic Rock course, the third-longest on the PGA tour.
When she finally reached the greens, her putter let her down as she averaged 2.091 putts - the ninth-worst average in the field. That's a combination that won't win anywhere, short drives and too many putts.
For a golfer trying to compete against some of the best in the world, it wasn't nearly good enough, even though she said, "I felt I played really good."
No doubt the four others who had 77s didn't feel the same way.
And no wonder some like Chris DiMarco are politely trying to persuade her that she would be better off challenging LPGA golfers whenever she can - she can't get a full-time LPGA tour card for another one year-plus - rather than constantly coming up short against the men.
Wie's last six rounds against men, not including an Asian Tour stop this year in which she made the cut against a field of unknowns, include two 79s, a 78 and two 77s. Maybe this is a factor, too - before beginning her round, she spent time studying for her high school history class.
"Does she deserve to be out here or does somebody who's put in time and effort more deserve that? ... I'd like to see her play more events her age, girls her age, and not only win but whip them by a lot," DiMarco said. "That's what breeds confidence and that's what Tiger (Woods) did and that's why Tiger is so good."
Wie got off to an encouraging start with three consecutive pars after starting at No. 10. Her round began getting away when she missed a short par putt on the par-4 13th, beginning a stretch of three consecutive bogeys.
She never had a chance after that, despite being repeatedly encouraged by a large gallery that chanted her name on No. 17 and appeared to include nearly every spectator on the course. It was her first PGA tour event since she became ill and pulled out of the second round of the John Deere Classic in July.
Her best chance for the birdie she never got was on the par-4 No. 4, but she missed a 6-footer.
"I felt like from tee to green I played very well. My short game and putting let me down a couple of times - every time," Wie said. "It doesn't feel like I played 5-over because I hit the ball really good."
However, that's good by a 16-year-old's standards and not those of the male pros she is competing against this weekend. Some of the men are unhappy she is taking away a spot that might be used by a golfer trying to keep his tour card for next year.
"I want to make cuts because it's an achievement and a goal of mine. I'm not here to justify anything," said Wie, who is playing with a sponsor's exemption. "I don't really feel any extra pressure just because I'm a girl out here."
My guess is she shoots 75. You heard it here first.
R35
