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After a couple of days in the life of what it's like on the LPGA Tour, a wizened Michelle Wie displayed her usual youthful smile but declared that she's in no hurry to turn pro. Wie experiences LPGA life
By Kalani Simpson
ksimpson@starbulletin.comAfter all, she said, golf is a lot harder than school.
Especially on the highest level, where the 12-year-old Wie is competing in the same field with her heroes. (Wie spotted Annika Sorenstam on the putting green yesterday, she admitted nervously, but was too shy to introduce herself.)
"It was really fun," Wie said of her Takefuji Classic experience. But while Wie was the youngest participant ever to qualify for an LPGA tournament, she would not be the youngest to make the cut, not this time. Wie bowed out after shooting a 39-35-74 total yesterday, 4-over par, 6-over for the tournament.
Once again, unfamiliar fast greens gave her trouble. ("I need to be more ... 'not aggressive' sometimes," she said. "I'm adjusting.") And the crowds and autographs weighed in as well, as Wie experienced a kind of pressure she'd never felt before.
Sure, the Jennie K. was big, but not like this.
"It's kind of different with people actually wanting you to, like, make this putt, and all that stuff," Wie said.
In short, it was a whole new world. And in spite of all the vast adjustments, it was one she had fun in. For a few days, anyway.
She'll try to go pro, "after I finish studying," she said. "And college."
"She's got a great future ahead of herself," none other than Sorenstam herself would say later.
But for now, she's back to the seventh grade.
Powerful imports: After Kasumi Fujii's 9-under round for the lead, top contenders Lorie Kane, the defending champion, and 31-time winner Sorenstam expressed no surprise that such a surge could come from a relatively unknown golfer from Japan.
"I know she is one of the best players they have over there, so it is not a surprise to see her play well here," Sorenstam said.
Kane said the LPGA plays on Fujii's home soil often, and, "When we are in Japan, those players can play."
But they aren't well known to American audiences. There are only five active players from Japan on the LPGA Tour.
In the money: Making the cut in today's final field are six of the top 20 LPGA career money leaders, including Nos. 1, 3 and 5: Sorenstam, Betsy King, and Juli Inkster.
Other top 20 earners playing today are Liselotte Neumann (14th on the list), Sherri Steinhauer (16th) and Kane (18th).
The group's career winnings total $33,614,592.