ASSOCIATED PRESS Michelle Wie followed her shot on the 17th hole at the Pearl Country Club yesterday. Wie failed to qualify for the Sony Open.

Wie misses bid
to qualify for Sony

The 13-year-old finishes
well back of Lee and Miller
in the qualifying tournament

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By Dave Reardon
dreardon@starbulletin.com

Michelle Wie didn't bust down the age and gender barriers of the Sony Open yesterday, but she knocked pretty hard. The 13-year-old phenom served notice that the time could soon arrive when she tees it up with the best in golf -- men's golf -- at Waialae Country Club.

Actually, Wie does that today for the second consecutive year in the Pro-Junior Challenge. Her partner is defending Sony Open champion Jerry Kelly.

Yesterday at the Pearl Country Club, though, she was gunning for a spot in an actual PGA Tour tournament. If she had been successful, Wie would have been the youngest player ever -- male or female -- to qualify for a U.S. men's Tour event.

Wie was among 94 golfers trying to make one of four qualifying spots for the actual tournament, which begins Thursday at Waialae.

She got off to a pretty good start, shooting 1-under on her first nine. But Wie bogeyed her first two holes after making the turn and finished with a 1-over 38-35--73 (she played the back nine first) and a tie for 47th place.

"I guess it's just a stepping- stone for me so I can accept the challenge and do better next year," Wie said. "(Three birdies) shows that I can play, but I made some stupid mistakes."

Regan Lee and Andy Miller shot 65s to qualify outright. Royden Heirakuji and Dickey Pride made it after shooting 66s and surviving a playoff that also included Mark Worthington and Gregory Meyer.

But most of the attention was on Wie.

ASSOCIATED PRESS Michelle Wie putted on the 17th green at the Pearl Country Club yesterday during the qualifying round for the Sony Open.

Although spectators were not allowed on the course, several reporters began following her and playing partners Juan Rodriguez (34-35--69, including an eagle on the 497-yard No. 5) and Robert Ota (38-39--77) after the turn.

Wie said the entourage didn't bother her, but her father and caddy, B.J., thinks the attention might have unnerved her a bit.

"She lost a little bit of concentration," the father said.

"But she got it back and did well. Tournament golf conditions are a lot different than leisure golf conditions. As a male golfer I felt kind of ashamed.

But as a father I was so proud of her."

Rodriguez, the 34-year-old nephew of Chi Chi Rodriguez who runs a driving range in Puerto Rico, could relate some to Michelle's situation. He was a prodigy himself, starting the game at age 4 (as did Wie), and drawing attention for his smooth and strong swing in his early teens.

"She's got a very strong game and she's very level-headed," Rodriguez said. "The length of the golf course wasn't a problem for her. She hits the ball pretty far."

Wie hit several drives in the 300-yard range, out-driving Rodriguez -- a consistent long hitter off the tee -- several times yesterday.

"All she has to do is keep doing what she's doing," Rodriguez said.

"In a few years that tour better watch out."

Or maybe those tours.

Wie said she doesn't understand why so much is being made of Suzy Whaley's qualifying for this year's Greater Hartford Open by winning the PGA Connecticut Sectional last September.

"I won the (Hawaii) state open, men and women," said Wie, who qualified for three LPGA tournaments last year.

"If there was an exemption, I could play (in a men's Tour event) too, so I don't think it's that big of a deal."

Sony Open