Wie in a tie for
eighth at U.S. amateur
Gladwyne , Pa. >> Honolulu's Michelle Wie shot a 2-over 73 yesterday and is tied for eighth in the U.S. Women's Amateur Championship at the 6,368-yard, par-71 course at Philadelphia Country Club.
The Punahou 13-year-old is three shots behind co-leaders Erica Blasberg, In-Bee Park and Sarah Sasse.
Wie changed drivers after a disappointing third-round loss in the U.S. Girls' Junior Championship, switching to a 7.5-degree loft from her former 8.5-degree driver.
"I didn't play so good today, but I hit my drives and shots pretty well," said Wie, the 2003 U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links Champion.
Darkness ended play at 8 p.m. local time. Play will continue today to complete the first round of stroke play. The second round will begin upon completion of the first.
Sasse, 23, a short hitter from Lincoln, Neb., joined long-hitting and better-known players Park, 15, of Eustis, Fla., and Blasberg, 19, of Corona, Calif., at 70.
Aree Song , 17, of Korea , was one stroke behind at 71.
"This is one of the weirdest rounds of golf I've ever played," said Sasse. "I had 25 putts. The first day I got here, I was playing a practice round and I was literally crying when I got off the golf course because I am probably one of the shortest hitters in this field. I was thinking, 'This is my fourth Women's Amateur and I've never played a golf course that is going to play as long as this one. My plan today was just to come out and try to break 80."
Other 13-year-olds in the field fared almost as well as Wie. Sydney Burlison, of Salinas, Calif., shot a 74, and Esther Cho, of La Quinta, Calif., shot 75. Mina Harigae, of Monterrey, Calif., was still on the course when play was suspended by darkness.
Carol Semple Thompson, a 54-year-old legend, has advanced to the round of 16 the past two years. She did not complete her round yesterday before play was suspended.
"I think golf is the only sport where you can (have such a huge gap in age among competitors)," Wie said. "In sports like hockey or tennis you can't do that. Only golf."
Wie is starting to feel the competition among the juniors she plays with.
"I think I didn't feel more pressure because they're good players, but I think it's going to be hard to win now," Wie said before she teed off.
The Women's Amateur is one of 13 national championships conducted by the United States Golf Association, of which 10 are strictly for amateurs.
