ASSOCIATED PRESS Michelle Wie signed autographs yesterday during the Mercedes Championships Pro-Am. Next week, she will play in the Sony Open in Hawaii for the second straight year.

Wie aiming for top 20
at next week’s Sony

KAPALUA, Maui » Michelle Wie finished her pro-am round at the Mercedes Championships late yesterday afternoon with only a handful of fans around to see her birdie on the par-5 ninth.

Wie accepted the smattering of applause and a few loud cheers with a gentle wave of her hand as she approached the small gathering of national media waiting off the side of the green. The 15-year-old sophomore at Punahou School answered any and all questions with a practiced ease, until someone asked her what she got for Christmas.

"Let me think about it," Wie said, her face turning slightly red with embarrassment.

Although she never answered, a great Christmas gift would be surviving the cut at the Sony Open in Hawaii next week. Wie said she has barely thought of anything else, focusing on the task at hand.

"I'd love to make the cut and finish in the top 20," Wie answered when asked what her goal next week would be. Someone asked if the men would be embarrassed if she beat 124 PGA Tour golfers to earn that top-20 finish, her reply, "It would be like me getting beat by a 1-year-old."

Wie has her fair share of critics nationally. Many believe she should remain with her age group, prove she can win consistently at that level and then attempt some of the opportunities afforded her. Even Tiger Woods addressed that fact at yesterday's press conference.

"Yeah, if you've got the talent, play," Woods said of Wie receiving a sponsor's exemption at next week's first full-field event on tour. "I understand it from a marketing standpoint of what Sony is trying to do. But if you have the talent and they offer it to you, you know, take advantage of it.

"I was lucky enough to get an invite when I was 16 to the L.A. Open. And did I belong out there on a tour level? No. I wasn't good enough. But it was an experience I wanted to take advantage of."

Woods' father was careful not to bring along Tiger too fast. Woods went through several stages of development and shared that experience yesterday.

"There's an art form to winning and learning how to win different ways," Woods said. "Learning how to win when you're dominating, learning how to win when you don't have anything at all, somehow you've got to gut it out and somehow win. There's so many different ways you can win a golf tournament. I think I've gone through all of that, so I've learned."

Wie casually reminded the media yesterday that she captured 100 percent of her amateur events between the ages of 9 and 13, that she knows how to get to the winner's circle. The fact she didn't win anything last year stuck with her.

"That was a disappointment,'' Wie said. "Especially at the U.S. Publinx. That was a heartbreaker."

Appleby on standby: Defending champion Stuart Appleby might blow out of here at a moment's notice. His wife, Ashley, is due to have their first child soon. Appleby is skipping next week's Sony Open in Hawaii because of her due date.

"I can't believe a year has gone by," Appleby said. "Maybe, I guess, I've got a child on the way, so it's getting quicker they say. It's got quicker once I got into my 30s, so I think it's going to fly with kids."

Woods skipping Sony Open: Woods was asked yesterday why he chose the tournaments he plays in and how come the Sony Open hasn't been in his plans since joining the tour 10 years ago.

The former No. 1 player in the world didn't mention Sony by name, but did try to explain his reasoning for going from here to San Diego.

"A lot of it is just by feel and tournaments I've played in," Woods said. "But also, making sure I have enough rest so that I am ready to play and try to peak toward certain events. I want to make sure I get off to a good start this early in the season, but also make sure I'm ready for the WGC and then make sure I'm ready for The Players Championship and Augusta. And also make sure everything is creeping toward the bigger events and that's how I've also planned my schedule."

Woods isn't the only major player skipping the Sony. Sergio Garcia, John Daly and Mike Weir also have elected to pass on the first full-field event on tour.