ASSOCIATED PRESS Michelle Wie said she is unconcerned over criticism over her latest attempt to compete on the PGA Tour - next week in Reno, Nev.

Wie shrugs off criticism

Wie, who will compete for the eighth time on the PGA Tour in next week's Legends Reno-Tahoe Open, said she is focusing only on her golf game.

At a news conference yesterday, she was asked about Tour journeyman Jay Williamson's remark to the Golf Channel that he thought "it was a joke" when he heard that Wie would play in the Reno tournament.

"I don't know who he is. I don't even read that stuff," Wie said at Montreux Golf & Country Club, where the tournament starts Thursday.

"I wish I had no critics, but I'm realistic. People will write negative things about me. The only thing I can control is myself. A good score will resolve everything," she said.

Wie, who is 18 and attends Stanford part-time, said she was upset over her disqualification on the LPGA Tour last weekend, but encouraged by her play.

"I went from a pretty high to a pretty low in 2 seconds," Wie said. "It was a lesson learned. At least I learned it at 18 instead of later. I'm sure other players have had learning experiences like this.

"But I played really well. It was a good week, and all I'm going to do is focus on the positive stuff. ... I'm starting to feel really confident in my game," she said.

She said she shot a couple of practice rounds at Montreux this week but didn't keep score.

Wie declined to assess her chances of making the cut for the first time in eight tries on the PGA Tour.

"I'm not going to focus on making the cut," she said. "My goal this week is how to make less bogies and more birdies. Focus on the little things, and it'll take care of itself."

Fellow local golfers Parker McLachlin and Dean Wilson are playing at this week's PGA Tour event in Canada where both were unable to complete their appointed rounds.

The Canadian Open was delayed by rain on Thursday, forcing the second round to be finished today. Wilson is currently plus 1 for the tournament with three holes left. The projected cut is 1 under. McLachlin is 3 under with four holes to play.