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Wie and Miyazato look to craft major successes


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POSTED: Thursday, April 02, 2009

RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. » Honolulu's Michelle Wie and Japan's Ai Miyazato will command plenty of media attention as the talented twosome tees it up today at the Kraft Nabisco Championship.

Among the early pairings, both golfers are well known beyond their respective shores and both are still seeking their first victory on the LPGA Tour. They will be paired today and tomorrow.

Wie hasn't played in the women's first major of the year since finishing alone in third in 2006. A pair of wrist injuries kept Wie from qualifying for this tournament that she has played in four times before on sponsor's exemptions. She has finished in the top 10 here three times.

She played the famed Dinah Shore course last September at the LPGA Tour sectional qualifying tournament on her way to earning her card at Q-school in Florida last December. She shot a 65 here in September, which leaves little doubt how well she and the 18-hole layout get along.

The 19-year-old Punahou School graduate said Tuesday that she has no regrets how her golf life has progressed since she last competed in this event three years ago.

“;I don't think I would change anything,”; Wie said. “;I think things happen for a reason. I had a lot of fun times. I wish I hadn't hurt my wrist. That's one big thing. But that already happened and I don't like looking in the past.

“;No matter how much you want to change it or you don't want to change it, you can't change it. All I want to do is focus on the present, and I have a lot of good friends and a lot of plans. I want to try my hardest and look toward the future.”;

This will be Wie's 51st official start on the LPGA Tour, dating to when she was a 12-year-old prodigy. Her first women's event was the Takefuji Classic on the Big Island in 2002. While she has never won a tour event, she has come close on several occasions, particularly at the majors. She has finished second five times in tour events.