Schoolgirl Michelle Wie makes her United States PGA Tour pro debut in Hawaii on Thursday at the $5,1-million Sony Open, a familiar home-course event where she has twice failed to make the cut against men.
The 16-year-old Korean-American makes her fourth US PGA appearance, having missed the cut by a stroke at the 2004 Sony Open, by seven strokes here last year and by two strokes at last July’s John Deere Classic.
Wie also missed the cut in her pro debut last November at the Casio World Open in Japan, taking bogeys on her final two holes to miss the cut by a stroke in the Japanese men’s tour event, her sixth start against male pros.
It took Wie four events to make an LPGA cut against women rivals and the high-school prodigy, playing on a sponsor’s exemption, is hopeful the fourth US PGA try is again the charm.
”I’m really looking forward to it,” Wie said.
Vijay Singh is the defending champion. South Africa’s Ernie Els won the event in 2003 and 2004, capturing play-offs both times, and lost by a stroke to the world number two from Fiji last year.
But Wie could steal the show.
The phenomenon who turned professional last October will don sportswear made by one of her major sponsors at an event backed by another. She knows Waialae Country Club well and the course plays to her power-hitting game.
Had Wie fired her level-par 140 from 2004 a year later, she would have been two shots under the cut line.
No woman has made the cut in a men’s event on a major tour in more than 60 years, since Olympic athletic gold medallist Babe Zaharias won the Los Angeles Open on the US PGA tour.
Wie was second behind world number one Annika Sorenstam at last year’s LPGA Championship and shared third at the British Women’s Open. She is likely to again play a major role on the LPGA Tour in 2006. — Sapa-AFP