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Another historic feat for Wie as youngest PGA woman player
Honolulu, Jan 16: Michelle Wie became the youngest woman to play in a PGA Tour event.
Honolulu, Jan 16: Michelle Wie became the youngest woman to play in a PGA Tour event.
Michelle Wie became the youngest woman to play in a PGA Tour event when she teed it up at the Sony Open in Hawaii on Thursday and the 14-year-old crafted a solid opening round of two-over-par 72. Wie, who has made plenty of history throughout her young career as an amateur, had failed to qualify for the event at Waialae Country Club on two previous occasions, but got her chance to play alongside the men of the PGA Tour after she received an invitation and a sponsor's exemption to the 2004 edition of the tournament. The hard-hitting ninth-grader played the back side first and split the fairway with her drive off the 10th tee. At the par-four 12th, Wie dropped her approach inside 10 feet and drained the putt for her first birdie of the day. "The first hole I was a little bit shaky," said Wie, who played alongside men twice in 2003, once on the Nationwide Tour and once on the Canadian Tour. "Right after I hit my first shot the nervousness just went away."
Wie, who became the youngest player to ever win a USGA championship when she captured the U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links title last year, found a greenside bunker with her second shot to the par-four 13th and bogeyed the hole. She found the sand again at the par-four 14th and could not get up and down to save par.
She had a five-footer for par at the par-four first, but pushed the ball right of the hole. Wie knocked her tee shot into a greenside bunker at the par-three fourth, but this time was able to save par after a solid shot from the sand.
Wie struggled on the green at the par-four fifth and took three putts for a bogey. She responded at the very next hole, however, and drained a 16-foot putt for her second birdie of the day.
At the par-three seventh, Wie had a tricky putt to save par but her ball lipped out. Wie closed her round with a positive at the par-five ninth after blasting her approach into a greenside bunker.
She played her third shot out of the sand to 10 feet and ran home the putt for a respectable showing in her first PGA Tour round.
"I think I was playing it more safe today," said Wie. "But if I make it to Saturday I'm going to go at every flag."
Wie follows in the footsteps of Annika Sorenstam and Suzy Whaley, both of whom have competed on the PGA Tour dating back to Sorenstam's historical appearance at the Colonial in May of 2003.
Bureau Report
Michelle Wie became the youngest woman to play in a PGA Tour event when she teed it up at the Sony Open in Hawaii on Thursday and the 14-year-old crafted a solid opening round of two-over-par 72. Wie, who has made plenty of history throughout her young career as an amateur, had failed to qualify for the event at Waialae Country Club on two previous occasions, but got her chance to play alongside the men of the PGA Tour after she received an invitation and a sponsor's exemption to the 2004 edition of the tournament. The hard-hitting ninth-grader played the back side first and split the fairway with her drive off the 10th tee. At the par-four 12th, Wie dropped her approach inside 10 feet and drained the putt for her first birdie of the day. "The first hole I was a little bit shaky," said Wie, who played alongside men twice in 2003, once on the Nationwide Tour and once on the Canadian Tour. "Right after I hit my first shot the nervousness just went away."
Wie, who became the youngest player to ever win a USGA championship when she captured the U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links title last year, found a greenside bunker with her second shot to the par-four 13th and bogeyed the hole. She found the sand again at the par-four 14th and could not get up and down to save par.
She had a five-footer for par at the par-four first, but pushed the ball right of the hole. Wie knocked her tee shot into a greenside bunker at the par-three fourth, but this time was able to save par after a solid shot from the sand.
Wie struggled on the green at the par-four fifth and took three putts for a bogey. She responded at the very next hole, however, and drained a 16-foot putt for her second birdie of the day.
At the par-three seventh, Wie had a tricky putt to save par but her ball lipped out. Wie closed her round with a positive at the par-five ninth after blasting her approach into a greenside bunker.
She played her third shot out of the sand to 10 feet and ran home the putt for a respectable showing in her first PGA Tour round.
"I think I was playing it more safe today," said Wie. "But if I make it to Saturday I'm going to go at every flag."
Wie follows in the footsteps of Annika Sorenstam and Suzy Whaley, both of whom have competed on the PGA Tour dating back to Sorenstam's historical appearance at the Colonial in May of 2003.
Bureau Report