13-year-old shoots 79 in second round
BRIMLEY, Mich. -- Michelle Wie will be starting school on time after all.
The 13-year-old, widely considered the future of women's golf, failed in her effort to become the first female to make the cut in a men's professional golf tournament this summer.
Wie struggled to a 7-over 79 Friday for a total of 9-over 153, missing the cut by five strokes in the Bay Mills Open Players Championship, the final event of the Canadian Tour season.
That means Wie, who played on a sponsor's exemption, will be home in Honolulu to start the ninth grade at Punahou High School on Monday.
"I get to see my friends again," the dejected long-hitter said. "And I don't miss the first day of school, so I guess that's good. I haven't been home since May 30."
But what a summer it has been.
Among her many accomplishments, Wie became the youngest player to win a USGA title for adults at the U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links, and she played in the final group of the LPGA Nabisco Championship.
And she's not finished trying to beat the guys. Wie will return to the mainland in two weeks to compete in a Nationwide Tour event in Boise, Idaho.
"I have the game for courses this long," Wie said before leaving the 7,101-yard Wild Bluff Golf Course. "But I have to use it."
Annika Sorenstam and Suzy Whaley failed to make the cut in their PGA Tour attempts earlier this season.
"If the competition is hard, I just have to play harder," Wie said. "There's no question about that."
In truth, however, Wie was her own worst enemy Friday, although swirling northwest winds sweeping off Lake Superior didn't help. Wie was just 2 over after shooting a 74 in the rain-delayed first round. But she carded eight bogeys and just one birdie in the second round.
"Today, just nothing really worked," she said.
Although the second round wouldn't be completed until early Saturday, the cut was certain to fall at 4-over. Chris Wall and Rodney Butcher shared the lead at 3-under 141 when play was suspended at 9:02 p.m. EDT. David Burbidge also was 3 under with six holes still to play early Saturday.
Wie, playing the back nine first, stumbled right from the start with a bogey on her first hole. She had two more bogeys on the back side, then completely shot herself out of it with four straight bogeys starting on No. 2.
"This was a good experience for her," said Wie's father and caddie, B.J. "She needs to learn to adjust faster. But, she's an amateur. She'll learn."
Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press
