SILVIS, Ill. — Michelle Wie dodged the question like a pro.

Which would she consider a bigger accomplishment at this point in her career, to win an LPGA event or make the cut on the PGA Tour?

"Well, I'll tell you after I do both," the 16-year-old said yesterday during a standing-room-only news conference at the John Deere Classic.

Wie will be playing in the fifth PGA Tour event of her career starting tomorrow — and her second consecutive appearance at the TPC at Deere Run.

She will try to become the first female to make the cut in a PGA Tour event in 61 years. Babe Didrikson Zaharias was the last to do it, at Phoenix and Tucson in 1945.

Defending John Deere Classic champion Sean O'Hair predicted Wie will make history this weekend.

"To be quite frank with you, I think she'll make the cut," O'Hair said.

Iowa native Zach Johnson, who joined O'Hair and Wie for a practice round yesterday, agreed.

"I would not bet against her, put it that way," Johnson said.

Wie was on the cusp of history at last year's John Deere Classic, but a double-bogey and a bogey on two of her final four holes left her two shots on the wrong side of the cut line.

"I made a couple of bad decisions coming into the final holes, but I was only 15," said Wie, who shot 70-71. "I can make mistakes when I'm 15. Hopefully I learned a lot from those mistakes, and hopefully I won't do them again this year."

Wie's appearance at a PGA Tour event creates a swirl of opinion.

"As far as making a case for her, I think it would be better for her if she won a tournament out on the LPGA Tour," O'Hair said. "And once she does that, a lot of guys are probably going to accept it a lot better."

But O'Hair sees 18 holes worth of positives with Wie's appearance this week.

"It's great for the tour, because if you watch the ratings, this week they're going to be sky high," O'Hair said. "And it's great for the event. There's no negative part to it."

USA Network will benefit from Wie's appearance tomorrow and Friday. ABC will televise the final two rounds.

Wie, who turned professional in October, tied for third in the Women's U.S. Open two weeks ago. She has finished fifth or better in five of the past six LPGA majors.

"I've had a chance to win in every single one of those majors, and I feel like every single time I'm learning how to win," Wie said.

Wie missed the cut in the PGA Tour's Sony Open in Hawai'i earlier this season. She made the cut in a men's professional event in South Korea in May. She also made it to the second stage of U.S. Open qualifying in June, but came up short.

Yesterday, Wie said she doesn't have a preference between playing the PGA and LPGA tours.

"I really enjoy playing the LPGA and I really enjoy playing the PGA and I enjoy playing in Asia and Europe," Wie said. "I love going and playing and I don't really have a favorite."

A year older and wiser, Wie said she feels comfortable at the TPC at Deere Run. The course doesn't play long, and she rates the fairways as forgiving.

"But it doesn't really matter," Wie said. "All that matters is how I have to hit the shots come Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday."

Making the weekend would draw national attention. It would also put Wie a step closer to uncharted territory.

"I'm not going to think about making the cut this year," Wie said. "I really want to play well and maybe go to the British Open. If I go to the British Open, then I've made the cut."

The highest top 10 finisher at the John Deere Classic not already exempt will punch their ticket to next week's British Open at Royal Liverpool.

"Playing the John Deere Classic is very special to me," Wie said. "I really like coming back here and playing. I think it's going to be a lot of fun this week."