honoluluadvertiser.com

Sponsored by:

Comment, blog & share photos

Log in | Become a member
The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Friday, December 5, 2008

Wie shares Q-school lead after 65

Golf page
 •  The Honolulu Advertiser's Golf page

Associated Press

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Michelle Wie often hit driver on a more forgiving course.

PETER BAUER | Daytona Beach News-Journal via AP

spacer spacer

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Weaving her way through a narrow hallway next to the grill room yesterday, Michelle Wie was stopped by a woman who asked if she would pose for a picture with her young daughter.

Focusing her camera, the woman asked how she played.

"OK," Wie said with a smile and shrug.

If that were an honest assessment, Wie should be in good shape at the LPGA Tour qualifying tournament.

Changing her tactics off the tee on the more forgiving Champions course at LPGA International, the 19-year-old from Hawai'i hit driver on all but two holes and ran off four straight birdies late in her round for a 7-under 65 that put her in a tie for the lead with Shiho Oyama of Japan after the second of five rounds at Q-school.

Oyama shot 70 on the Legends course and joined Wie at 10-under 134. The top 20 players after the 90-hole tournament Sunday earn their LPGA Tour cards for next season. Through two rounds, Wie was eight shots clear of the cutoff.

Stacy Lewis, a former NCAA champion at Arkansas who tied for third at the U.S. Women's Open in her pro debut this summer, shot a 66 for the best score this week on the Legends course and was one shot behind at 135.

It was the first time since the second round of the 2006 Evian Masters that Wie had a share of the lead after any round, and the first time since the Ladies German Open in late May that she put together consecutive rounds in the 60s — at least officially.

Wie had three straight scores in the 60s at the LPGA State Farm Classic in July when she was disqualified for leaving the scoring area without signing her card after the second round, so only the first round is in the books. Without that disqualification, Wie might have earned enough money to avoid Q-school.

But she is here with no other choice but to get a card, and she's making the most of it.

The first two rounds were strong indicators that a teenager who once had unlimited potential is closer than ever to recovering from injured wrists, shattered confidence and humbling performances.

After hitting only four drivers Wednesday on the Legends course, Wie was more aggressive, holing enough putts for her lowest round on the LPGA Tour since a 65 at the Samsung World International in 2005.