On the other hand, if Wie can stay out of trouble and make some putts, she
has a chance at grabbing one of the 18 U.S. Open spots up for grabs here and
shocking the golf world.
Wie spent the past four days at Canoe Brook working on her game with her
father, B.J., her mother, Bo, and caddie, Greg Johnston. Swing coach David
Leadbetter worked with her Thursday.
"We did everything we could," B.J. Wie said after his daughter put in a
six-hour day.
There is no doubt that Wie has the length and game to play with anyone. The
question is, can she do it over 36 holes against a field that includes about
four dozen PGA Tour players?
Mark O'Meara and Mark Brooks are winners of major titles and Vaughn Taylor is
in the hunt for a Ryder Cup berth.
"There is a lot of excitement and buzz here because of Michelle Wie and her
situation," O'Meara said before going out to play a practice round Sunday. "It's
an amazing feat for the young lady. There are 150-something people playing for
18 spots. You're going to have to play pretty good."
Wie's career best on the PGA Tour is 2 under par, both times at Waialae
Country Club, where she often plays. The cutoff for getting into the U.S. Open
last year at the Canoe Brook qualifier was 3-under 139. Two years ago, when the
New Jersey club hosted one of the larger sectional qualifiers, the 22nd and
final spot went to Scott Hend at 140.
"I'd be very surprised if she got through," Brooks said. "You've got to play
better than just making the cut on tour to qualify, usually. If you went over
there and looked at those two courses and said, `What would the tour shoot
here?' If you figure the cut would be 3 under, you'd better shoot 4 or 5 under."
The score may have to be even lower this time around. Two inches of rain over
the weekend left the 6,632-yard South Course and the 7,066-yard North Course
wet.
"It will play easier because of the rain," said David Gossett, a former PGA
Tour winner paired with Wie and Rick Hartmann, a club pro from Long Island who
qualified for the 2000 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach. "The greens will be more
receptive."
Course superintendent Tom Ashfield said rough was not cut because of the rain
so it will be 3 1/2 inches, about an inch higher than anticipated.
"That's barely the intermediate rough at Winged Foot," Gossett said.
