Michelle Wie already was 2 over through eight holes Thursday when she blocked her tee shot much too far right on the ninth hole at the TPC at Deere Run.
It left her trapped behind some trees, a predicament that would have finished off many seasoned pros, let alone a 15-year-old girl playing in a PGA Tour event.
Wie, though, wouldn’t concede. Despite being unable to see the green, she took a 3-iron and contemplated a shot she hadn’t hit in a couple of years. She cut her approach around the trees, eventually finding the green.
As if that wasn’t enough, she made a 28-foot putt for an all-world birdie.
It was the kind of shot that staggers the imagination over what Wie is capable of doing.
Playing nearly flawless golf the rest of the way, Wie did more than just hang with the men during the first round of the Michelle Wie, er, John Deere Classic. A 1-under round of 70 left her in a tie for 73rd in the 154-player field, one shot off the cutline at 2 under. The top 70 and ties after Friday’s second round advance to the weekend.
Wie not only waxed her playing partners, Scott Gutschewski (71) and Nick Watney (75), she also topped such veterans as Jeff Maggert (71) and Larry Mize (72).
David Duval, the struggling former No. 1 player in the world, would love to have Wie’s game these days. He stumbled in with a 76.
Wie still has a way to go to contend with the leaders. A round of 63 left Hunter Mahan with a one-shot edge over J.L. Lewis.
However, Mahan’s fine play was a mere afterthought on a day dominated by Wie’s presence in the field. Most of the gallery followed her attempt to play against some of the best male players in the world.
The fans seemed thrilled in watching Wie make five birdies. Wie, though, wasn’t pleased with four bogeys on the front nine.
“In a way [I’m] happy, and in a way not happy,” Wie said. “I mean, of course I want to shoot a lower score, but I’m really happy the way it turned out.”
To put her round in perspective, Tiger Woods shot 72-75 in missing the cut in the 1992 Los Angeles Open during his PGA Tour debut at age 16. He played seven PGA Tour tournaments before making his first cut as a 19-year-old at the 1995 Masters.
This is Wie’s third PGA Tour event; twice she missed the cut in the Sony Open. Yet she goes into Friday with a chance to make the cut.
When you consider that she is a high school girl playing against men, what she did Thursday becomes even more overwhelming to comprehend.
“It’s kind of mind-boggling,” Watney said. “When I was 15, I didn’t [play] like that. I mean, she’s a phenom.”
Craig Bowden, who had a 65 Thursday, saw her talent during a practice round earlier this week.
“I don’t know if you guys realize it, but she’s going to be the next Tiger Woods of the LPGA Tour,” Bowden said. “I couldn’t do anything at 15 years old. My dad tried to get me up more often than not. She has a lot of game.”
Her game clearly was on display on the ninth hole. She appeared to have no shot behind the trees. But in a trait reminiscent of the great players, she figured a way out.
“I had no view of that hole, and it could have been a bogey or worse,” Wie said. “You know, I haven’t played that big a slice in a long time. It has been at least a year since I played that shot. That was, like, a pivotal point. I really trusted myself, and it felt great.”
The shot and the birdie putt got her back on the right track. She struggled early. After making a birdie on the par-5 second, she made bogeys on four of her next six holes.
Wie was frustrated at making “a lot of stupid bogeys.” But she wouldn’t make another one after the eighth hole. She added a birdie at 11 and then on the 557-yard, par-5 17th, she reached the green in two with a 3-wood and made a two-putt birdie.
Wie typically was 30-50 yards behind Gutschewski, who is one of the longest hitters on the PGA Tour. But with average tee shots of 277.5 yards and five more than 290 yards, she had more than enough distance on the Deere Run course.
“I think this course sets up well for her,” Gutschewski said. “I think there are some courses we play that might not set up quite as well. . . . It doesn’t matter how far you hit it. I was 40, 50 yards past her all day and she still beat me. So there you go.”
Wie, though, still will need another 70, or even a 69, if she is going to play during the weekend. Bowden thinks if Wie is on her game, she can make the cut.
“The back nine was pretty solid,” Wie said. “I feel like I’ll see some good scores from now on.”
Wie’s stats vs. field
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CATEGORY RD1 RANK
Birdies 5 26
Pars 9 131
Bogeys 4 14
Driving accuracy 71% 68
(10 of 14 fairways hit)
Driving distance 277.5 139
Longest drive: 310 yards on No. 2
Putts 29 46
Putts per GIR 1.667 24
12 of 18 greens hit in regulation
Sand saves 67% 33
Source: PGATOUR.COM
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esherman@tribune.com
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