Another first for Wie
Fifteen-year-old Michelle Wie, runner-up to Annika Sorenstam in the second of the women’s majors on Sunday, has now become the first woman to qualify for an adult open championship conducted by the United States Golf Association.
Wie tied for first place in the 36-hole qualifier for the US Amateur Public Links championship, the winner of which will earn a place in next year’s Masters.
A total of 78 players were competing for two spots and Wie missed a six-foot putt for birdie on the final hole that would have given her outright victory.
“I was disappointed I missed that putt, but I qualified and I’m going and that’s what’s important,” she said. “I think I’m going to be the underdog there.”
The championship is in Ohio in the same week next month as the Open at St Andrews. Wie still has a chance to qualify for that after being invited to play in the US Tour’s John Deere Classic the previous week.
The leading non-exempt player there becomes exempt for the Open, but that probably means a top-10 finish at worst.
The teenager’s next target is the US Women’s Open next week at Cherry Hills in Colorado.
