Wie Is 38th in Pearl Open

Michelle Wie keeps playing better in the Hawaii Pearl Open at Aiea.

Wie, 14, closed with an even-par 72 on Sunday to tie for 38th at two-under 214. Playing in her second men’s tournament of the year, Wie was the only female in the field of 192.

Defending champion Greg Meyer, a Japanese tour player, shot a 67 for a winning 13-under 203 total.

Last year, Wie finished at eight-over 224 and tied for 43rd. In 2002, she missed the cut by three strokes in her first tournament against men.

“I improved from last year,” Wie said. “I hope I can just reach another level next year.”

The ninth-grader from Honolulu began the round at two-under 142, tied for 35th in the $80,000 event, one of the top men’s golf tournaments in the state.

The field included 62 U.S. pros and 70 pros from the Japanese tour. Kiyoshi Murota, 10th last year on the Japanese tour money list, was second, two strokes behind Meyer.

Wie came in second place among amateurs, behind Kauai’s Jonathan Ota, 42, who qualified last month for the PGA Tour’s Sony Open.

She dazzled the crowd Sunday with her booming drives, but struggled with her short game. Her roller-coaster round included four birdies and four bogeys.

Last month, Wie became the youngest player on the PGA Tour at the Sony Open, where she shot 68 in the second round and missed the cut by one shot.

Her performance led to invitations to play in seven other PGA Tour events. Wie said she’s still undecided whether she’ll accept any of them.

*

Bruce Fleisher won the Royal Caribbean Classic for the third time in six years, closing with a one-under 71 in windy conditions for a one-stroke victory at Key Biscayne, Fla.

Fleisher had eight consecutive pars on the back nine and a birdie on the 18th. He finished at six-under 210, a stroke ahead of Dana Quigley (68)

*

Ernie Els held off Adam Scott by a stroke in the Heineken Classic at Melbourne, Australia, after blowing an eight-stroke lead with a terrible start that included a triple bogey.

Els played the front nine in six over en route to a two-over 74. He finished at 20-under 268 at historic Royal Melbourne.

Scott, who shot a 67 on Sunday, tied Els for the lead with a birdie on No. 9, but Els rebounded with four birdies in a five-hole stretch.