Wie Opens With 78 at European Masters

Michelle Wie shot a seven-over-par 78 Thursday in the first round of the European Masters at Crans-Sur-Sierre, Switzerland, hurting her chances of making the cut in the men’s event.

The 16-year-old from Hawaii was 12 shots behind clubhouse leaders Anthony Wall, Robert Coles and David Carter, who finished at five-under 66. Defending champion Sergio Garcia shot a 68.

Wie was paired with Nick Dougherty of England, who shot 79, and Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano of Spain, who had a 70. Playing in her 10th men’s event, Wie struggled around the Alpine layout and failed to make many putts -- particularly on the par-threes.

“That’s what really killed me -- five over on the par threes,” Wie said. “I didn’t play that bad the rest of the round. I felt like I played pretty solidly.”

Her worst round playing a men’s tournament came earlier this year in the Sony Open, where she opened with a nine-over 79. She responded with a 68 in the second round but missed the cut by four strokes.

Garcia, the only European Ryder Cup player in the field, was content with his 68.

“It was a good round,” Garcia said.

“The course is really firm and with these small greens, which have a lot of undulations and fall off from the sides, it is so difficult to get the perfect distance control.”

Wie made her only cut playing against men earlier this year at the SK Telecom Open in South Korea, finishing 12 shots off the lead. She withdrew from the John Deere Classic in July because of heat exhaustion.

Wie is playing in her first European Tour event. England’s Laura Davies is the only other woman to play on the European Tour, finishing next to last in the 2004 ANZ Championship in Sydney.

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Jim Furyk and Justin Rose took advantage of perfect scoring conditions in the first round of the Canadian Open at Ancaster.

Furyk and Rose shot the lowest rounds in professional play on the 90-year-old Hamilton Golf and Country Club course, seven-under 63s that left them a stroke ahead of Brandt Jobe, Nathan Green and Frank Lickliter II on the rain-softened layout.

They broke the course pro record of 64 set by Tommy Armour in the fourth round of the 1930 Canadian Open, a tournament the Silver Scot won in a 36-hole playoff with Leo Diegel. Warren Sye set the overall record of 62 in the 1991 Ontario Amateur.

Jesper Parnevik, Arron Oberholser, Jonathan Byrd, Bubba Watson and Sean O’Hair opened with 65s, and defending champion Mark Calcavecchia topped a group at 66.

Mike Weir, trying to become the first Canadian winner in 52 years, had a 71.