Wie (81) Can’t Go Any Lower

Michelle Wie’s unsuccessful attempts to become the first woman to make the cut on the PGA Tour in 61 years increasingly are taking on the look of folly, rather than soon-to-happen reality.

She was playing in the 84 Lumber Classic and, for a while Friday, it appeared she might shoot an 84.

Wie’s drives constantly landed short of the big-hitting pros, forcing her to use long irons on her second shots when the men were pulling out seven-irons. Her putts wouldn’t drop, either, during a second-round 81.

No wonder some of the PGA Tour players, polite and patient with her until now, are questioning what she’s doing playing against men when she doesn’t have the game for it. At least not yet.

“She’s certainly not scaring anybody around here,” said Ryder Cup team member Scott Verplank, who also missed the cut. “To be honest, I didn’t even know she was here.”

Wie, who turns 17 next month, tried and failed for a sixth time in her short career to make the cut in a PGA Tour event, something no woman has done since Babe Didrikson Zaharias in 1945. But while Wie came close a couple of times, she looked badly out of place Friday during her second last-place finish in as many weeks against men.

Her rounds of 77 and 81 left her 13 shots away from making the cut and a whopping 23 shots behind co-leaders Ryan Moore and Ben Curtis, who were at nine-under 135. That’s a deficit normally associated with a club pro who wrangles an exemption to go against the big names.

“I’m not going to give up,” Wie said. “I feel like I’m progressing, I’m getting better, even though my score didn’t show it.”

She also finished last a week ago in the European Masters, with scores of 77-78.

“Obviously, she’s some sort of phenom being a 16-year-old girl who can play like she can, but honestly there’s not a male or female in the world who can compete out here at that age,” Verplank said. “I’m sure there are some very fine 16-year-old boys who can play, but it would be awful hard for them to come out here and make a scratch.

“If I was her advisor, I would tell her to go kick all the ladies’ tails around for about four years and if she wants to try again when she’s 20, 21 and grown up more, and maybe a better player, come on back.”

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Wie vs. men

Michelle Wie’s competitive rounds in men’s tournaments:

2006

* 84 Lumber Classic, PGA Tour, Sept. 14-15 -- Shot 77-81 for her second last-place finish in two weeks against men. She was 13 shots away from making the cut and 23 shots behind co-leaders Ryan Moore and Ben Curtis.

* European Masters, Sept. 7-8 -- Rounds of 78-79 left her 15 over and last in the field, her worst finish against men.

* John Deere Classic, PGA Tour, July 13-14 -- Withdrew during the second round because of heat exhaustion after an opening round of six-over 77. Was two over through nine holes of her second round before pulling out.

* SK Telecom Open, May 4-7 -- Became the first woman in 61 years to make the cut in a men’s tournament, finishing three under with scores of 70, 69 and 74 in a rain-shortened Asian Tour event against mostly little-known golfers.

* Sony Open, PGA Tour, Jan. 12-13 -- Followed her highest score in a men’s tournament, a 79 in the opening round, with a two-under 68 on a Waialae Country Club course she has played many times. Missed the cut by four shots.

2005

* Casio World Open, Nov. 24-25 -- Was in position to make the cut after opening with a one-over 73, but bogeyed the final two holes of her second round for a 75 to miss the cut by one shot.

* John Deere Classic, PGA Tour, July 7-8 -- Missed the cut by two strokes after shooting rounds of one-under 70 and 71.

* Sony Open, PGA Tour, Jan. 13-14 -- Missed the cut by seven strokes with rounds of five-over 75 and 74.

2004

* Sony Open, PGA Tour, Jan. 15-16 -- At age 14, missed the cut by one shot with rounds of two-over 72 and two-under 68. Among the golfers she beat were Adam Scott and Jeff Sluman.

2003

* Boise Open, Sept. 18-19 -- Had rounds of 76-78 on the Nationwide Tour to miss the cut by 12 shots.

* Bay Mills Open, Aug 21-22 -- Had rounds of 74-79, missing the cut by five shots in a Canadian Tour event held the weekend before she began ninth grade.

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Associated Press