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Wie Finishes Fourth in Sectional Qualifying

Posted: Sep 19th 2008 6:00PM by Shane Bacon (author feed)
Filed under: Golf, LPGA

After 72 holes at LPGA Sectional qualifying, Michelle Wie showed why people were so high on her potential when she first hit the golf scene.

Rounds of 70-65-74-71 were good enough to finish in a tie for fourth place, securing her a spot in the finals of LPGA Q-School in Daytona Beach, Florida in early December.

The top-30 golfers out of the original 164 moved on, and Wie was never even close to falling out of the top-5, much less missing a chance at earing her tour card at the finals. The key word there is "earning," as she's been so heavily criticized for getting a free ride all these years. This is her chance to prove to people that she belongs on tour for a full year, and the first step in the process was a successful one.

Wie tied fellow tour professional Stacy Lewis, who tied for third at the Women's U.S. Open earlier this year. This is also her first attempt at Q-school and she's making the best of it.

Sun-Ju Ahn went wire to wire to win the tournament at 16-under.

Michelle Wie Snapshots

RANCHO MIRAGE, CA - SEPTEMBER 17: Michelle Wie hits a tee shot on the tenth hole during the second round of the LPGA Q-School Sectional Qualifying at Mission Hills Country Club on September 17, 2008 in Rancho Mirage, California. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Michelle Wie

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RANCHO MIRAGE, CA - SEPTEMBER 17: Tim Vickers, caddie to Michelle Wie, examines the thrid hole green during the second round of the LPGA Q-School Sectional Qualifying at Mission Hills Country Club on September 17, 2008 in Rancho Mirage, California. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Tim Vickers

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RANCHO MIRAGE, CA - SEPTEMBER 17: Becky Brewerton of the United Kingdom (R) and Michelle Wie (2nd R) talk with their caddies on the seventh hole tee box during the second round of the LPGA Q-School Sectional Qualifying at Mission Hills Country Club on September 17, 2008 in Rancho Mirage, California. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Becky Brewerton;Michelle Wie;Tim Vickers

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RANCHO MIRAGE, CA - SEPTEMBER 17: Michelle Wie hits a chip shot onto the first hole green during the second round of the LPGA Q-School Sectional Qualifying at Mission Hills Country Club on September 17, 2008 in Rancho Mirage, California. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Michelle Wie

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RANCHO MIRAGE, CA - SEPTEMBER 17: Michelle Wie hits her third shot out of the bunker on the sixth hole during the second round of the LPGA Q-School Sectional Qualifying at Mission Hills Country Club on September 17, 2008 in Rancho Mirage, California. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Michelle Wie

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RANCHO MIRAGE, CA - SEPTEMBER 17: B.J. Wie, father of Michelle Wie, watches the second round of the LPGA Q-School Sectional Qualifying at Mission Hills Country Club on September 17, 2008 in Rancho Mirage, California. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** B.J. Wie

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RANCHO MIRAGE, CA - SEPTEMBER 17: Michelle Wie walks off the eighth hole green during the second round of the LPGA Q-School Sectional Qualifying at Mission Hills Country Club on September 17, 2008 in Rancho Mirage, California. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Michelle Wie

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RANCHO MIRAGE, CA - SEPTEMBER 17: Michelle Wie reacts to a missed putt on the ninth hole during the second round of the LPGA Q-School Sectional Qualifying at Mission Hills Country Club on September 17, 2008 in Rancho Mirage, California. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Michelle Wie

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RANCHO MIRAGE, CA - SEPTEMBER 17: Michelle Wie hits a tee shot on the 5th hole during the second round of the LPGA Q-School Sectional Qualifying at Mission Hills Country Club on September 17, 2008 in Rancho Mirage, California. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Michelle Wie

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Karrie Webb Thinks USGA Made Women's U.S. Open Too Easy, Her Score Disagrees

Here's something you see, well, never: Karrie Webb, the world's former No. 1 women's golfer, is calling out the USGA for how they set up this week's Women's U.S. Open. Right, I know what you're thinking: when will players quit bellyaching about tough course setups and just play golf?

Well, here's the thing: Webb's complaining that Interlachen is too easy.

"I really don't understand what the USGA have tried to achieve this week, because they've kept the greens soft all week," said the two-time Open champion, who was 12 strokes from the lead.

"I think the course played harder on Monday than it is now. When you've played a lot of US Opens, your mindset is that par's good, but it really isn't (this week)."

Heading into the final round, 19 players are under par, which seems high for any U.S. Open. And even though Webb is 12 strokes off the lead, and hasn't been winning majors with the same regularity as she once did (Webb won six majors between '99 and '02, and just one since), I kind of agree with her.

The U.S. Open is all about breaking a golfer's will. I know a lot of people hate that, but it's a nice change from watching guys and girls fire 20-under four-day totals at various nondescript events during the year.

Webb adds: