Golf Roundup: Wie fades in qualifier for U.S. Open

SUMMIT, N.J. — Never before was there a sectional-qualifying tournament like this one. Actually getting into the U.S. Open seems likely to happen someday for Michelle Wie, but this time she did prove that a day can be historic even if no one makes history.

"I was laughing my way into the parking lot. I couldn't believe that this many people were going to come for a qualifying round," the 16-year-old Wie said after she raised golf to new heights, though she fell short of earning a U.S. Open berth and thereby turning the sport on its head.

There were about 4,000 people at Canoe Brook Country Club on Monday, and almost all of them spent at least part of their time watching Wie, a Honolulu resident who tried to become the first female to qualify for the U.S. Open.

She gave it a pretty good go. With six holes left in a 36-hole day, she was one shot away from the projected qualifying score in the 153-player field. She faltered, making three consecutive bogeys, finishing tied for 59th place at 1-over-par 143 and missing a playoff for the 18th and final Open berth by five strokes.

It wasn't merely a sectional qualifier, it was an event. A person could tell the difference because this sectional qualifier usually draws about 150 spectators. And the public wasn't here to watch the likes of Mark O'Meara, a two-time major champion. Virtually all of the fans were here to see Wie.

"I'm surprised this many people came, but I'm also very, I guess, flattered by how many people came to root for me," she said after shooting 2-under 68 on the South Course and 3-over 75 on the North. "I was very moved by the fan support. I think it was very awesome to have this many people interested in the sectional qualifier."

Jeff Gove of Seattle (140) and former UW Huskies Rob Rashell (141) and Brock Mackenzie (143) failed to qualify.

Wie nearly gave the fans something they could look up in record books. She finished her morning round by sinking a 60-foot chip for a birdie. She consistently hit her tee shots in the fairway and her approaches on the green, and barely missed a bunch of 8- to 10-foot birdie putts. When she finally made a 10-foot birdie putt on her eighth hole of the afternoon (the 455-yard, par-4 17th), it looked as if she was on her way to Winged Foot and the Open, which starts June 15.

"It would have been fantastic if she made it," said Rick Hartmann, the pro from the Atlantic Golf Club in Bridgehampton, N.Y., who played with Wie and was three shots behind her.

Hartmann was rooting for Wie. "Of course," he said. "How could you not? How great would it be for golf?"

Wie played well enough to suggest golf will find out.

"I'm not going to quit after this year," she said. "I don't see the point in doing that. I'm really excited for next year. Hopefully, next year will be the year."

The next stop for Wie is a major, the LPGA Championship — where she was runner-up a year ago.

Notes

• Jonathan Moore of Vancouver, Wash., who plays for NCAA champion Oklahoma State and was the NCAA medalist Saturday in Sunriver, Ore., qualified in Creswell, Ore.

Jay Haas, 52, was among 21 players who qualified in a pro-laden Columbus, Ohio, sectional qualifier. He won the Senior PGA Championship last month.

Some PGA Tour players at various sites who failed to qualify were Puyallup's Ryan Moore, Pullman High graduate Kirk Triplett, Brad Faxon, Geoff Ogilvy, Aaron Baddeley, Jesper Parnevik and Trevor Immelman.

• John Daly claimed six skins worth $130,000 to win the three-man Exelon Invitational in Lafayette Hill, Pa., after host Jim Furyk withdrew because of a back injury.