Michelle Wie can take solace in the fact that she didn't finish last.
"It just didn't work out for me today," Wie said. "I'll just have to go out and shoot a 64 tomorrow. I usually play better in the morning anyway."
PHOTO: AP
The 13-year-old Wie started promisingly Thursday before stumbling her way to a 7-over-par 78 that left her ahead of only three players after the first round of the Nationwide Tour's Boise Open. The Nationawide Tour is the development league for the PGA Tour.
Armed with 300-yard drives, Wie is competing in her second men's event this season and is the third woman this year to play in a PGA Tour-sanctioned tournament, following Annika Sorenstam and Suzy Whaley.
None of the three made the cut in their first tries and it doesn't look good for Wie, who started with a birdie but sprinkled in eight bogeys at the Hillcrest Country Club. She shares 151st with two others.
"It was great, even though I hit some bad shots," she said. "I considered myself lucky to just find my ball on some holes."
Wie finished a stroke ahead of UCLA senior Parker McLachlin, who attended the same Honolulu high school as the teenage sensation. He won a pair of national titles at Punahou High School in the mid-1990s.
P.J. Cowan and Michael Christie, who combined for five titles on the erstwhile Nike Tour from 1995-1996, brought up the rear at the US$600,000 event, carding 80s.
Charles Warren shot a 65 for a one-stroke lead over Brian Wilson and John Curley. Seventy-nine of the 156 players shot par or better.
Playing in one of the day's final groups, Wie birdied the par-4 first hole.
She followed with a bogey but parred the next hole and was even for the day before things fell apart.
Wie played the next 11 holes in 6-over, bogeying the fourth, fifth, ninth, 11th, 13th and 14th. About the only thing she did right was stay away from double-bogeys.
Wie finished with a bogey, giving her no momentum entering the second round. She could pick up some adrenaline from the fans, who have flocked to see the 13-year-old.
"I really appreciate the fans coming out and supporting me," she said.
Wie also has the support of some players. The development league isn't exactly a hotbed for golf fans and media, but Wie has changed that this week.
"I think it's great," said Rick Price, who opened with a 71. "It's already a big tournament, but there are a lot of fans here, and it's always great to play in front of the fans."
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