Despite a field that features defending champion Mark Hensby, Nick Price, David Toms, the main attraction at the John Deere Classic is 15-year-old Michelle Wie.
"Michelle Wie is the story this week, and that's fine," said Hensby, who got his first career US PGA Tour victory here last year.
"If Tiger is playing, it doesn't really matter if you're the defending champ or not. That's just the way golf is, and that's just the way it should be," he said.
"It actually helps me this week. I don't have to do as much as someone would probably normally have to do," Hensby added.
Wie's presence at the Deere Classic isn't causing anywhere near the frenzy Annika Sorenstam created when she became the first woman to play on the PGA Tour in 58 years at the 2003 Colonial. Sorenstam was openly criticized by some players, and millions of fans the world over watched closely to see how she'd fare.
But attitudes have softened over the last two years. Since then, Suzy Whaley has played the Greater Hartford Open, and Wie played the Sony Open the last two years.
None made the cut, though Wie did come within a stroke at last year's Sony Open.
Even some of the players who were critical of Sorenstam have come around with Wie.
"We've seen this trend now, and my hat's off to her. If she wants to try and play out here, then she's welcome to," said Price, who said in 2003 that Sorenstam's appearance at the Colonial "reeks of publicity."
Because the Deere Classic falls the week before a major -- the British Open -- most of the top players are not playing this week. Toms is the only one in the field currently ranked in the top 10, and Price is probably the most-recognizable name here.
By having Wie, the tournament's profile automatically rises.
"She'll add a buzz to this tournament that otherwise wouldn't be here," Toms said.
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