US women's prodigy accepts invitation to PGA event

Wie missed the cut at the event last year but nearly became the first woman in 60 years to make a PGA cut. She has accepted a sponsor's exemption to tee off against the men July 13-16 at the Tournament Players Club at Deere Run.

"Michelle Wie is one of the biggest stars in golf today and we are thrilled that she has accepted our invitation to play," said tournament director Clair Peterson.

The 16-year-old Hawaiian will likely be the star attraction at the event, which is to be staged one week before the British Open and as a result will attract fewer of golf's top names, helping Wie's pursuit of history.

"My family and I had a great experience last year at the John Deere Classic," Wie said. "Everyone was extremely kind and supportive. I have been looking forward to going back since last year."

Wie fired rounds of one-under par 70 and level par 71 to stand on one-under 141 after 36 holes, two strokes beyond the cut line.

"Michelle's performance here last year electrified our fans and helped us increase our charity donations by a million dollars," Peterson said.

"She played well against the best players in the world and handled herself with a grace and maturity beyond her years."

Wie played at the PGA Sony Open in Hawaii earlier this year, missing the cut for the third time at the event after receiving a sponsor exemption. Wie played in an LPGA event in Hawaii and finished third.

This week, Wie is playing in her first major championship since turning professional at the LPGA Kraft Nabisco Championship in Rancho Mirage, California. She received a sponsor's exemption to the event.

Wie also plans to compete at the other three women's golf majors - the US Women's Open, Women's British Open and LPGA Championship - plus the Evian Masters, the HSBC Match Play and the Samsung World Championship.

In 2005, Wie was in position to make the cut with only four holes remaining in her second round after teeing off on the back nine. But Wie crashed out with a double-bogey on the par-4 sixth and a bogey on the par-3 seventh.

No woman has made the cut at a US PGA Tour event since Babe Didrikson Zaharias in 1945.

Copyright AFP 2005, AFP stories and photos shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium