Michelle Wie (click to enlarge)
In a tournament that features a record 11-year old qualifier, Lucy Li, it is a former child prodigy who holds the lead at the midway point of the 2014 United States Women’s Open. Michelle Wie, who qualified for the US Amateur Women’s Public Links at a then record 10-years old, won it at a record 13-years old and made the cut at the 2003 US Open at a record 13-years old, is all grown up now at 24 and playing scintillating golf in 2014. One of only two players under par after two rounds, Wie shot a 2-under 68 (par is 70 here) on Friday to move to 4-under overall, 3 shots clear of Lexi Thompson at 1-under. Starting on the back 9, Michelle saved her best for last. Playing #18 as her 9th hole, she birdied but then gave it back on #1, her 10th hole. It would be on her last two holes, 8 and 9, that she would shine. On #8, a hole playing as the third toughest on the day, her second shot on the 429 yard par 4 was a beauty. The pin was near the back of the green but Michelle was able to nestle her approach to about 8 feet from the hole. She would sink the putt for birdie. On the par 3 9th, Wie ended her day in fine fashion by bending in a lengthy left to right putt for back to back finishing birdies. Already with a win on tour this year and ranking in the top 3 of several LPGA statistical categories, the promise of that once 13-year old girl might be coming to fruition in a seasoned 24 year old woman.
Lucy Li (click to enlarge)
Given her age and what she was up against, I am very impressed by what Lucy Li was able to accomplish this week. Okay, so she didn’t make the cut and finished 16-over through two rounds. She did manage to equal or surpass what some professionals did this week. But more than that, I liked her demeanor. Her on-course etiquette with her playing partners was flawless. Her temperment when she triple bogeyed, which she admitted she isn’t accustomed to doing on non-US Open type setups, was controlled. She even bounced back with an immediate birdie 14 after a triple on 13. I, like many, wished her the best this week although I didn’t expect her to make the cut. Now that her 2014 US Women’s Open is over, let’s allow her to do her interviews and then go back to being an 11-year old amateur playing through the levels of golf she will need to experience in order to possibly one day be a professional player, if that’s what she wants. Hopefully, if in a few years she doesn’t want to be a professional golfer, despite her talent, the people around her will let her develop in another direction. She’s 11. Let her be a child. She’ll have plenty of time to be an adult later.
Lexi Thompson (click to enlarge)
This one is a long way from being over. Directly in Michelle’s rear view mirror is Lexi Thompson. Remember that Lexi and Michelle were tied for the lead going into the final round at the year’s first Major, the Kraft Nabisco Championship, before Lexi gave an awesome display of power golf leaving a tentative Michelle, and everybody else, fighting for 2nd place. On that day, Michelle was not as aggressive as she needed to be. However, at a US Open setup, that might be a wiser plan. Clever course management trumps grip it and rip it here. There are traps and pitfalls aplenty out there. In the blink of an eye, a player can put up a terrible number on a hole. It’s not just Michelle and Lexi, anybody within 6 shots right now has a chance. Don’t be fooled by an off day from 1st round leader Stacy Lewis. Although she gave back 3 shots today, she is more than capable of lighting up the course on Saturday and Sunday, reminding everybody who the #1 ranked player in the world is.
ALL PICS CLICK TO ENLARGE
1 MICHELLE WIE (-4)
2 LEXI THOMPSON (-1)
T3 STACY LEWIS (E)
T3 AMY YANG (E)
T3 MINJEE LEE (E)
6 NA YEON CHOI (+1)
T7 SAKURA YOKOMINE (+2)
T7 PAULA CREAMER (+2)
T7 MARIAJO URIBE (+2)
T10 SO YEON RYU (+3)
T10 STEPHANIE MEADOW (+3)
T10 ANGELA STANFORD (+3)
T10 KARRIE WEBB (+3)
T14 PORNANONG PHATLUM (+4)
T22 SE RI PAK (+5)
MC JESSICA KORDA (+11)
MC MORGAN PRESSEL (+12)
MC CHEYENNE WOODS (+13)
MC LUCY LI (+16)
| Pos | Name | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Today | Thru | Total | Strokes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michelle Wie | 68 | 68 | – | – | -2 | F | -4 | 136 |
| 2 | Lexi Thompson | 71 | 68 | – | – | -2 | F | -1 | 139 |
| T3 | Minjee Lee | 69 | 71 | – | – | +1 | F | E | 140 |
| T3 | Amy Yang | 71 | 69 | – | – | -1 | F | E | 140 |
| T3 | Stacy Lewis | 67 | 73 | – | – | +3 | F | E | 140 |
| 6 | Na Yeon Choi | 71 | 70 | – | – | E | F | +1 | 141 |
| T7 | Paula Creamer | 70 | 72 | – | – | +2 | F | +2 | 142 |
| T7 | Mariajo Uribe | 72 | 70 | – | – | E | F | +2 | 142 |
| T7 | Sakura Yokomine | 74 | 64 | – | – | -2 | 17 | +2 | 138 |
| T10 | Angela Stanford | 71 | 72 | – | – | +2 | F | +3 | 143 |
| T10 | Stephanie Meadow | 71 | 72 | – | – | +2 | F | +3 | 143 |
| T10 | So Yeon Ryu | 69 | 74 | – | – | +4 | F | +3 | 143 |
| T10 | Karrie Webb | 70 | 73 | – | – | +3 | F | +3 | 143 |
| T14 | Sue Kim | 71 | 73 | – | – | +3 | F | +4 | 144 |
| T14 | Catriona Matthew | 75 | 69 | – | – | -1 | F | +4 | 144 |
| T14 | Jenny Shin | 74 | 70 | – | – | E | F | +4 | 144 |
| T14 | Yueer Cindy Feng | 73 | 71 | – | – | +1 | F | +4 | 144 |
| T14 | Azahara Munoz | 73 | 71 | – | – | +1 | F | +4 | 144 |
| T14 | Pornanong Phatlum | 71 | 73 | – | – | +3 | F | +4 | 144 |
| T14 | Brooke Henderson | 71 | 73 | – | – | +3 | F | +4 | 144 |
| 21 | Gerina Piller | 72 | 73 | – | – | +3 | F | +5 | 145 |
| 22 | Meena Lee | 72 | 68 | – | – | +2 | 17 | +4 | 140 |
| T23 | Chella Choi | 75 | 70 | – | – | E | F | +5 | 145 |
| T23 | Mina Harigae | 71 | 74 | – | – | +4 | F | +5 | 145 |
| T23 | Katherine Kirk | 69 | 76 | – | – | +6 | F | +5 | 145 |
| T23 | I.K. Kim | 71 | 74 | – | – | +4 | F | +5 | 145 |
| T23 | Se Ri Pak | 76 | 69 | – | – | -1 | F | +5 | 145 |
| T28 | Mathilda Cappeliez | 76 | 70 | – | – | E | F | +6 | 146 |
| T28 | Jee Young Lee | 73 | 73 | – | – | +3 | F | +6 | 146 |
| T28 | Misuzu Narita | 76 | 70 | – | – | E | F | +6 | 146 |
| T28 | Jennifer Song | 74 | 72 | – | – | +2 | F | +6 | 146 |
| T28 | Julieta Granada | 75 | 71 | – | – | +1 | F | +6 | 146 |
| T28 | Eun-Hee Ji | 71 | 75 | – | – | +5 | F | +6 | 146 |
| T28 | Hee Young Park | 73 | 73 | – | – | +3 | F | +6 | 146 |
| T28 | Sandra Gal | 74 | 72 | – | – | +2 | F | +6 | 146 |
| T28 | Juli Inkster | 71 | 75 | – | – | +5 | F | +6 | 146 |
| T28 | Danielle Kang | 75 | 71 | – | – | +1 | F | +6 | 146 |
| T28 | Jodi Ewart Shadoff | 76 | 66 | – | – | E | 17 | +6 | 142 |
| T39 | Laura Diaz | 75 | 72 | – | – | +2 | F | +7 | 147 |
| T39 | Beatriz Recari | 73 | 74 | – | – | +4 | F | +7 | 147 |
| T39 | Caroline Masson | 72 | 75 | – | – | +5 | F | +7 | 147 |
| T39 | Shanshan Feng | 77 | 70 | – | – | E | F | +7 | 147 |
| T39 | Lydia Ko | 76 | 71 | – | – | +1 | F | +7 | 147 |
| T39 | Brittany Lincicome | 77 | 70 | – | – | E | F | +7 | 147 |
| T39 | Candie Kung | 71 | 76 | – | – | +6 | F | +7 | 147 |
| T39 | So-Young Jang | 75 | 72 | – | – | +2 | F | +7 | 147 |
| T39 | Carlota Ciganda | 75 | 72 | – | – | +2 | F | +7 | 147 |
| T39 | Sei-Young Kim | 72 | 75 | – | – | +5 | F | +7 | 147 |
| T39 | Inbee Park | 76 | 71 | – | – | +1 | F | +7 | 147 |
| T50 | Karine Icher | 76 | 72 | – | – | +2 | F | +8 | 148 |
| T50 | Belen Mozo | 78 | 70 | – | – | E | F | +8 | 148 |
| T50 | Brittany Lang | 73 | 75 | – | – | +5 | F | +8 | 148 |
| T50 | Rikako Morita | 73 | 75 | – | – | +5 | F | +8 | 148 |
| T50 | Yani Tseng | 77 | 71 | – | – | +1 | F | +8 | 148 |
| T50 | Hee Kyung Bae | 77 | 71 | – | – | +1 | F | +8 | 148 |
| T50 | Emma Talley | 75 | 73 | – | – | +3 | F | +8 | 148 |
| T50 | Moriya Jutanugarn* | 72 | 69 | – | – | +6 | 16 | +8 | 141 |
| T58 | Chisato Hashimoto | 73 | 76 | – | – | +6 | F | +9 | 149 |
| T58 | Dori Carter | 72 | 77 | – | – | +7 | F | +9 | 149 |
| T58 | Ashley Knoll | 75 | 74 | – | – | +4 | F | +9 | 149 |
| T58 | Andrea Lee | 79 | 70 | – | – | E | F | +9 | 149 |
| T58 | Ilhee Lee | 73 | 76 | – | – | +6 | F | +9 | 149 |
| T58 | Haeji Kang | 74 | 75 | – | – | +5 | F | +9 | 149 |
| T58 | Lee-Anne Pace | 76 | 73 | – | – | +3 | F | +9 | 149 |
| T58 | Sandra Changkija | 76 | 73 | – | – | +3 | F | +9 | 149 |
| T58 | Nikki Campbell | 74 | 75 | – | – | +5 | F | +9 | 149 |
| T58 | Pernilla Lindberg | 72 | 77 | – | – | +7 | F | +9 | 149 |
| T58 | Giulia Sergas | 77 | 72 | – | – | +2 | F | +9 | 149 |
| T58 | Caroline Hedwall | 73 | 76 | – | – | +6 | F | +9 | 149 |
| T58 | Ha Na Jang | 76 | 73 | – | – | +3 | F | +9 | 149 |
| T58 | Jennifer Johnson | 75 | 74 | – | – | +4 | F | +9 | 149 |
| 72 | Alison Walshe* | 78 | 69 | – | – | +2 | 17 | +10 | 147 |
| 73 | Yoo Lim Choi* | 76 | 71 | – | – | +8 | 16 | +14 | 147 |
| 74 | Jane Park* | 75 | 41 | – | – | +6 | 9 | +11 | 116 |
| 75 | Lizette Salas | 78 | 7:51 am | – | – | – | – | +8 | 78 |
| T76 | Kris Tamulis | 73 | 77 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 150 |
| T76 | Ayaka Watanabe | 78 | 72 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 150 |
| T76 | Cristie Kerr | 76 | 74 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 150 |
| T76 | Jacqui Concolino | 77 | 73 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 150 |
| T76 | Katie Burnett | 76 | 74 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 150 |
| T76 | Stephanie Na | 74 | 76 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 150 |
| T82 | Anna Nordqvist | 73 | 78 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 151 |
| T82 | Ashleigh Simon | 77 | 74 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 151 |
| T82 | Maria Hernandez | 72 | 79 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 151 |
| T82 | Tzu-Chi Lin | 77 | 74 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 151 |
| T82 | Jessica Korda | 79 | 72 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 151 |
| T82 | Chie Arimura | 76 | 75 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 151 |
| T82 | Holly Clyburn | 79 | 72 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 151 |
| T82 | Dewi Claire Schreefel | 72 | 79 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 151 |
| T82 | Sadena Parks | 76 | 75 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 151 |
| T91 | Christel Boeljon | 71 | 81 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 152 |
| T91 | Morgan Pressel | 77 | 75 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 152 |
| T91 | Suzann Pettersen | 78 | 74 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 152 |
| T91 | Nicole Castrale | 76 | 76 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 152 |
| T91 | Yumiko Yoshida | 79 | 73 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 152 |
| T91 | Rebecca Artis | 71 | 81 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 152 |
| T91 | Jessica Wallace | 74 | 78 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 152 |
| T91 | Birdie Kim | 79 | 73 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 152 |
| T91 | Ayako Uehara | 76 | 76 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 152 |
| T91 | Paula Hurtado | 76 | 76 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 152 |
| T101 | Celine Boutier | 77 | 76 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 153 |
| T101 | Amy Boulden | 75 | 78 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 153 |
| T101 | Catherine O’Donnell | 78 | 75 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 153 |
| T101 | Lala Anai | 78 | 75 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 153 |
| T101 | Ai Miyazato | 77 | 76 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 153 |
| T101 | Cheyenne Woods | 78 | 75 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 153 |
| T101 | Karlin Beck | 78 | 75 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 153 |
| T101 | Eri Joma | 80 | 73 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 153 |
| T109 | Carleigh Silvers | 74 | 80 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 154 |
| T109 | Marissa Steen | 73 | 81 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 154 |
| T109 | Jennifer Rosales | 78 | 76 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 154 |
| T109 | Janie Jackson | 81 | 73 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 154 |
| T109 | Megan Khang | 75 | 79 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 154 |
| T109 | Lisa McCloskey | 77 | 77 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 154 |
| T109 | Sarah Jane Smith | 76 | 78 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 154 |
| T109 | Sun Young Yoo | 76 | 78 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 154 |
| T117 | Rebecca Lee-Bentham | 78 | 77 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 155 |
| T117 | Ally McDonald | 78 | 77 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 155 |
| T117 | Gwladys Nocera | 80 | 75 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 155 |
| T117 | Kelly Tan | 76 | 79 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 155 |
| T117 | Nicole Garcia | 78 | 77 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 155 |
| T122 | Narangyi Bae | 79 | 77 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 156 |
| T122 | Elizabeth Tong | 76 | 80 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 156 |
| T122 | Brooke Pancake | 75 | 81 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 156 |
| T122 | Laura Davies | 82 | 74 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 156 |
| T122 | Brianna Do | 80 | 76 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 156 |
| T122 | Kathleen Scavo | 83 | 73 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 156 |
| T122 | Marissa Chow | 76 | 80 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 156 |
| T122 | Rebecca Hudson | 79 | 77 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 156 |
| T122 | Lucy Li | 78 | 78 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 156 |
| T122 | Teresa Lu | 75 | 81 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 156 |
| T122 | Natalie Gulbis | 79 | 77 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 156 |
| T133 | Kristy McPherson | 80 | 77 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 157 |
| T133 | Mika Miyazato | 81 | 76 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 157 |
| T133 | Wei-Ling Hsu | 81 | 76 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 157 |
| T133 | Madison Kerley | 78 | 79 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 157 |
| T133 | Paige Lee | 73 | 84 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 157 |
| T133 | Erica Popson | 79 | 78 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 157 |
| T133 | Jaye Marie Green | 77 | 80 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 157 |
| T133 | Caroline Powers | 76 | 81 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 157 |
| T141 | Sierra Sims | 79 | 79 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 158 |
| T141 | Samantha Gotcher | 76 | 82 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 158 |
| T143 | Jordan Ferriera | 81 | 78 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 159 |
| T143 | Bailey Tardy | 81 | 78 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 159 |
| T143 | Stacey Keating | 84 | 75 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 159 |
| T143 | Yuting Shi | 80 | 79 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 159 |
| T143 | Lucy Williams | 83 | 76 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 159 |
| T148 | Jasi Acharya | 85 | 75 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 160 |
| T148 | Irene Coe | 81 | 79 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 160 |
| T148 | Mo Martin | 86 | 74 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 160 |
| 151 | Jessica Porvasnik | 79 | 82 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 161 |
| 152 | Hannah Pietila | 81 | 83 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 164 |
| 153 | Emily Penttila | 84 | 82 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 166 |
| 154 | Marta Silva | 82 | 85 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 167 |
| 155 | Kelsey MacDonald | 86 | 82 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 168 |
| 156 | Xyra Suyetsugu | 88 | 83 | CUT | CUT | – | – | – | 171 |
Fairways and Forehands 