John Deere woe for Wie
2006-07-14 10:05
Chicago - American Zach Johnson birdied
the last five holes to grab a share of the first-round lead as
main attraction Michelle Wie struggled at the John Deere
Classic in Silvis, Illinois on Thursday.
Johnson, who signed for a seven-under-par 64, set the pace
with compatriot JP Hayes, Swede Daniel Chopra and Australia's
John Senden while Hawaiian teenager Wie battled to a 77.
Three players were still out on the course when play
was suspended for the day in fading light, thick fog having
delayed the morning start by more than two hours.
Aiming to become the first woman to make a PGA Tour cut in
61 years, Wie posted a double-bogey, six bogeys and two birdies
to match the fourth worst score of the day.
Fellow American Mike Springer propped up the bottom of the
leaderboard with a dismal 80 while compatriots Bob May, who
lost a playoff to Tiger Woods for the 2000 PGA Championship,
and Mike Sposa, who was later disqualified, returned 78s.
Ryder Cup hopeful Johnson, who played a practice round with
Wie on Tuesday, made a quiet start after teeing off on the 10th
with an outward nine of level-par 36.
The 30-year-old then caught fire, picking up shots at the
first and second before reeling off five birdies in a row from
the par-four fifth.
"My execution was good today," the 30-year-old told
reporters after posting his lowest round of the season in damp
conditions at the TPC at Deere Run. "I don't think I missed a
fairway.
'I was able to remain aggressive...'
"Once I got the putter rolling on the front, it was nice to
see the ball go in. I was able to remain aggressive and take
advantage of those putts when I could."
Johnson, who lies 23rd in the US Ryder Cup standings, is
chasing his second PGA Tour title after making his breakthrough
at the 2004 BellSouth Classic.
Hayes produced seven birdies in a blemish-free display,
Senden picked up nine shots after running up a double-bogey six
on his second hole and Chopra joined them at seven under by
eagling the par-five 17th.
Wie, who missed the cut by two strokes at last year's John
Deere Classic, was watched by a gallery of 2 000 when she
finally teed off at the par-five 10th after the fog delay.
A wayward drive at the 11th cost her a ball and a
double-bogey six and she then went
bogey-birdie-bogey-bogey-birdie-bogey before reaching the turn
in four-over 40.
Despite playing much more settled golf over her homeward
nine, she also dropped at the first and eighth to finish well
down the leaderboard.
"I feel like I have a really good round in me," an
optimistic Wie said after suffering four penalty drops during
her round.
"If I hit the fairways more, I could have shot a lot under
par. I really feel like I can do it (make the cut). I feel
really motivated to do it."