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HAVRE DE GRACE, Md. -- As the Wie family sat down for dinner Monday night, father B.J. noticed tears beginning to form in his 16-year-old daughter's eyes.
Hours earlier, Michelle Wie had fallen five strokes shy of a chance to become the first female to play in the U.S. Open. Misreads on the greens and a shaky putter cost her dearly in the 36-hole sectional qualifier in Summit, N.J., but the fatigue of high expectations had been kept inside.
Finally, Wie let go of her emotions.
"She cried a lot," B.J. Wie said. "We let her do it as long as she wanted. It was good for her. She released all that disappointment."
Far from being devastated, Wie has been further emboldened by the experience. She again pushed herself and took on the pressure of being a woman competing against men. And she figures that brings her even more confidence as she returns to the LPGA tour for the McDonald's LPGA Championship.
"Playing 18 holes for four days is going to be a breeze," Wie said.
Wie brought the buzz from her tie for 59th with her to Bulle Rock Golf Course. She finished second here as an amateur last year, three shots behind Annika Sorenstam, who's trying for her fourth consecutive victory in this event.
A rejuvenated Karrie Webb won the Kraft Nabisco Championship in April and looks to add the second leg of the Grand Slam. Paula Creamer, winless this year, hopes to battle through an injury that has left her right wrist and hand swollen (she's having an MRI exam this morning) and might face a decision on whether to withdraw.
Lorena Ochoa and Cristie Kerr continue their search for that first major title. Veteran Juli Inkster shoots for an eighth major. Natalie Gulbis, rookie Morgan Pressel and other young stars want to make the LPGA Championship their first career victory.
Wie, though, was the talk of Bulle Rock, a 6,596-yard, par-72 course with generous fairways and four par-5 holes that favor big hitters. It's about 500 yards shorter than Canoe Brook's North Course, where she faded in the last six holes and shot a 3-over-par 75.
Before teeing it up, Wie tested her arm Tuesday night by throwing out the first pitch for the Toronto Blue Jays-Baltimore Orioles game at Camden Yards, an appearance orchestrated by tournament founder Herb Lotman.
"It would have been an unbelievable feat if she would have managed to qualify," Webb said. "I don't think that it hurts anybody. Obviously, it's a dream of hers to try and play on the men's tour. I guess while she's young, she might as well have a go at it."
Asked what would have meant more, earning a spot in next week's U.S. Open or winning this week's LPGA Championship, Wie paused, again leaving people to wonder whether she'll ever compete against men or women exclusively.
"I'm not really sure," she said, hesitating again. "I think it would be to win this week. It would be really awesome. I would choose winning this week."
Since the start of 2005, Wie has played 10 LPGA events and finished tied for third or better six times but has yet to win. In order to play, she must rely on six maximum exemptions, not including the U.S. Women's Open and Weetabix Women's British Open, because she's not an LPGA member.
"I put her in the same group as the other young ones," Sorenstam said. "The potential is there. She brings a lot of attention to the game, to women in general."
Wie said her goal is to win an LPGA event. But her resolve to be a world player, much like the globe-trotting Ernie Els, appears stronger than ever in the wake of her failed bid at history.
"The media has created this huge persona that the public is absolutely fascinated with, with this idea of a woman competing in a men's event," Pressel said. "And she's a great player, you can't take that away from her. When she comes on the LPGA tour, she brings all that hype with her. I wish that she will play more on the LPGA tour, but she's got it made right now."
Wie recalled as a little girl watching The Masters on television and dreaming of one day playing at Augusta National. A self-described tomboy growing up, she's always felt comfortable competing against males.
"That was the first tournament I ever saw on TV, and I never realized that it was only for men," Wie said. "The PGA Tour stands for Professional Golfers Association. There's no men in there. So I feel like I can play out there because I'm a professional now. I think that's cool."
*Hear Michelle Wie talk about being tired but excited to play in the LPGA Championship, at golf.usatoday.com
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