Men's U.S. Open is possible for Wie

SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. - Michelle Wie doesn't need a special exemption for the next U.S. Women's Open because she finished in the top 20 at Orchards Golf Club.

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That doesn't mean she won't experience U.S. Open qualifying.

B.J. Wie said his daughter likely will enter the 18-hole local qualifier for the men's U.S. Open, part of the plan for the 14-year-old from Hawaii to compete more against the men next summer.

Wie, who tied for 13th place at the Orchards with 17-year-old Paula Creamer, tried to qualify for the U.S. Amateur Public Links and missed by one shot. It was her fourth time playing against the men. She previously missed the cut on the Canadian, Nationwide and PGA Tour, although her 68 at the Sony Open to miss by one shot turned heads.

Next year, she is expected to play in the Western Amateur and try the Publinx qualifying again.

"She learns a lot when she plays against the men," said B.J. Wie, as he prepared for a 10-day break away from golf while visiting family in Los Angeles. "The only thing she wants is to get better than she was the year before."

The USGA took some heat for giving Wie an exemption instead of having her go through 36 holes of sectional qualifying like Creamer, Erica Blasberg and the rest of the Curtis Cup team.

What would have happened had Wie finished outside the top 20? She might have received another exemption next year, anyway.

"The slate is wiped clean from this moment forward," USGA executive director David Fay said Sunday as Wie was about to start her final round. "I hope we are in a situation where we have amateurs that, by their play, earn consideration for a special exemption."

And what of Creamer?

The senior-to-be at Leadbetter Golf Academy tied for second and finished 13th in consecutive weeks on the LPGA Tour.

The question for Creamer is whether she shows up at the 2005 U.S. Open as an amateur.

Her father, Paul Creamer, said she has a multitude of options that include going to Q-school in the fall but still finishing up her senior year of high school. Creamer already has taken college visits to Arizona and Arizona State, and plans more visits this fall.

GRAND OPENING: Now this is how you break in a golf course.

Tom Lehman played a tournament to commemorate the opening of Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club in Mission Viejo, Calif., which he co-designed with architect Casey O'Callaghan.

When he got to the 231-yard fourth hole, Lehman hit a 5-iron that looked good all the way - a hole-in-one. So, what does Lehman think of the hole?

"Too easy," he told The Orange County Register. "I need to redesign it."

DIVOTS: Natalie Gulbis has released a 2005 calendar that features her in swimwear, casual clothes and athletic outfits. It came out last week at the U.S. Women's Open, where she tied for 37th. ... Tiger Woods (7) and Retief Goosen (2) are the only players with multiple majors since 1999. On the LPGA Tour, Karrie Webb has won six majors since 1999, followed by Annika Sorenstam (5), Juli Inkster (4) and Meg Mallon and Se Ri Pak with two each.