Wie's plans don't include LPGA Q-school

SAN DIEGO - Michelle Wie headed back to the 10th grade amid growing speculation about her future.

She has said she wants to go to college, even if she is only there as a student. Wie turns 16 in October, and there are some signs - starting with the swoosh she wore on her shirt at the Sony Open - that she will petition the LPGA Tour to waive its policy that members be at least 18.

But that would be conventional thinking, and the Wie camp already has shown that it operates differently.

"At this point, turning professional is a complex issue," said her father, B.J.

Aree Song was 17 when she joined the LPGA Tour, meeting criteria for the waiver that includes proven performance, strong support and the maturity to cope with being a professional.

What gets overlooked is whether Wie even wants to join the LPGA.

"She did not express any interest in filing an early petition for Q-school," her father said. "We don't want to file a petition, because she can turn professional any time. She does not have to be a full-time member."

That alone provide some insight into what might be in store for the teenage prodigy.

If she were to turn pro at the end of the year, Wie could play at least seven times on the LPGA Tour, which is ample for a junior in high school. She also could add a PGA Tour event (or two), along with broadening her appeal in Asia by playing in Japan and Korea - men's and women's events.

Such a plan might not lead to a bulging trophy case, but Wie already showed her mind is not on the record books.

"I never really wanted to be known as winning 50-some-odd tournaments," Wie said last week. "I always wanted to be known for doing stuff that no one ever thought of. I just want to push myself to the limit. I want to be known as (someone) that changed the world and changed how people think."

There might be one disadvantage to turning pro.

From the time she was 12, Wie has talked about her dream of becoming the first woman to play in the Masters. The most likely scenario is to win the U.S. Amateur Public Links or reach the finals of the U.S. Amateur.

If she were to turn pro, Wie's only hope would be to finish in the top 40 on the PGA Tour money list, the top 50 in the world ranking (points would be available at every men's event she played), or to finish in the top eight in the U.S. Open or top four in the British Open.

"It's a long, long, long shot," her father said. "She has a better chance as an amateur."

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AUGUSTA INVITE: Augusta National awarded a special invitation to Shingo Kayatama, bringing the Masters field to 96 players.

It was the second straight year Augusta has given a special invitation, which it reserves for foreign-born players. Zhang Lian-Wei last year became the first player from China to compete in the Masters.

Katayama, who finished first on the Japan Golf Tour money list and won twice, will be playing the Masters for the fourth time.

The cutoff to qualify for the Masters is after The Players Championship at the end of March.

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GREAT SCOTT: When he won outside Boston two years ago for his first PGA Tour victory, Adam Scott said he would continue to focus on the European tour and establish himself there.

But that's no longer the case.

"I'm playing a little bit more here," Scott said. "After winning The Players Championship and cementing my place over here (with a five-year exemption), I have to take advantage. I'm still playing enough to keep the card in Europe. That's where I started, and I set some goals to win some stuff over there. And like to do that still.

"But only playing a few is going to make it tough to win a lot."

With the majors and World Golf Championships counting on both tours, Scott only needs to play four times in Europe to keep his membership, freeing him up to play more in the United Sates.

But that won't include a big schedule on the West Coast, where venues like Torrey Pines, Pebble Beach and Riviera can be cool and wet.

"For a tour that tries to follow the sun, it seems we play under water a lot of the time," Scott said.

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CADDIE ON CALL: Lance Ten Broeck almost had to pull double duty last week in the Sony Open.

He caddied for Robert Allenby early in the first round, then found out he was next alternate to play. Tour officials awoke Michael Long from a nap, and he made it to Waialae in time to tee off.

Ten Broeck once played on tour and made more than 150 cuts in his career. That still makes him exempt, although he is at the bottom of the list in eligibility. But only a dozen or so alternates ever show up, especially in Hawaii, so there are times when the tour has to reach deep to find alternates.

To be eligible, Ten Broeck has to enter the tournament. He commits to every event, just in case the unlikely happens and more players drop out than there are alternates at the course. His last tour event was the '98 Texas Open, where Ten Broeck missed the cut.

The call never came at Waialae, and it's probably a good thing.

"I'll have to get some clubs," Ten Broeck said. "And maybe some long pants, too. And then I'd have to steal some range balls."

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DIVOTS: The MCI Heritage at Hilton Head is raising its purse to $5.2 million, with $936,000 going to the winner. It's the 14th consecutive year the tournaments has increased its prize money.... The Madeira Island Open is moving to April 7-10, the first time in years the European tour has held an event opposite the Masters.... Golfweek magazine reports that 18-year-old Paula Creamer has signed with IMG and hired Colin Cann to be her caddie. Cann previously worked for Se Ri Pak.... Michelle Wie will be joined by two Curtis Cup teammates, Jane Park and Brittany Lang, at the Kraft Nabisco Championship. The LPGA's first major gave amateur exemptions to U.S. Junior Girls champion Julieta Granada, Florida whiz Morgan Pressel and Karin Sjodin of Sweden, a junior at Oklahoma State.

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STAT OF THE WEEK: Bart Bryant was the only player to shoot par or better all eight rounds in Hawaii.

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FINAL WORD: "When I stood on the first tee at Oakland Hills, I saw most of the American officials dressed like players. We realized a long time ago that we weren't players. That's why we step back and let the players have center stage." - Sandy Jones, chief executive of the PGA of Europe.