Ill Wie leaves course midround
This had to be the most painful cut for Michelle Wie.
Trying to become the first woman in 61 years to make a PGA Tour cut, the 16-year-old instead was hospitalized with heat exhaustion for several hours Friday after withdrawing from the John Deere Classic with nine holes left.
She was visibly sick for much of the round, struggling to keep herself from getting sick on the course on a hot, steamy afternoon in Silvis, Ill.
After being treated at the course medical trailer, she was taken to a hospital in an ambulance, an IV in one arm.
“She suffered a number of different symptoms, including stomach pains, nausea, dizziness and breathing problems which worsened as the round continued,” Wie’s agent, Ross Berlin, said in a statement.
Wie was released about 8 p.m. and was resting comfortably, according to a statement from her publicist. She’ll have a week off before a two-week trip to Europe for the Evian Masters in France and the Women’s British Open.
Wie nearly got sick on the ninth tee, and walked much of the hole holding her chest. She managed to finish, but after talking with her parents said she couldn’t play anymore. She was then taken to the course medical trailer.
Illinois law required she be taken to a hospital for further attention, and she left in an ambulance about a half-hour later. Her mother, Bo, accompanied the teenager in the ambulance and her father, B.J., followed behind in an SUV.
This was Wie’s fifth attempt at becoming the first woman since Babe Zaharias in 1945 to make a PGA Tour cut. But her chances at history were all but over after she opened with a 6-over-par 77 Thursday, leaving her 13 strokes behind the leaders and eight strokes over the projected cut.
She was at 2-over 37 – and 8 over for the tournament – when she withdrew. Joe Ogilvie was the second-round leader at 10-under 132 after a 4-under 67. Daniel Chopra (69), Kris Cox (68), John Senden (69) and John Huston (67) were one stroke back at 9 under. Defending champion Sean O’Hair (69) was six strokes behind Ogilvie.
Wie has had a hectic schedule recently, playing her third straight week and fifth event in 5 1/2 weeks. The temperature was 88, with the sun and humidity making it feel as if it were five degrees warmer.
“It was definitely warm,” said Jeff Gove, one of Wie’s playing partners.
Wie played when it was at its hottest, teeing off shortly before 2 p.m. She was looking listless by the time she approached the fifth green, sitting on her bag with her head bowed, a towel to her face.
LPGA
Reilley Rankin, her regular set of clubs lost in travel two weeks ago, shot a 3-under 68 to get to 8-under 134 and grab a share of the lead in Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic with Mi Hyun Kim (66) before heavy rain forced the suspension of second-round play until today.
Natalie Gulbis was 8 under through nine holes before play was stopped in Sylvania, Ohio.
Tracy Hanson of Rathdrum, Idaho, finished her round with a 68 and was at 3-under 139.
Se Ri Pak and Annika Sorenstam were both 4 under through 11 holes.
Champions Tour
Joe Ozaki made birdie after birdie – including a record eight in a row – to take the lead in the rain-delayed Senior Players Championship at Dearborn, Mich.
When play in the Champions Tour’s third major of the season was stopped because of a rainstorm, Ozaki was 9 under for the tournament and was about to attempt an 8-foot birdie putt at No. 13.
Six players, including Tom Watson and 1998 champion Gil Morgan, were in the clubhouse one stroke back at 8 under.
Publinx
Oklahoma’s Anthony Kim routed Georgia Tech’s Kevin Larsen 6 and 5 to set up a 36-hole title match against former Nevada player Casey Watabu in the U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship in Bremerton, Wash.
Watabu, from Kapaa, Hawaii, beat Tim Feenstra of Lynden, Wash., in 20 holes in the semifinals.