Wie cranks it up for another big run at John Deere

SILVIS, Ill. – Michelle Wie dodged the question like a pro.

Which would she consider a bigger accomplishment at this point in her career, to win an LPGA event or make the cut on the PGA Tour?

“Well, I’ll tell you after I do both,” the 16-year-old said Tuesday during a standing-room-only news conference at the John Deere Classic.

Wie will play in the fifth PGA Tour event of her career starting Thursday – and her second consecutive appearance at the TPC at Deere Run.

She will try to become the first female to make the cut in a PGA Tour event in 61 years. Babe Didrikson Zaharias was the last to do it, at Phoenix and Tucson in 1945.

Defending John Deere Classic champion Sean O’Hair predicted Wie will make history this weekend.

“To be quite frank with you, I think she’ll make the cut,” O’Hair said.

Iowa native Zach Johnson agreed after joining O’Hair and Wie for a practice round.

“I would not bet against her, put it that way,” Johnson said.

Wie was on the cusp of history at last year’s John Deere Classic, but a double-bogey and a bogey on two of her final four holes left her two shots on the wrong side of the cut line.

“I made a couple of bad decisions coming into the final holes, but I was only 15,” said Wie, who shot 70-71. “I can make mistakes when I’m 15. Hopefully, I learned a lot from those mistakes, and hopefully I won’t do them again this year.”

Wie’s appearance at a PGA Tour event creates a swirl of opinion.

“As far as making a case for her, I think it would be better for her if she won a tournament out on the LPGA Tour,” O’Hair said. “And once she does that, a lot of guys are probably going to accept it a lot better.”

But O’Hair sees 18 holes worth of positives with Wie’s appearance this week.

“It’s great for the tour, because if you watch the ratings, this week they’re going to be sky high,” O’Hair said. “And it’s great for the event. There’s no negative part to it.”

USA Network will benefit from Wie’s appearance Thursday and Friday. ABC will televise the final two rounds.

Wie, who turned professional in October, tied for third in the Women’s U.S. Open two weeks ago. She has finished fifth or better in five of the past six LPGA majors.