Although all the stars will have to be perfectly aligned, organizers are cautiously hinting that much-publicized and oft-troubled Michelle Wie could possibly be part of the field next month for the Canadian PGA Women’s Championship (CPGA) at the Credit Valley Golf and Country Club.
“There’s a little chance,” says CPGA tournament director Brad Moyer. “We’ve been playing phone tag with her agent and as of right now, I’d say there’s a five percent chance.”
There are a few factors about the Women’s CPGA event to consider that might lead to speculation over whether Wie, who will play next week at the Legends Reno-Tahoe Open on the men’s PGA Tour, will show up in Mississauga.
First of all, this year’s Women’s CPGA event, scheduled for Aug. 6-8, has been opened to foreign players for the first time. Secondly, the title sponsor this year is Nike Golf and Wie is one of their high-profile clients. Thirdly, the purse for this year’s 36-hole tournament has been increased to $70,000, up from $30,000.
And last, but not least, the week of the tournament at Credit Valley is a “down” week for the LPGA Tour since it is sandwiched between the Women’s British Open and the CN Canadian Women’s Open in Ottawa, where Wie will play Aug. 14-17 on a sponsor’s exemption.
“If she shows up, that would certainly change the dynamics of the tournament,” says Adam Cherry, golf director at Credit Valley.
Wie, who turns 19 in October, has had a brief career as a professional golfer but one full of twists and turns.
Just last week, she was disqualified from the State Farm Classic in Springfield, Illinois after it was discovered she had left the scoring area without signing her scorecard. She was in contention at the time.
She was assessed a two-stroke penalty at the British Open last year for grounding her club in a bunker. In 2005, she was disqualified from the Samsung World Championship for signing an incorrect scorecard because she took a drop that was closer to the hole than the original lie.
Wie is not the only big name organizers are hoping to land for the Credit Valley event. There are hopes that LPGA veterans Lori Kane and Dawn Coe-Jones will be part of the field, which could reach 80 players. Entries for the Women’s CPGA tournament close on July 31.
“It would seem to make sense because a lot of the players are going to have to come through Toronto to get to Ottawa the next week anyway,” says Cherry. “It will give them an opportunity to get in a couple of competitive rounds before the CN tournament. I think perhaps some players tend to wait until close to the deadline before they commit.”
“There’s no doubt Toronto is the hub and everyone coming from the States will go through here,” adds Moyer. “I think you might find some of the players who are at No. 50 through 100 on the (LPGA) money list might want to get in a couple of rounds before they get to Ottawa.”
Cindy Pasechnik of Calgary and Nancy Harvey, a 19-year veteran of the LPGA Tour and a three-time winner of the Women’s CPGA event, have already committed to play in Mississauga.
The last time Credit Valley hosted a major event was the 2001 Canadian Amateur championship. In 1993, the Mississauga course hosted the Men’s CPGA tournament. Steve Stricker won the tournament and has since blossomed into one of the stars of the PGA Tour.
The Women’s CPGA tournament is free for spectators to attend.
onlinenews@mississauga.net
