Wie sets her eyes on men's US Open

Los Angeles: Teenage prodigy Michelle Wie was urged on by a gallery of around 1,500 earlier this month before finally making the cut in a men's event in South Korea.

The 16-year-old schoolgirl from Honolulu could attract a similar number of spectators as she continues her bid to qualify for the men's US Open next month in Summit, New Jersey.

Wie, who became the first woman to advance from local US Open qualifying in her native Hawaii on Monday, will be the major drawcard when she tees off at Canoe Brook Country Club on June 5 for 36 holes of sectional qualifying.

"We don't want to get too far down the road," US Golf Association president David Fay told a news conference after Wie led two other qualifiers in a 40-strong field with a level-par 72 at Turtle Bay Resort and Golf Club on Oahu.

"We realise we could have a heavy gallery and some parking problems to address but we'll sort it all out. Canoe Brook is no stranger to big-time golfers."

In recent years, Canoe Brook has hosted qualifiers for the US Open and British Open but these have been relatively low-key events without the need to rope off the fairways from spectators.

Galleries there have rarely exceeded 500. The presence of Wie is a very different matter.

Arguably the most exciting young talent since Tiger Woods, she is a tournament sponsor's delight with her power game, creative touch around the greens and photogenic bearing.

Just like Woods, she will always attract the crowds, whether playing well or poorly.

Wie, who qualified for the weekend in a men's tournament for the first time in eight attempts at this month's SK Telecom Open in South Korea, faces a high-pressure week in early June.

Three days after the 36-hole qualifier at Canoe Brook, she tees off in the opening round of the year's second major -- the LPGA Championship at Bulle Rock in Havre de Grace, Maryland.

"I think it's awesome," she said about her busy schedule.

"It's always been what I've wanted to do. "The possibility of playing at Winged Foot?" she added, referring to the second men's major of the year which takes place from June 15-18.

"It's the US Open, the name speaks for itself. It's one of a kind."

This week has been one of the most memorable for Wie in an already remarkable career.

On Monday, she had double cause to celebrate after receiving a special exemption for next month's US Women's Open and her first invitation to play on the men's European Tour.

Wie will compete in her 10th major championship at Newport Country Club, Rhode Island from June 29 to July 2 before taking on the men for the 10th time in a professional event at the European Masters in Switzerland from September 7-10.

In between, she has another outing lined up on the men's PGA Tour at the John Deere Classic from July 13-16. "My father and I have been joking that I'll basically play on all tours this year," Wie added with a smile.

"I have played the Japan Tour, the Korean Tour, the LPGA Tour, the PGA Tour and the Asian Tour. Now I've got the European Tour to come. I am honoured to play in my first European Tour event."

Wie, who has made no secret of her desire to go where no other female golfer has gone before, will become the second woman to compete in a tournament sanctioned by the European Tour.

Britain's Laura Davies played in the 2004 ANZ Championship at the Horizons Golf Resort in Port Stevens, Australia but missed the cut in the modified stableford event co-sanctioned by the Australasian and European tours.