Wie fires opening 73 against men in Japan
(Reuters)
Updated: 2005-11-24 17:08

UNSCHEDULED WAIT

The unscheduled wait appeared to unsettle Wie as bogeyed the second and third holes.

Wie's putting let her down as she produced a wonderful chip from the fringe on the 225-yard par-three second, only to miss a three-foot putt for par.

The huge gallery following Wie groaned in amazement as her short par-putt on the par-four third then lipped out.

"It's the first time I've had to wait 40 minutes between holes," said Wie. "Then I missed a couple of bad putts. It's not like something was terribly wrong. I missed a couple of bad putts...they just slipped out of my hand."

But Wie hit back beautifully with back-to-back birdies, lofting a sand wedge from 100 yards to four feet at the sixth and pitching to within three feet on the long par-five seventh.

Wie's first professional start was a chastening experience when she was disqualified after falling foul of a drop violation at the Women's World Championship in Palm Desert, California.

Sweden's Sophie Gustafson missed the cut at the 2003 Casio World Open, the only other time and a woman has played in a JGTO Tour event.