Michelle Wie ... still thinking about the Masters?

Michelle Wie is still dreaming of winning a tournament on the PGA Tour and playing in the Masters.

"You know, like I always say, dream high and stuff, set your goals up high, and I think it's definitely -- I'm not saying it's an easy goal to achieve," she said when asked about winning a men's event.

"...It's one of those long-term goals where I see myself getting to."

Of course, another long-term goal has been winning any tournament at any level. Her last victory was as a 13-year-old wunderkind in the USGA Women's Public Links.

This year, the 19-year-old's first on the LPGA Tour, hasn't given any indication that Wie is ready to collect a first-place check on either tour. She finished second in her first event, in her home state of Hawaii, and has finished 57th, 67th, 10th and 15th in subsequent LPGA tournaments. She is in Clifton, N.J., for this week's LPGA Sybase Open.

Maybe Wie will one day compete effectively in a men's event. But maybe she should be thinking a little more short-term than long-term these days. Speaking about winning on the PGA Tour at this point borders on delusional.

--Mike James

Photo: Michelle Wie. Photo credit: Hunter Martin / Getty Images.

Michelle Wie still wants to play against best of men's tour too

Michelle Wie won't give it up. She tells the Yonhap News Agency in Seoul that she still wants to play against men.

The assumption was that she would be more fully committed to the LPGA after earning her tour card in qualifying this month.

That's still possible. But she's obviously not backing away from the challenge of playing against the PGA's best as well.

"I assure you I hold no grudges against men," she told the agency.

"Just because I qualified for the LPGA, it doesn't mean my goal changed. One of the reasons I started golf was to play against men. It hasn't changed."

Wie added that as an athlete, she has completely transformed herself since recovering from last year's wrist injury and no longer feels like a "youngling."

-- Randy Harvey

Photo: Michelle Wie talks to reporters at a news conference in Seoul on Tuesday. Credit: EPA / Yonhap News Agency

Michelle Wie, quietly, is back on track

Michelle Wie, trying for the first time to earn her LPGA Tour card, is showing the type of game that made her the biggest draw in women's golf.

In the qualifying tournament in Daytona Beach, Fla., the 19-year-old Stanford student got out early today and shot a blistering seven-under-par 65 in the second round. Live scoring can be found here.

Her total of 10 under par allowed her to share the lead with first-round leader Shiho Oyama of Japan.

The top 20 players from the tournament earn their tour cards for 2009.

Wie has played LPGA Tour events in the past on sponsors' exemptions and is only now trying to become a full-fledged member. She struggled with injuries -- and image problems -- for much of the last year, but her play now is returning to the form that enabled her to contend in major championships.

She must be thrilled by the turnaround and encouraged that the skills that seemed to be rusting have returned, right? Well, we won't know until after the fifth round of the tournament on Sunday. She's not speaking publicly until then.

--Mike James

Photo: Michelle Wie during the first round of the LPGA Tour qualifying tournament on Wednesday. Credit: Sam Greenwood / Getty Images. 

Michelle Wie tries to earn LPGA Tour card

For the first time, the LPGA Tour is providing live scoring on its website, LPGA.com, from the final stage of its qualifying tournament.

Why?

Michelle Wie is playing, joining a cast of 140 wannabes as they attempt to earn their tour cards for next season.

The five-round tournament began this morning in Daytona Beach. Don't miss the LPGA's "Wie Watch -- Live Blog From Q School." And Wie fans also can turn to the LPGA's Wie page for her bio, articles and photos.

-- Randy Harvey

Photo: Michelle Wie hits off the second tee during the final round of the Canadian Women's Open golf tournament three months ago. Credit: Sean Kilpatrick / Canadian Press / AP

LPGA's struggles continue -- but is Michelle Wie the answer?

The LPGA, which muddied the waters earlier this summer with its ill-fated mandate (since reversed) that all players learn English or face penalties, lost another tournament sponsor this week.

ADT, sponsor of the ADT Championship, the season-ending limited-field event that gives $1 million to the winner, has pulled out for next season, leaving that tournament without a title sponsor.

As Beth Ann Baldry writes at golfweek.com, ADT is the fifth LPGA tournament sponsor to leave, joining Safeway, Bobby Ginn, Fields and SemGroup. The LPGA previously announced that the McDonald's LPGA championship will not have a title sponsor next year.

And there is word that sponsorship of the Michelob Ultra Open in Williamsburg, Va., next year may be up in the air because of the sale of Anheuser-Busch to InBev.

In any event, the likelihood that the LPGA will be able to field a schedule as full as in 2008 is up in the air.

Perhaps at no time in the recent past has the possibility of Michelle Wie joining the tour been more important. Wie will try to earn her tour card in final qualifying in December. Right now, she might be the only player who can move the needle for the LPGA, bring it more into the sports mainstream and generate the interest that will attract additional sponsors.

-- Mike James

Photo: Michelle Wie, once she qualifies for the LPGA Tour and assuming she plays a regular schedule, would be the tour's megastar. Credit: Christian Peterson / Getty Images.