At 21, Michelle Wie still searching for first major win

Michelle Wie loses the grip on her driver as she tees off on the second hole of the Women's U.S. Open at the Broadmoor Golf Club (Colorado Springs) on Saturday. AP Photo/Chris Carlson.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado — To make the cut at the U.S. Women’s Open, all Michelle Wie had to do was roll in a twisting 35-foot putt in front of a packed grandstand overlooking the 18th green.

No problem.

As for the big-picture issue: Cashing in on her potential.

Bigger problem.

Not that long ago, Wie appeared on the verge of becoming the next big thing in the sport. Now 21 years old, Wie is still searching for her first victory at a major.

She’s the ultimate long shot, entering the third round trailing leader Mika Miyazato by 12 strokes. Wie needed that long, breaking putt on the 18th hole of her second round simply to make the cut at 7-over 149.

“I think I live my life too difficultly,” Wie said, smiling.

Or, as some have hinted, perhaps not seriously enough.

She was called out by Hall of Famer Annika Sorenstam earlier this week for concentrating more on earning her degree at Stanford than her golf game. Not that there’s anything wrong with going to Stanford, but Wie gave up amateur golf six years ago, turning pro in hopes of cashing in on her potential.

“The physical part is there. Sometimes you wonder if she’s mentally strong enough to finish at the top,” Sorenstam said. “She’s very distracted with school, doesn’t really play as much full time as I thought she would.”

But Wie took umbrage with that assertion, saying school doesn’t get in her way. She plans her classes around her golf lessons, which makes it difficult to sign up for courses she needs.

“A college degree has been one of my biggest dreams since I was 4,” said Wie, who is scheduled to graduate next spring with a communications degree. “I’m going to regret it for the rest of my life if I don’t do this. I’m having a lot of fun going to school.”

Wie spent most of Saturday trying to recover from a 7-over 78 in the first round. It put her in position of needing a birdie on 18 — ranked as the most difficult hole on the course — to have any chance.

After a solid 9-iron into the green, she patiently studied her line, trying to decipher the tricky greens at the Broadmoor. She rolled it true and the putt dropped. The crowd roared.

Wie has long been a fan favorite, the potential face of golf.

But now a few years into her career, she may still be best remembered for playing in a stop on the men’s tour than either of her two wins on the women’s side.

“I am a professional golfer and I am putting that as a priority, even when I’m in school,” Wie said. “It’s my career, so that’s especially important to me.

“But at the same time, I think getting an education is also important. … I am trying my hardest. I’m not going to say it’s easy.”