Michelle Wie will get her first chance to earn a paycheck at this week's Samsung World Championship in Palm Desert, Calif. But where will we see her on the women's circuit in '06? Like it or not (see MY SHOT, page G14), she can't go everywhere: Because she's not an LPGA member, she's limited to six sponsor's exemptions, plus the U.S. Women's Open and the Weetabix Women's British Open, which are not LPGA events. Golf Plus called the directors of every U.S.-based LPGA tournament and asked if they'd offer her a tee time. With the exception of the State Farm Classic--where Doug Eibling said, sadly, "I'm not sure if we'll try. We're in September, so by then she'll likely have used all of her exemptions"--everyone said yes. Here's an educated guess at where she'll end up.
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Event | '05 Dates | Chances | Reason | Perks |
SBS Open | Feb 24-26 | 100% | It's a home game | Can sleep in own bed |
Safeway | March 17-20 | 95% | Pairs well with Kraft Nabisco | Spring break in 'Zona, baby |
Kraft | March 24-27 | 100% | Major! | Extended spring break |
ShopRite | June 3-5 | 50% | Classic course near Atlantic City | Lots of Trump signs |
McDonald's | June 9-12 | 100% | Major! | Free Big Macs |
Wegmans | June 16-19 | 65% | Something to do between the LPGA and the Open | Bright lights of Pittsford, N.Y. |
U.S. Women's | June 23-26 | 100% | Major! | Tuneup for the John Deere? |
Evian | July 20-23 | 95% | Why go to Europe for just one week? | Awesome shopping |
Weetabix | July 28-31 | 100% | Major! | Showing off the mock turtlenecks |
Safeway | Aug. 19-21 | 50% | Down the road from a certain clubmaker | Short hop home for senior year |
 
PHOTO
DARREN CARROLL (WIE)
