Golf: Wie's parents get blast from title holder

Hawaiian teenaged golfing prodigy Michelle Wie does not deserve a sponsor's invitation, according to Australian golfer Mark Hensby. Picture / Reuters

Australian golfer Mark Hensby has slammed Michelle Wie's parents for allowing their 15-year-old daughter to play in the US PGA Tour's John Deere Classic in July.

Hensby, who will be defending his title in the event, says Wie has not earned a place in the field, and that her spot should go to a more deserving player.

"I don't think a 15-year-old girl who's done nothing at all should get a sponsor's invitation to a PGA Tour event," Hensby said yesterday.

"But I don't blame the Classic or Michelle. I blame her parents, and the people running her affairs.

"Michelle should be playing against girls her own age. She's obviously a very good player but she's only ever won one junior tournament.

"If she qualified I wouldn't have a problem, but to take a sponsor's invitation, I don't think that's right."

Hensby insisted he wasn't criticising Hawaiian teenager Wie because of her gender, saying he would welcome Annika Sorenstam into any tour event.

"Annika's the best female player ever in my mind and I believe she's good enough to play out here."

Hensby played in last year's Sony Open in Hawaii, where Wie came within a shot of making the cut, but was not particularly impressed.

"Big deal," he said.

"There's a difference between making the cut and winning."

Wie has twice contested the Sony Open, but the John Deere Classic in Illinois will be her first start in a PGA Tour event on the American mainland.

The tournament, held the week before the British Open, always struggles to attract the big names, and the sponsor obviously decided Wie's appearance would be a good way to generate publicity.

A youthful New Zealand women's team have arrived in Thailand focused on a much improved performance for next week's Queen Sirikit Cup Championship.

The three-strong team of Natasha Krishna (Auckland) and Sharon Ahn (North Harbour) and Sarah Nicholson (Wellington), buoyed by their recent Tasman Cup victory over Australia, are keen for a top performance in the Asia-Pacific teams tournament at the Green Valley Country Club in Bangkok.

Nicholson 19, Krishna 15, and Ahn 14 form the youngest team New Zealand have sent to the championship but the trio are anything but overawed by the occasion.

"Those days are over for us. The team respect the other players but they are not overawed," New Zealand programme manager Gaylene Eyre said.

"There's been a real change in the culture at women's golf in recent times. The players are in good form and they know they are the equal of anyone at the tournament. It's a matter of applying themselves, handling the different climate and course conditions and having confidence in their own ability."

The New Zealand team have form on their side. Ahn won the New Zealand strokeplay championships last month, Krishna the recent national under-21 title in Whakatane and Nicholson was in brilliant form to beat Australia's best at last month's Victorian Open.

The team will be guided by former touring professional Marnie McGuire. New Zealand have previously won the Queen Sirikit Cup in 1984, 1990 and 1998.

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