Wie struggles in Honolulu

Michelle Wie was next-to-last and in need of a miracle after an opening nine-over-par 79 at the US Tour's Sony Open in Honolulu.

It left the 16-year-old 14 strokes behind leader Rory Sabbatini and requiring probably a 64 at worst to survive the halfway cut, her goal every since she first started playing against the men two years ago.

Britain's Justin Rose also has a fight on his hands to make it through to the weekend as well, his first round of the new season beginning promisingly, but then falling away to a 74.

Wie missed the cut by just one shot on her debut in the event at the age of 14 - she shot 72 and 68 then - and the spotlight has been on her ever since to see if she can emulate Babe Zaharias, the last woman to play all four rounds on the US Tour back in 1945.

But after failing by seven a year ago and then finishing two outside the mark at the John Deere Classic in July her latest attempt became a struggle from early on.

Now a professional, Wie three-putted the 12th (her third) and then ran up three double bogeys to turn in a seven-over 42.   Even if the front nine was a distinct improvement on that there was not much for her to smile about afterwards.

"It was like, wow, I can't believe I'm doing this bad," she said. "It was just a combination of bad shots that turned out to be really bad and just a lot of wasted strokes out there.

"It was not my day. I guess I kind of got a little bit too aggressive at some times. It's not like you hit wedge into every hole - you are going into the green with four-iron and three-iron, so it was tough for me to get back on track.

"I didn't really feel any pressure. The hard part for me was I have not played in a tournament since November. But just playing with these guys out here, just being able to play in this ournament was awesome.

"One thing that I learned is that the guys, even if they do struggle, they lways just seem to end it with a bogey or less. I think that's what I earned."

Wie, second and third in two of the women's majors last season, has played six imes against men in all and has yet to make a cut.

Her third place at the Women's British Open last year has entitled her to nter the qualifying for the previously male-only Open championship at Hoylake n July, but no form has been received from her by the Royal and Ancient Club et.

Rose, who is also coached by David Leadbetter, practised with Wie on Tuesday nd knows from bitter personal experience how hard it must be for her.  He turned pro at 17 straight after finishing fourth in the 1998 Open, but issed his first 21 halfway cuts stretching almost a year.

"When I began to miss a couple of cuts my focus turned into making the cut ather than going into a tournament playing it for what it is - playing to win, really, which is what I'm sure she does in LPGA events," Rose said.

"I know she's incredibly strong mentally. I'm sure she goes into a tournament believing she can do more than make the cut. But it's amazing how the cut creeps into your mind and it snowballs from there.

"You limit yourself by thinking 'Let's just make the cut.' She's plenty good enough to make it and all that matters really is that you keep improving."