Wie struggles badly on Tour debut

Michelle Wie's debut on the European Tour looks certain to be short-lived after she slumped to a first-round 78, seven over par, in the Omega European Masters.

Wie carded a double bogey, seven bogeys and two birdies at Crans-sur-Sierre to finish 12 shots off the pace set by English trio Robert Coles, Anthony Wall and David Carter.

That left the 16-year-old in 147th position in the 156-strong field and needing a miracle to make her second halfway cut in 10 appearances in men's events.

Behind her, with a very disappointing round, was Ireland's Gary Murphy who shot an 81 for a 10-over-par first round.

Peter Lawrie and Damien McGrane both shot 74 while Stephen Browne is one behind on two-over.

Best of the Irish is David Higgins on level-par.

Wie drew a massive gallery as she teed off at 1.40pm local time alongside Nick Dougherty and 2005 rookie of the year Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano, but after a par at the first, she three-putted the second for bogey.

A bogey on the sixth was followed by a birdie from 15 feet on the next, but the Hawaiian schoolgirl then ran up a double-bogey five on the eighth after overshooting the green from a greenside bunker.

Another three-putt bogey on the ninth took Wie to the turn in 40, but after further bogeys at the 11th and 13th she recorded her second birdie of the day on the par-five 15th, only to bogey the 16th and 18th.

Defending champion Sergio Garcia was two shots off the lead after an opening 68, three under par.

"It was a good round," said Garcia, the only member of the European Ryder Cup team taking part this week.

"The golf course is playing tough, quite difficult.

"The course is really firm and with these small greens which have a lot of undulations and fall off from the sides it is so difficult to get the perfect distance control with the altitude.

"On my front nine I felt I only missed one shot, where I pulled it on the 18th, and only managed to hit three greens. That tells you how difficult it is playing."

Surprise joint leader Coles has made just five cuts all season but clearly enjoys playing in Crans, his previous best tour finish of third coming here in 2004.

"My first rounds have been appalling all year," admitted Coles, who is 183rd on the Order of Merit and has only three more events after this to climb into the top 115 and retain his card.

"To get a decent start and get into a tournament is great, I'm delighted. I haven't played well this year, full stop. At the start of the year I wasn't hitting it well and that put pressure on my putting. Then my putting was affected, then your confidence goes and it is a confidence game."