Thursday, July 13 2006 16:12 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Silvis (Illinois): Michelle Wie likes blending PGA and LPGA events and says she is not sure which professional golf tour she will end up playing full-time in the future.



"It's not like I'm a full-time member of the LPGA or a full-time member of the PGA," said Wie, who turned professional nine months ago. I'm just still trying to figure out what I want to do and doing what I want to do," he said.

"Obviously I want to win an LPGA tournament and I want to play in PGA tournaments. I feel like I'm having a really good balance right now of playing men's events and women's events," he said.

The 16-year-old Wie, who will attempt to make her first cut in five PGA Tour starts at this week's John Deere Classic, doesn't have a preference between the two tours.

"I really enjoy playing the LPGA and I really enjoy playing the PGA and I really enjoy playing in Asia and Europe. I love going all over and playing and I don't really have a favourite," Wie said.

Defending champion Sean O'Hair said it would be easier for the Korean-American teenager to be accepted into the PGA ranks if she won an LPGA event first.

"As far as making a case for her, I think it would be better for her if she won a tournament out on the LPGA Tour," O'Hair said.

"And once she does that, a lot of guys are probably going to accept it a lot better," he said.

Wie has finished fifth or better in five of the last six LPGA major tournaments and tied for third in the US Women's Open two weeks ago.

"I know that a win on an LPGA event will come," Wie said.

"I just want to do what I want to do, and that's always been my kind of motto. I'm just going to do what I want to do and not really follow anything," he said.

Asked if a lack of confidence was one of the factors preventing her from winning on the LPGA Tour, Wie said, "I don't think it's obviously mental toughness has to do with winning. But I'm pretty mentally tough. "

"I have a sports psychologist. I work with Jim Loehr on the mental side, and that's very important. But that's not the reason why I'm not winning tournaments," he said.

Last July, Wie nearly became the first woman in 60 years to make the cut in a PGA Tour event, shooting a one-under-par 141 at the Tournament Players Club at Deere Run.

Wie found herself in a good position to make the cut at the Deere Run course with only four holes to play on her final nine in the second round.

She crashed with a double-bogey on the par-four sixth and followed with a bogey on the par-three seventh. The miscues ended her hopes of becoming the first female to make a cut on the PGA Tour since Babe Didrikson Zaharias did so in 1945.

Wie carded rounds of 70-71, putting her two shots beyond the cut line.

Most of the game's top players are skipping the John Deere to get ready for the British Open.

O'Hair is the defending champion, beating Hank Kuehne and Robert Damron by one stroke for his first PGA Tour title.

At 22 years, 11 months, O'Hair became the youngest champion on the Tour since Sergio Garcia won the 2002 Mercedes Championships at 21 years, 11 months.

After a slow start this season, O'Hair has made six of his last seven cuts, including a tie for 12th at the Memorial Tournament.

O'Hair said he enjoyed his practice time on the course this week with Wie.

"Michelle, she's a great player. You know obviously I don't get to play with her much, so it's obviously fun to play with her. She's a good girl, and she's very sweet and she's very nice and down to earth," he said.

The leading player at the John Deere Classic will gain a spot in next week's British Open.