updated 10:13 p.m. ET July 14, 2006
SILVIS, Ill. – this had to be the most painful cut for Michelle Wie.
Trying to become the first woman in 61 years to make a PGA Tour cut, the 16-year-old instead was hospitalized with heat exhaustion for several hours Friday after withdrawing from the John Deere Classic with nine holes left.
She was visibly sick for much of the round, struggling to keep herself from getting sick on the course on a hot, steamy afternoon.
After being treated at the course medical trailer, she was taken to a hospital in an ambulance, an IV in one arm.
“She suffered a number of different symptoms, including stomach pains, nausea, dizziness and breathing problems which worsened as the round continued,” Wie’s agent, Ross Berlin, said in a statement. “Michelle was diagnosed with heat exhaustion and is now resting and in very good spirits.”
Wie was released about 8 p.m. and was resting comfortably, according to a statement from her publicist. She’ll now have a week off before a two-week trip to Europe for the Evian Masters in France and the Women’s British Open.
Wie nearly got sick on the ninth tee, and walked much of the hole holding her chest. She managed to finish, but after talking with her parents said she couldn’t play anymore. She was then taken to the course medical trailer.
Illinois law required she be taken to a hospital for further attention, and she left in an ambulance about a half-hour later. Her mother, Bo, accompanied the teenager in the ambulance and her father, B.J., followed behind in an SUV.
Nam Y. Huh / APMichelle Wie is 0-for-5 in making the cut in PGA Tour events. She will get another chance to make history in September, when she is scheduled to play the 84 Lumber Classic in Pennsylvania.“She’s fine. She’s getting better,” B.J. Wie said when he came out of the course medical trailer.
This was Wie’s fifth attempt at becoming the first woman since Babe Zaharias in 1945 to make a PGA Tour cut. but her chances at history were all but over after she opened with a 6-over 77 Thursday, leaving her 13 strokes behind the leaders and eight strokes over the projected cut line.
She was at 2-over 37 — and 8 over for the tournament — when she withdrew Friday. Joe Ogilvie was the second-round leader at 10-under 132 after a 4-under 67. Daniel Chopra (69), Kris Cox (68), John Senden (69) and John Huston (67) were one stroke back at 9 under. Defending champion Sean O’Hair (69) was six strokes behind Ogilvie.
Wie has had a hectic schedule recently, playing her third straight week and fifth event in 5½ weeks. The temperature Friday afternoon was 88, with the sun and humidity making it feel as if it was five degrees warmer.
“It was definitely warm,” said Jeff Gove, one of Wie’s playing partners. “We haven’t had a lot of heat this year.”
And Wie played when it was at its hottest, teeing off shortly before 2 p.m. She was looking listless by the time she approached the fifth green, sitting on her bag with her head bowed, a towel to her face.
“We’ve had several cases of heat-related illness, but mostly spectators,” said Dr. Benjamin Shnurman, a physician and tournament medical staff volunteer who treated Wie. “We haven’t treated any other players with this type of condition.”
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