Michelle Wie receives 2005 Sony Open exemption

BY iseekgolf.com | US PGA Tour | 2005 Sony Open in Hawaii | General | 10 Dec 2004

Michelle Wie, Hawaii’s 15-year old golfing phenom, will launch her 2005 golf season in January with the world’s best PGA TOUR players at the Sony Open in Hawaii. Anthony R. Guerrero, Jr., president of Friends of Hawaii Charities, the tournament’s host, Ryozo Sakai, senior executive advisor, Sony Hawaii, the title sponsor representative and Warren Luke, president of Waialae Country Club, jointly announced today that Michelle Wie received an exemption to play in the 2005 Sony Open in Hawaii.

“The response from the players and the public to this remarkable young lady’s competitive and enormously friendly spirit was a spark for the 2004 Sony Open. As we celebrate the fortieth year of PGA TOUR competition at Waialae, Michelle’s participation adds another level of interest and excitement to the event. We, in Hawaii, are very proud of Michelle who will have the opportunity to compete again with a marquee roster of United States and international pro golfers, including Ernie Els, the two-time defending champion. The Sony Open in Hawaii not only brings the eyes of the world to the State of Hawaii but most importantly, also helps to support Hawaii’s charities”, commented Guerrero.

Ryozo Sakai added, “We are excited that Michelle will have the opportunity to exhibit her golfing talents and great personality to people of all ages, both golfers and non-golfers who so overwhelmingly followed her effort last year both on the course and via the global telecasts.”

Michelle participated under a sponsor exemption in the 2004 event at the Waialae Country Club Course and missed the cut by a mere stroke. Her second round 68 was the best score ever shot by a woman playing in a PGA TOUR event. During the year, she also was given similar exemptions to play in seven LPGA Tour professional events as an amateur and finished in the top 20 in six of those events, including a remarkable fourth place finish at the prestigious Kraft Nabisco Championship.

Tickets for the 2005 Sony Open are on sale at all Oahu branches of First Hawaiian Bank with advance sale at $10 daily per person and $15 if purchased at the Tournament admission gates, Wednesday, January 12 through Sunday, January 16. Additional Sony Open tournament information is available by calling 523-7888.

Source – Sony Open