Women only: Wie to stick to LPGA play in 2008

Michelle Wie will begin what stands as the most important year of her nascent career in her native Hawaii, playing before the receptive home folks. Nothing unusual there, really.

Her playmates will be different this time around, though.

Instead of starting the season against the men at the Sony Open, Wie has elected not to play in PGA Tour events this year and will concentrate on rebuilding her flagging reputation on the LPGA circuit.

Wie, who skidded badly through an embarrassing and injury-wracked 2007 season, will skip the spring semester at Stanford and play against the women in an attempt to resuscitate her once-limitless fortunes, her coach said Thursday.

"I think she just wants to reestablish herself," said David Leadbetter, who is in the midst of a 10-day teaching session with his prized pupil. "Obviously, after such a terrible year, her biggest goal needs to be getting her form and confidence back. You do that brick by brick."

Yep, and not by getting stoned by male competition.

Given that Wie struggled to remain competitive against females last year, playing against the men won't help get her groove back, so to speak. It marks a philosophical retreat for a player who once aspired to play in the Masters and who came within a whisker of playing her way into the men's U.S. Open two years ago.

As it stands, Wie plans to play in at least one of the LPGA events in Hawaii in February, if not both, Leadbetter said. The SBS Open begins Feb. 14 and the Fields Open is the following week.

Unlike in the past, Wie, now 18, is no longer a can't-miss golden child. Sponsor exemptions have not been as freely forthcoming and she isn't expecting to be given special admittance into any major championships this year.

So, really, this is a three-part reclamation act -- rebuilding her game, confidence and reputation. She's just another would-be pro, albeit one with a reported $15 million in annual endorsement deals.

"She's got to eat a bit of humble pie," Leadbetter said. "She knows she has to prove herself all over again. And she's OK with that."

In their practice sessions this week at ChampionsGate Golf Club outside Orlando, where the Wie family has bought a condo for use during their Leadbetter teaching sessions, Michelle has finally been able to practice without pain for the first time in a year.

"There's definitely a spring in her step and wants to put this year behind her," he said. "She's starting to look like her old self."