GLADSTONE, N.J. — The Can’t Miss Miss did, again, but this time Michelle Wie lost to the world’s best.
Squandering the chance to be the final-day favorite to secure her second career LPGA triumph, Michelle Wie yesterday settled for a share of fifth place and $37,500 at the Sybase Match Play championship at Hamilton Farm. She lost three of her final five holes to blow a 1-up lead and fall 2&1 to top-ranked Jiyai Shin in the quarterfinals.
“I hit a few bad shots here and there,” Wie said. “Unfortunately I didn’t make a couple putts coming in.
“I took a couple of bogeys, which you just can’t do.”
Wie has one lifetime victory in 73 LPGA tourneys: the Lorena Ochoa Invitational in Mexico in November. She is winless in seven tournaments this year, with earnings of $224,208.
In this morning’s semifinals, Shin will face 28th-seed Sun Yung Yoo and 10th-seed Angela Stanford will take on No. 30 Amy Yang.
“Today, I didn’t make a mistake,” Shin said. “Same plan [today]. Play smart.”
The semis will be followed this afternoon by the consolation round and the final. The champion will earn $375,000, with second place worth $225,000, third $150,000 and fourth $112,500.
Wie birdied the 507-yard par-5 second hole for the third straight round, but gave back that lead with a bogey on No. 7, the 421-yard par-4.
The women matched pars on the next four, with Wie betraying some annoyance at having to putt out a few testers not conceded by Korea’s Shin.
The 20-year-old Wie reclaimed the lead with a birdie on the par-3 12th, but ran her second shot over No. 13, while Shin rolled in a 20-foot birdie to square the match again.
“I was thinking ‘It’s birdie time,’ ” Shin said of her first birdie of the match.
Wie fell behind for the first time when she missed a 6-footer on No. 15, taking bogey. Wie put her next tee shot in the bunker, then missed a 6-foot birdie try on No. 17 to end her tournament.
“I know exactly what I have to work on the next two weeks and try to win,” Wie said.
But this was her chance, and from the way she strode straight to her family cart after her losing putt, she seemed to know it.
Wie walked a straight path to the quarters before crashing into Shin. She beat 50th seed Stacy Prammanasudh 2-up Thursday and No. 28 Hee Yung Park 5&4 on Friday before eliminating No. 57 Karine Itcher 3&2 in yesterday’s morning round. Shin beat No. 62 Beatriz Recari 4&3 in the morning round.
The morning round also claimed rookie Amanda Blumenherst, beaten in 20 holes by Angela Stanford, and Morgan Pressel, who lost 4&3 to Amy Yang.