Michelle Wie Paired with Big Break's Blair O'Neal in Monday Qualifier for Women's U.S. Open

Update: The Allentown Morning Call is reporting that Michelle Wie was one of 75 players who failed to qualify for the Women's U.S. Open Monday, shooting 71-74 to finish with a 2-over 145. The necessary score to make it into a playoff for the last of the 30 spots available at Woodmont Country Club was 1-over 144.

Blair O'Neal managed to survive another elimination on the Golf Channel's Big Break: Prince Edward Island Monday evening, but wasn't so fortunate Monday afternoon. She struggled en route to an opening round of 80, and finished with a more respectable 75 but was never seriously in contention for a spot.

"It was really rough," she told the Washington Examiner, which was on hand to cover the event. "I really struggled on the first 18. It was like I wasn't even there. It was like I was on the outside, looking in."

Natalie Gulbis also failed to qualify during the proceedings at Woodmont.

Sunday, June 14

LPGA Tour rookie Anna Nordqvist's plans for Monday morning were slightly altered when she captured her first professional victory Sunday at the McDonald's LPGA Championship. In addition to the $300,000 winner's check, the win guarantees her a spot in the Women's U.S. Open for the next five years. She'll no longer need to participate in sectional qualifying Monday at Woodmont Country Club in Rockville, Md.

Fellow first-year LPGA Tour player Michelle Wie will be at Woodmont attempting to play her way into next month's U.S. Open, which will be played in Bethlehem, Pa., at Saucon Valley Country Club (July 6-12). Wie will be paired with 27-year-old Blair O'Neal, who is one of four finalists on "Big Break: Prince Edward Island," a golf-based reality series that airs Mondays at 9 p.m. on The Golf Channel. 

The high-profile pairing is probably one of the most recognizable twosomes in the history of U.S. Women's Open sectional qualifying.

Because of the qualifier's proximity to Bulle Rock Golf Club, site of the McDonald's LPGA Championship, the field for the Woodmont sectional qualifier will be heavy on LPGA Tour talent. Each player will play 36 holes, and only a limited number of spots will be available for the Open.

O'Neal was on hand this Friday to watch some of the action at the McDonald's Championship prior to her sectional qualifying appearance. The former Arizona State Sun Devil will be making her first start in a sectional qualifier and has never competed in the Women's U.S. Open.

She said she hopes her experience on the Big Break will help her Monday and down the road.

'I see this as my window of opportunity to take advantage of everything that comes with the show and the experience I got out of the show," O'Neal told the Baltimore Sun on Friday. "Hopefully, that will help catapult me to playing on the Tour."

While Wie finished well back at the McDonald's Championship, she did manage to pick up her first hole-in-one as a professional when she aced the 152-yard 7th hole with an 8 iron during Saturday's third round.

It could be a phenomenal day for O'Neal, or a number of her dreams could be shattered. While the outcome of Big Break: Prince Edward Island has already been decided, the national television audience will find out if O'Neal survives another elimination on Monday. If she makes it through qualifying and onto the final three on Big Break, it would no doubt be a career day for her. But this girl has a lot going for her even if she fails to advance on both fronts Monday. For fun, check out the latest video posted to her Web site. I immediately felt ashamed of my abs.

As far is the LPGA is concerned, it's paramount that Wie play well on Monday and advance to the U.S. Open. This Tour desperately needs its biggest star to win a high-profile event, any event for that matter, sooner than later.

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