Wales Open:In the week when Michelle Wie returns to competition, Retief Goosen has made it clear he thinks she should receive no more invitations to men's events. Wie's comeback from wrist injuries is on the LPGA Tour in South Carolina, but the 17-year-old Hawaiian will be taking on the men again at the US Tour's John Deere Classic in July.
"The players in general feel it is not right," said Goosen, who is competing this week at the Wales Open at Celtic Manor. "If she qualifies to play in an event, then fine, but there are youngsters and good players coming up who could have taken that spot and broken through. We all know with her playing in the men's events that she is not going to get anywhere, so I'm not really sure what she is trying to achieve. If she thinks it is helping her development, then fine, but so far I think it has been damaging to her game."
At 13, Wie came within a stroke of making the cut at the Sony Open, and she did make the cut in an event in Korea last year, but last September she had two last places in Europe and America and also struggled at the Sony Open this January.
Recently, coach David Leadbetter said he thought she would be concentrating on women's events, but on that Wie said: "I don't think my coach is the person who would talk about what events I'm going to play in.
"I think that it was an unfortunate event. He got misquoted. I don't think he was represented the way he wanted to. I learn so much from playing with the men and I just feel so grateful I have the opportunity to play that kind of golf.
"It brings a different perspective into the way I play and I learn a lot of cool shots from them. I just like it, so I'm going to do it as long as I enjoy it."
Bradley Dredge, hoping this week to become the first home winner of the Wales Open at Celtic Manor, yesterday found himself defending his decision not to try to qualify for next month's US Open. "I just don't want to do it and luckily I don't have to answer to anybody," said Dredge.
But the 33-year-old's stance simply staggered Michael Campbell, who two years ago came through qualifying to win the US Open at Pinehurst. He was 80th in the world at the time. Dredge is currently 66th.
"I don't understand it. I find it quite bizarre," said the New Zealander. "It's the sort of week that can change your life."
Goosen, pushed down to 10th in the world rankings by also crashing out at halfway last week, is the only player in the top 25 taking part.
The tournament is back on the par 69 Roman Road course where Phillip Archer last year equalled the Tour record with his opening 60.
Venue: The Roman Road Course at the Celtic Manor Resort in Newport, Wales
Prize Money: €2,200,000, winner gets €368,812
Course: Designed by Robert Trent Jones Snr, the course opened in 1995. This is a short course, with a par of just 69. Next year the event will switch to the far tougher, 7,493-yard layout created for the 2010 Ryder Cup. Last year Philip Archer had a seven-foot putt to shoot a 59. He missed.
Defending champion: Robert Karlsson will attempt to enter the record books as only the third Swede in the 35-year history of the European Tour to successfully defend a title
On TV: SS1: 10am-1pm, SS2: 3-6pm
