Scotland's Catriona Matthews produced a superb 68 to move on to the heels of world number one Lorena Ochoa in the Ricoh Women's British Open at St Andrews today but for Michelle Wie it was yet another sorry tale.
While Matthews, twice a winner on the course in her amateur days, kept a bogey off her card in the windy conditions Wie's woes returned with an 80 that sent her crashing out of the event at halfway on seven over.
The 17-year-old of whom so much was expected is now 89 over par for the season and could soon fall out of the top 50 on the world rankings - almost unthinkable for one of the highest earners in women's sport.
On five under par Matthews is only one behind Ochoa, who bogeyed the last to add a 73 to her sparkling opening 66, and said: "You would not be normal unless you were nervous, but I'm playing well so there's no reason why I can't have two more good rounds.
"It was a great feeling having people cheering you onto the greens. In the States you don't get the home support — and obviously it would be great to win."
She feared she was going to have to battle with some severe gusts as she set off, but things never got that bad and she was able to pick off birdies at the second, sixth, seventh, 11th and par five 17th.
Wie, whom some people thought when she turned pro two years ago might be occupying Ochoa's position by now, discovered that her opening 73 was another false dawn.
Kept out of action for almost five months by a broken wrist suffered in a fall, this was only her sixth event of 2007, but every one has brought disappointment.
Wie is without a score in the sixties for over 12 months, but this round followed a 84 in France last week, an 82 at the US Open and an 83 in the other women's major she has played in, the McDonalds LPGA Championship.
Only one behind Ochoa herself when she played her first 10 holes of the first round in three under, her hopes of surviving to the weekend were already looking gloomy when she ran up a double bogey seven on the long 14th.
Yet still the teenager refused to be totally downcast. "I'm still positive about it — my driving was awesome," she said. "I just didn't convert with my irons and my putter and it all came down to that. I must have been in eight divots, but no excuses. Today was not my day.
"Obviously I'm really disappointed, but I'm getting better a little bit at a time. My driving has been the reason why I've played bad this year, but I hit some great ones and I feel stronger."
Her next appearance, she said, will be the Canadian Women's Open in two weeks' time, but she is not expected to compete against the men again at the European Masters in Switzerland next month.
Ochoa allowed American Solheim Cup player Wendy Ward to move right up behind her as well as Matthew, but perhaps her biggest worry is the presence of former world number one Annika Sorenstam and three-time winner and defending champion Sherri Steinhauer on three under.
Sorenstam, as Ochoa did in the first round, had the benefit of calm early conditions, although teeing off at 6.52am is not something of which she wants to make a habit.
She was up at around 4am and commented: "I love to sleep and that's normally when I sleep the best. It was tough to go to bed so early because I was so wound up after the first round and was thinking about all of the different shots.
"I tried to tell myself 'you've got to sleep — you've got to get up in about six hours'."
Sorenstam did bogey the ninth and 12th, but there were two birdies before and when two more followed on the par five 14th and 17th she was perfectly satisfied with her 71.
"I'm thrilled that I'm playing well," said the 36-year-old, who is still recovering full fitness after suffering a ruptured and herniated disc in her back. "I'm starting to get my natural draw back. I haven't really seen that in about 19 months and it's something you need on this course."
