Teenager Wie makes cut at men's event in S Korea

INCHEON, South Korea, May 5 (Reuters) American 16-year-old Michelle Wie became the first women to make the cut in a major men's tour event since 1945 when she fired a three-under 69 today in the second round of the Asian Tour's SK Telecom Open.

The Hawaiian schoolgirl had been bidding to make her first halfway cut in eight appearances against the men. The last woman to make the final two rounds of a senior men's event was Babe Zaharias at the 1945 Los Angeles Open.

Wie carded four birdies and one bogey in the second round, giving her a two-round total of five under, five shots behind the clubhouse leaders.

''I still can't believe that I made the cut,'' Wie told reporters. ''I will be even happier tonight when it all sinks in.'' Wie, who was particularly happy with her putting, said she was aiming for a solid finish in the tournament and that she was looking forward to playing against the men in the US ''I want to challenge the PGA tour in the US and make it into the top 10,'' she said.

Wie is five strokes behind clubhouse leaders Jeev Milkha Singh of India and South Korea's Lee Seung-ho, who are both at 10-under.

Wie, who regularly hits her drives over 300 yards, missed the cut by one stroke at the Casino World Open in Japan last November after bogeying the last two holes.

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