Wie plans to be regular fixture at men's events

KOCHI, Japan, Nov 22 (Reuters) Michelle Wie has shrugged off criticism of her forays into men's golf before this week's Casio World Open, saying: ''Get used to it.'' The Honolulu schoolgirl will be attempting to make the cut for only the second time in 12 professional men's tournaments on her second visit to Kochi, on Japan's Shikoku island.

Wie missed last year's World Open cut by a single stroke after bogeying her last two holes and trudged off the 18th green sobbing as her father B.J. tried to console her.

But despite several men's players suggesting she should become a dominant force in the women's game before teeing up with the men, Wie is not one to shirk a challenge.

''I want to play a lot of men's events next year,'' the 17-year-old told reporters on Wednesday, the eve of the opening round.

''I feel that as long as I play well it will work out.'' Wie became the first woman to make the cut in a major men's tour event in 61 years at the Asian Tour's SK Telecom Open in South Korea in May.

The previous woman to make the final two rounds of a men's tournament had been Babe Zaharias at the 1945 Los Angeles Open.

CONFIDENCE BOOST ''I had played in men's events in Hawaii... but that was my first professional tournament,'' said Wie, who has yet to win an LPGA tournament. ''That definitely gave me confidence.'' However, Wie shot her worst score in a men's tournament in September when she followed an opening round 77 with an 81 at the 84 Lumber Classic.

Her meltdown at Mystic Rock followed on the heels of a last-place finish at the European Masters in Switzerland and led to murmerings of discontent from some quarters.

American Ryder Cup player Scott Verplank told Wie to ''come back when she's 20 or 21 and grown up'' after her failure at the Lumber Classic.

Wie, who made an impression with the locals this week by donating ,000 to 10 child-care facilities throughout Kochi, disagrees.

''I worked my butt off so I hope to do well this year,'' Wie said on her arrival in Japan last week. ''I'm pretty confident.

I just want to go under par. If that makes the cut -- awesome.'' Former European number one Colin Montgomerie has pulled out but the field still includes Japan's money leader Shingo Katayama and Hideto Tanihara, who was fifth at this year's British Open.

REUTERS RL RK1656