Wie faces tough task

Michelle Wie remained positive despite her fifth appearance on the US Tour getting off to a disappointing start when she struggled to a six-over-par 77 at the John Deere Classic in Silvis, Illinois.

The 16-year-old, who would qualify for next week’s Open Championship if she finished in the top 10 and was the leading non-exempt player on Sunday, was fighting an uphill battle from the moment she double-bogeyed the 11th hole, her second.

She followed it with four bogeys and two birdies in the next six holes, turned in 40 and then dropped further shots at the first and eighth.

“Considering how bad I hit my tee shots, I didn’t play that badly,” she said on Sky Sports News. “I had a lot of penalty strokes, unplayables, water hazards so, aside from that I thought I played great.

"It could have been a lot worse, it makes me want to play even better tomorrow.”