Michelle Wie Accepts Sponsors Exemption for Safeway Classic

July 24, 2007, Portland, Oregon

17-year old Michelle Wie has accepted a sponsor’s exemption to play in the Safeway Classic, presented by Pepsi at Columbia-Edgewater Country Club, August 24-26.  Wie’s appearance in Portland will be her second.  She played in the event in 2003, at the age of 13, and tied for 28th.

Last year, Wie earned six top 5’s in eight LPGA events.  Her $730,921 in earnings would have placed her 15th on the season-ending LPGA Official Money List.

“We are thrilled to welcome Michelle back to Portland again,” said Tom Maletis, President of Tournament Golf Foundation (TGF), the tournament owners and organizers.  “Michelle is an incredible athlete and will add to a very strong field of LPGA players we are expecting in Portland this year.”

Wie has been hampered this year by wrist injuries, but is excited about her return to Oregon.  “It’s been a few years since I’ve played at the Safeway Classic, and I’m excited to be coming back.  Right now, I’m working on getting back to top form, and I’m hoping I will be all the way back by the time I come to Portland.”

The 2007 Safeway Classic will mark the 36th consecutive year the Tour event has been brought to Portland by TGF.  The event, originally called the Portland Classic, has now donated over $11 million to local children’s charities since its inception in 1972, with $7 million coming in the past ten years with Safeway as title sponsor.  In 2006, the tournament raised $1.01 million through the Safeway Foundation for Oregon charities.

The 2007 edition of the Safeway Classic, presented by Pepsi, will be held Aug. 24-26.  Pro-Am events and practice rounds will be taking place from Monday Aug. 20-Thursday Aug. 23.  Fans are welcome all week.  The purse for the event will be $1.7 million.  All three days of tournament play will be broadcast on ESPN2.

Advance tickets for the tournament are available now.  Weekly tournament tickets are $25 and one day tickets, good any day are only $10.  Fans can get a voucher good for two tickets any day of the event with any purchase of $35 of groceries at any Oregon or SW Washington Safeway store.  Public parking is $5 per day, with all proceeds benefiting local children’s charities.  Tickets can be ordered by calling Tournament Golf Foundation at 503-626-2711 or via forms available online at www.safewaygolf.com.