Wie two shots back in qualifying

Dec 5, 2008 - 10:31 PM DAYTONA BEACH, Florida (Ticker) -- Despite her worst round of qualifying, Michelle Wie is closing in on earning her LPGA Tour card for next year.

Wie shot an even-par 72 Friday and is two shots off the lead after the third round of Q-School.

Following up her opening two rounds of 69 and 65, Wie is at 10-under 206 and in a tie for third place with Stacy Lewis.

Wie enters this 90-hole qualifying tournament trying to finish in the top 20 in order to secure her tour card for next year.

Mollie Fankhauser shot a 6-under 66 to vault to the top of the leaderboard at 12-under 204. She is one shot ahead of Shiho Oyama (71), who entered the day tied with Wie for the lead.

Wie has not lived up to her considerable promise since becoming the youngest player to make a cut in an LPGA event when she accomplished the feat at the Nabisco Championship in 2003 at age 13.

Still just 19, Wie battled a wrist injury and endured a disappointing 2008 campaign, missing three cuts and getting disqualified from another tournament among her nine LPGA events.

Wie holds a seven-shot cushion over a cluster of players tied for 20th place at 213.