- Here Wie Go Again:  By now it’s several-day-old news, but after appearing determined (at least for a while) not to play in anymore PGA Tour events until after actually proving herself (read winning) on the women’s side, 18-year-old Michelle Wie has accepted a sponsor exemption to next week’s Reno-Tahoe Open, which leads to several obvious observations.  First, the Reno-Tahoe event is played opposite the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, virtually guaranteeing it a field devoid of any world top-50 players.  This places its organizers at an enormous disadvantage marketing-wise, thus the now increasingly carnival-like move of inviting Wie, who has failed to make a cut in seven career PGA Tour starts and who, more alarmingly, seemed much closer to doing so as a charming 14-year-old amateur than as a rich 18-year-old professional.  There’s a good chance this will devolve into another can-she-break-80 circus then, but if you’re the Reno-Tahoe Open, the adage of “There’s no such thing as bad publicity” holds a real element of truth.  [Aside: I’ll assume that the Human Sponsor Exemption, John Daly, will somehow also find his way into this field, and wouldn’t that make for a great pairing?  Wie, Daly and, say, a dwarf playing with a pool cue, or a 600-pound bearded lady?].  Of course, many observers are also asking why Wie would even want to tee it up with the men again when, her DQ from last week’s LPGA State Farm Classic while challenging for 54-hole lead notwithstanding, she’s hardly made a major impact on the distaff circuit of late.  But the answer to that question must be a simple one: loyalty to her sponsors, whose not unsubstantial investment in the once-phenom might be gaining them some decent product placement on the Stanford University campus, but has done little to put them on the international, televised golfing stage.  And keeping one’s corporate overlords happy is no small consideration to the modern golfer; how else can we explain Tiger Woods’ annual sleepwalk through the Buick Open?

- Carnival Acts Contn'd…: The European Tour’s Russian Open is in little danger of being confused with the BMW PGA Championship (or even the Qatar Masters) for prestige; indeed, its highest –ranked participant is Markus Brier (#115 in the world) and there are, by my count, not less than 48 competitors currently ranked lower than 1,000.  But even so, the inclusion of former world number one tennis player Evgeni Kafelnikov (who apparently legitimately fancies himself a golfing talent) and current NHL star Alexei Kovalev (who doesn’t) in the admittedly lame field might be pushing the boundaries of good sponsor exemption taste.  Of course, they were obviously invited as a spectacle, and this regard they did not disappoint.  Kafelnikov included four double-bogeys and a triple in his 17-over-par 89, while Kovalev built his 27-over-par 99 around a 10 at the 561-yard, par-5 15th.  Silly, silly, silly…

- Order Restored: With the LPGA Tour arriving in France for the strong-field Evian Masters, a “struggling” Lorena Ochoa (coming off a T31 at the U.S. Women’s Open and no wins – in only three starts, mind you – since mid-May) seems back on track, her opening-round 65 including a blistering six-under-par 30 on the back nine.  Though impressive, this fine start gives Ochoa only a one-shot lead over Sun-Ju Ahn, Angela Park and Candy Kung.  World number three Suzann Pettersen trails by two, number four Paula Creamer sits five behind, while Annika Sorenstam sits at one-under par, six off the pace.

- A Good Bet?: I’m not much of a betting man (which, given how my recent pre-Major championship form charts have fared, may not be a bad thing) but I’m wondering…  After round one of the Canadian Open, homestanding Mike Weir (for whom this really is as big as a Major) and the super-talented Anthony Kim are tied for the lead with Eric Axley, the trio carding six-under-par 65s at Glen Abbey.  So my question is: given the relative weakness of this post-Open Championship field, what kind of odds might one get at this point that either Weir or Kim will win?