Wie in with the old for the Open

SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. — Michelle Wie didn’t want to go through the trouble of working with a new caddie at the U.S. Women’s Open, so she pulled a familiar face out of retirement — her father.

B.J. Wie hasn’t caddied for his 14-year-old daughter all year, and the timing is peculiar.

Team Wie endured a bizarre confrontation last year the Women’s Open while playing with Danielle Ammaccapane, who accused them of poor etiquette and berated the teenager in the scoring tent.

B.J. Wie accused Ammaccapane of purposely bumping his daughter on the green, then retracted his allegations the next day and said Ammaccapane’s father threatened him.

By the final round, he turned the bag-toting duties over to swing coach Gary Gilchrist and said, “I fired myself. I’ve caused too much trouble.”

So why return this week as a caddie?

“We were going to get another caddie, but then I have to get used to him and I didn’t want to waste the time to get used to the caddie while I have to get used to the course,” Michelle Wie said. “There’s no one that knows me better than my dad, so I just have him on the bag.”

But she made it clear who calls the shots on the golf course.

Wie said she laid up on the 527-yard ninth hole during a practice round Tuesday, although she might try to reach the green in two later in the week. Asked whether her father suggested she play short, Wie laughed and said, “Not really. I don’t really listen to my dad on the golf course.”

B.J. Wie was hopeful of getting Mike “Fluff” Cowan, who caddied for his daughter at the Michelob Ultra. But those plans ended when Cowan’s regular loop — Jim Furyk — returned from wrist surgery and played in the U.S. Open.

Pepper out of U.S. Open

Dottie Pepper, battling through a series of injuries the last couple of years, received a special exemption to play in the U.S. Women’s Open.

But she didn’t even make it to the first tee.

Pepper withdrew Monday night because of a pinched nerve in the back of her head that extended over her eye and down to her shoulders.

She was at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota on Tuesday for a spinal tap, and planned to come to Orchards Golf Club to do television work for ESPN and NBC.

“I’m extremely disappointed,” Pepper said. “I’m kind of at my wit’s end.”

Pepper was replaced by Jennifer Greggain, who last played in the Women’s Open at Pine Needles in 2001 when she was five months pregnant.

Quite a change

Playing in the Booz Allen Classic was like getting a whiff of smelling salts for some players knocked out by the overcooked conditions at Shinnecock Hills.

Billy Mayfair followed an 89 in the final round of the U.S. Open with a 66 in the first round of the Booz Allen. Charles Howell III went from an 83 to a 61.

“The ones that played in the U.S. Open will feel more relaxed,” Fred Funk said. “If they played last week, they are going to come here and they’re actually going to see green grass. That in itself is nice.”

The biggest difference was on the scoreboard, where Adam Scott finished at 21-under 263.

Lesson learned

Craig Stadler still calls all the shots in the family.

Stadler celebrated a milestone in his career when he won a Champions Tour event the same day his son, Kevin, got his first Nationwide Tour title.

By the time the elder Stadler arrived for his news conference, reporters were talking to his son on a conference call. The Stadlers were asked how they were going to celebrate, and who would pick up the tab.

Craig earned $232,500 for his fifth Champions Tour victory, and Kevin collected $81,000.

“You’re buying dinner. I’ll buy the beers,” Stadler told his son. “And you’re driving.”

The victories came four weeks after the elder Stadler pleaded guilty in Michigan to operating a vehicle while impaired.

The streak goes on

Assuming Dana Quigley doesn’t break his arm — and even that might not stop him — he will make his 250th consecutive start next week at the Senior Players Championship in Michigan.

There have been a few close calls. Quigley hurt his elbow before the Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am in Tampa, Fla., but played through the pain and let it heal when the Champions Tour took the next week off.

Quigley was asked if his streak was comparable to that of Cal Ripken.

“I’m happy with what I’ve accomplished, but Cal Ripken went over 2,100 games without a rest,” Quigley said. “The desire to play has never diminished, but what Ripken did is far superior. I just go out and play golf every day.”

ESPY Nominations

The hype over Michelle Wie might best be illustrated by nominations for the ESPY Awards. The 14-year-old Hawaiian, whose only victory is the 2003 Women’s Amateur Public Links, is on the ballot for Best Female Golfer along with Annika Sorenstam and Grace Park, who won the first two majors of the year.

Sorenstam also was nominated for Best Female Athlete (along with Diana Taurasi and Justine Henin-Hardenne).

Wie’s other nomination was in the Best Breakthrough category, where the competition includes LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony and 15-year-old soccer sensation Freddy Adu.

Fans have control over the awards for the first time. Online voting takes place July 9, and the winners will be announced July 18.

Divots

The Royal Bank of Scotland has become a partner with The First Tee program. Starting this fall in New York, and later in Washington, Philadelphia and Chicago, the RBS Mentor Program will link children with a mentor in their community and give them a chance to compete for $10,000 toward a college education. … Aaron Barber, the forgotten man in the Annika Sorenstam group at Colonial, tied for ninth at the Booz Allen for his first top-10 on tour in 33 starts. … Tim Herron has quietly risen to No. 13 in the Ryder Cup standings, with top-four finishes in three of his last six tournaments.

Final word

“That was the first time I cried on the golf course, except for the time I was 10 at the Public Links and I was losing. I was crying during the round.” — Michelle Wie, who broke into tears after losing in the finals of the U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links.