Michelle Wie's bid to become the first woman to make the cut in a major men's tour event since 1945 got off to a solid start with a two-under-par 70 in the first round of the SK Telecom Open in Incheon yesterday.

The 16-year-old American trailed clubhouse leader Adam Le Vesconte by five shots after the Australian fired an opening seven-under 65 in the Asian Tour event at the Sky 72 Golf Club to the west of Seoul.

Wie powered her opening drive past the efforts of her two male playing partners, and carded the first of four birdies in her round at her first hole, the 10th.

She attracted a gallery of over 1,000 people while most of the other groupings received little attention.

Wie, despite her US nationality, has overshadowed South Korean women players in popularity even as some have surged to LPGA Tour title success, while the Hawaiian has gone without a major title.