At home in Georgia, Nancy Lopez was probably watching the LPGA State Farm Classic's final round saying, "Here we go again."

When ESPN2 came on with its coverage Sunday afternoon, the top seven names on the leaderboard in Springfield included four South Koreans, one from Taiwan and another from China. There was one American, Katie Futcher, a non-exempt player who started the day in second place and was going backwards.

Earlier in the week, Lopez was asked about the need for American-born golfers to stand up and be counted.

"The Koreans … are such great players. I keep saying, 'What's their secret?' " said the 51-year-old Lopez, an LPGA Hall of Famer who missed the cut Friday. "We have got to catch the secret. Why are they so good? What's going on? Why are they coming over here and really taking over?"

The biggest American star, Paula Creamer, skipped the State Farm Classic after winning the previous week in Toledo for her third victory of the season. Leta Lindley is the only other American to win on the LPGA Tour this year in 20 tournaments.

Face it, the LPGA Tour is being overrun by non-Americans. That might be great for the growth of the game world-wide and may get golf into the Olympic Games in 2016, but is it really great for the health of the LPGA Tour?

"I look at the leaderboard every time I turn on the television," said Lopez. "I mean, I'm an American. I'm going to root for an American. I love the European and Korean players. I root for them, too. But I want to see an Ameri-can in there, for sure."

The crowd at Panther Creek Country Club wanted an American to win. Thought they might see it, too.

There was a buzz outside the ropes Saturday. The player who may be able to put the LPGA Tour regularly on SportsCenter finally had it all together. The top stars might have forgotten that Springfield helped build this tour (Lopez hasn't forgotten), but that didn't matter.

For three days, Michelle Wie was overpowering the course with 300-yard drives and laser irons. After being a non-factor for most of the last two years, the 18-year-old was showing why everyone made such a big fuss about her when she was 13 or 14. The Bruce Callis Trophy was within Wie's grasp.

The tournament took a body blow after the third round. Wie, only a stroke out of the lead, was disqualified. It seems she didn't sign her scorecard in the scoring tent area after Friday's round. That's a golf no-no.

Yes, the rule seems stupid to those who don't follow golf that closely. But it's a rule every tournament golfer knows, even those who play in Bloomington-Normal city events. Wie admitted her mistake and accepted the pun-ishment like a pro. Good for her.

But bad for sponsor State Farm, the gate on Sunday and, really, the LPGA Tour.

Futcher was in the last group on Sunday. Her approach shot on No. 9 flew into the cup and shot back about 20 feet away. There was a groan from the gallery - the 100 or so around the green and the 100 or so following her group.

If Wie was in that final group - which she would have been - the crowd would have been much, much larger. With Greg Norman failing to win the British Open, Wie's first victory on the LPGA Tour might have made the biggest golf headlines of the weekend.

It might also have resurrected interest for the LPGA Tour from American fans tired of watching Lorena Ochoa, Annika Sorenstam and a slew of South Koreans dominate, including State Farm Classic champion Ji Young Oh.

Where's Dottie Pepper when you need her?

Jim Benson is a sports reporter for The Pantagraph. Contact him at jbenson@pantagraph.com