GOLF
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Michelle Wie watched her tee shot on the 16th hole during the first round of the McDonald's LPGA Championship.
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Relaxed Wie goes 1 over
Associated Press
HAVRE DE GRACE, Md. » Michelle Wie never took her driver out of the bag, trying to make it through the opening round of the LPGA Championship with an easy swing and smart decisions, both of which have been in short supply lately.
Leaderboard
67: Kim Saiki-Maloney, Angela Park, Birdie Kim
68: Karrie Webb, Morgan Pressel, Stacy Prammanasudh, Laura Davies
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"It's a tough strategy for her," swing coach David Leadbetter said as he followed her around yesterday.
The good news for Wie is that the car didn't go off the road.
After a tumultuous week of criticism that put Wie under more pressure than she has faced in any round, the 17-year-old recovered from a sloppy start with three birdies in a four-hole stretch and a couple of key pars late in her round of 1-over 73, leaving her six shots behind the leaders but in decent shape to stay all four days at Bulle Rock.
HAVRE DE GRACE, Md. » This might have been one of the few times Michelle Wie was happy with a 73 on the LPGA Tour.
In perhaps the most scrutinized round of her career, Wie recovered from a sloppy start with three birdies in a four-hole stretch and a couple of important par saves toward the end yesterday to leave herself in decent shape of playing all four days at the LPGA Championship.
Former U.S. Women's Open champion Birdie Kim came to life with a 5-under 67, leaving her atop the leaderboard at Bulle Rock with rookie Angela Park and Kim Saiki-Maloney.
Morgan Pressel got off to a good start in her bid for the second leg of the Grand Slam with a 68, joining seven-time major champion Karrie Webb and Laura Davies, who could qualify for the Hall of Fame with a victory in this major.
Former Pahoa resident Kimberly Kim shot a 73 to trail the leaders by six strokes.
But the focus was on Wie, who has come under intense criticism for withdrawing after 16 holes last week at the Ginn Tribute citing a wrist injury, showing up at Bulle Rock two days later to hit balls, and getting sassy with Annika Sorenstam and LPGA Tour commissioner Carolyn Bivens over her conduct.
"I don't think I need to apologize for anything," Wie said earlier this week.
There was no need to apologize for her score.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Michelle Wie eyed a chip at the 15th hole after driving her ball into the rough during the first round yesterday.
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Some thought she might withdraw again when she summoned a rules official on her sixth hole, the par-5 15th, to ask permission for her therapist to work on her wrist. Wie had just hit three shots out of deep rough in her previous four full swings, and said it hurt.
She played on, swinging at what coach David Leadbetter estimated at 80 percent speed, and she never took driver out of the bag.
Wie has played in the final group at majors and come close to qualifying for the men's U.S. Open. Considering the soap opera over the last week, the pressure was never greater.
"I built a lot of confidence over this round," said Wie, who was in a tie for 47th. "I hit a lot of good putts, and I'm just going to think positively. It's a work in progress. Hopefully, it's going to get better and better."
Se Ri Pak also shot 73, and her smile was never brighter.
The defending champion officially logged her 10th tournament of the year, marking her 10th season on the LPGA Tour, and that was all she needed to be eligible for the Hall of Fame. At 29, Pak will be the youngest member when she's inducted.
Several players from South Korea lined the back of the interview room, a fitting tribute to their pioneer. The McDonald's LPGA Championship was her first LPGA victory in 1998, and she went on to 23 victories and five majors.
"I don't think I can ask for anything more at this moment," Pak said. "I'm a very lucky person."
Sorenstam, in her second tournament since neck and back problems forced her out of competition for two months, opened with a 70. Lorena Ochoa was in the group at 71.