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ASSOCIATED PRESS
Michelle Wie missed this putt on No. 10 yesterday at the Jamie Farr Kroger Classic.
Wie 8 back at
Jamie Farr Classic
SYLVANIA, Ohio >> Laura Diaz had three consecutive birdies on the front nine and shot a 6-under 65 in the opening round of the Jamie Farr Kroger Classic yesterday to take a one-stroke lead over defending champion Rachel Teske.
Honolulu's Michelle Wie struggled early, but recovered thanks to her putting, an area she has been working on the last month.
"I guess it finally paid off," she said after a 2-over 73 in her fourth LPGA Tour event of the year.
Four players were tied for third at 67, including Mi-Hyun Kim, who had six birdies over the final nine holes.
Dottie Pepper, Heather Bowie and Carri Wood also had 67s.
Wie, 13, was in the last group to tee off in the afternoon and got off to a shaky start, hitting two of her first three tee shots far to the right and into the rough.
Her tee shot on No. 2 nearly bounced into a back yard, but her second shot sailed through trees and stopped within 5 feet of the green.
She was easily the biggest attraction, leaving a big gallery shaking their heads with her booming drives.
But Wie got into more trouble with her tee shot on No. 5 and lost a ball, ending up with a triple-bogey.
Wie turned it around with her putting on the back nine at Highland Meadows Golf Club.
"I learned I've got to be more patient," she said.
Wie's father, B.J. Wie, carried her bag despite a self-imposed ban that came following a flap at the U.S. Women's Open a month ago.
B.J. Wie had claimed Danielle Ammaccapane pushed his daughter over a breach of etiquette. A day later he retracted the story, saying there was no physical contact. But he stood by statements that Ammaccapane berated his daughter in the scoring tent.
Wie said she felt more comfortable having her father back as her caddie.
"It was nice," she said. "He helped me a lot with reading putts."
Diaz managed to birdie consecutive holes on the back nine despite driving into the trees on each. She also made a 60-foot putt for birdie on her sixth hole of the day.
Diaz wasn't too impressed with her play.
"I didn't hit as well as I scored," she said.
Teske birdied the first two holes. Her tee shot on the par-3 first hole rolled within 5 feet of the cup. And her second drive stopped about 7 feet from dropping.
"It started from there and I got a little bit of momentum," she said. "It was pretty hot out there, but I felt pretty comfortable all day."
A stifling heat that reached the low 90s may have been the biggest challenge facing the players.
"It was probably the hottest weather I've played in all year," said Teske, who was gobbling up grapes, bananas and water to stay refreshed.
Kim ended her sizzling round looking weary and said she was sick and had to sit down.
There were 11 players tied at 3 under, three shots off the lead.
