ASSOCIATED PRESS Michelle Wie is only one stroke behind the leader at the U.S. Women's Open.

Wie hanging with
the ladies

CHERRY HILLS VILLAGE, Colo. » The Big Wiesy is in contention at another major.

Playing more like a grizzled veteran than a 15-year-old who just finished her sophomore year in high school, Michelle Wie was 1 under through 15 holes yesterday when the first round of the Women's U.S. Open was suspended due to weather.

Wie boomed drives and attacked flags when she had the chance, but also showed restraint beyond her years by punching out of the 4-inch rough lining the fairways at Cherry Hills Country Club.

She was a shot behind co-leaders Angela Stanford and Brittany Lang and still has a chance to catch them when play resumes this morning, with a relatively easy chip left on 16 and the par-5 17th still ahead.

"I feel pretty good. We'll see tomorrow," Wie said.

Wie's front nine was a bit of a wild ride.

She opened with a par, then took a bogey on the par-4 second before the first rain delay. She dropped in a 15-foot birdie putt on the third hole right after play resumed, then gave it back when she hit her third shot over the par-5 fifth and hit her chip shot 20 feet past the hole and missed the putt.

Wie followed with a 25-foot birdie putt on the par-3 seventh to get back to even, then took another bogey on No. 9 when she pulled her tee shot under some trees in the left rough and had to punch out to the fairway.

Then things started clicking.

After just missing on two good birdie chances on 10 and 11, Wie curled in a 20-footer at 12 and dropped in a 12-footer to get to 1 under on the 13th. She had to punch out on the long, par-4 14th after pulling her drive into the left rough, but hit her third shot within inches of the cup for a tap-in par.

Wie's approach on the 16th landed in the right rough just off the green when the horn sounded.

"I was a little out of it (early), but momentum, that helped me a lot," Wie said.

The key was putting, especially after the first rain delay.

Wie made the first putt she looked after the delay on No. 3 and one-putted her final four holes before the second round of storms hit.

"Putting, I felt really good," said Wie, who had 24 putts through 15 holes.