Michelle Wie is feeling good.
After spending the past five months battling multiple injuries, Wie is once again feeling healthy, which was evident in her opening round 5-under par 66 that drove her to within one stroke of the lead Thursday at the Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia. For the first time since April, Wie was able to post a round in the 60’s in back-to-back starts.
“Since Evian it’s been feeling really good just health-wise, not even game or anything,” Wie told the media after her round Thursday. “Just feels so good to be out here and not thinking, ‘Oh this is swing is going to hurt my hip and my ankle.’ Just going out there and being actually able to hit balls and hit golf shots and play the way that I know I can.”
A three-hour weather delay gave Wie an extra boost, posting three straight birdies on the back nine before dropping a shot at the par 4, 13th. But she recovered with back-to-back birdies to post 32 on the inward nine.
“It was fun out there today. Obviously the rain delay was a little unfortunate, but it almost helped me. I got on a birdie run afterwards,” said Wie. “Got a chance to regroup. Just got to stay patient in those kind of situations.”
The trip to Malaysia is a first for Wie since 2013, who missed this event last year coming off two consecutive missed cuts and back-to-back withdraws while dealing with a stress fracture in her right index finger. But upon her return Wie played well during the stretch through Asia, posting two top-5 finishes and a T-20 in Taiwan. She says she’s planning on playing five of the six events that make up the Asia Swing in an effort to well position herself in the standings for 2016.
“It’s very ambitious. I just want to stay healthy. I want to keep maintaining this good thing that I’ve got going with my body. I just want to be injury-free. If I can just keep injury-free for 2016 as well, then I just want to try to rise in the world rankings and try and get back in the top-4 for the Olympics.”
With no cut this week in Malaysia, players have been regrouped for the second round. Wie will tee off at 9:45a.m. alongside defending champion Shanshan Feng and Chella Choi, also tied for third at 5-under par.
In Other Michelle Wie News...
Michelle Wie's golf game isn't the only reason she's making news this week at Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia. After showing off some camouflaged kicks at the Evian Championship and a star-spangled version representing Team U.S.A. at the Solheim Cup, Wie debuted the latest version of her Nike Blazers during round one in Malaysia. Wie also posted updates to her new photoblog with photos from this week's gala and some local food she's enjoying during her trip. Click here to check out her newest posts.
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