CARLSBAD, Calif. – Michelle Wie is ready to tee it up again.
But fans of the five-time LPGA Tour winner are going to have to wait a little longer before she’s back in action.
Wie, who was on site at Callaway Golf’s headquarters in Carlsbad, Calif. to help launch the brand’s new line of 2019 gear, said she has been cleared to hit balls in February and will likely return in time to defend her title at the HSBC Women’s World Championship.
The 29-year-old captured her first title in four years at last year’s HSBC Women’s World Championship. This year’s Singapore-based tournament starts February 28th.
She didn’t hit any balls Friday, but got to see some of the new lineup for the first time.
“It’s torture right now (that I can’t hit it). I can not wait to test it out,” she said.
Wie has been busy as she recovers from a wrist injury. She was sidelined for three months after withdrawing after 12 holes at the Women’s British Open last summer.
She travelled to Las Vegas to watch ‘The Match’ between Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, enjoyed time with friends in the Bahamas and New York, and headed home to Hawaii for the Christmas holidays. All the while she kept up her very popular food Instagram page (whatdowieeat).
She said she is anxious to hit the new gear from Callaway and get back into a routine of playing and practicing again.
“I cannot wait. I’m so excited to get back out there,” she said. “The last couple months have been pretty hectic. I’ve been doing my training, doing my workouts every day.
“I’m just excited to be healthy again and give it my all.”
Wie had surgery on her hand in October. She was limited to just 16 events in 2018, the fewest she’s played since 2009. She played the LPGA KEB Hana Bank Championship in October before going 1-3-0 at the UL International Crown, where she represented Team USA.
Other than her victory, Wie had five top-15 finishes in 2018 including a T10 at the U.S. Women’s Open.
She took to Instagram this weekend to say Friday was the first time she had hit putts longer than four feet since her surgery. Saturday she took it one step further and began hitting chip shots.
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