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Michelle Wie hit on the seventh fairway during the first round of the NW Arkansas Championship golf tournament on Friday, in Rogers, Ark. (AP Photo/Beth Hall)
Fresh off her U.S. Women’s Open title, Honolulu native Michelle Wie shot a bogey-free 66 on Friday to trail Alena Sharp by one at the Wal-Mart NW Arkansas Championship.
The 24-year-old Stanford graduate closed with a 4-under 31 on the back nine, including a birdie at the par-5 18th. Wie hit seven of 13 fairways, 14 of 18 greens and needed only 28 putts to tie with Alejandra Llaneza for second at 5 under for the tournament. Only Sharp’s sizzling 6-under 65 was better in this 54-hole event played on the home course of world No. 1 Stacy Lewis.
Lewis opened with a ho-hum 1-under 70 and is tied for 43rd. She finished second at the U.S. Open to Wie, just two shots back. Wie moved up to No. 7 in the world last Monday and is currently the leading money winner on the LPGA Tour.
