Wie fires 1-under 71 in Singapore

Honolulu’s Michelle Wie shot a 1-under 71 in the opening round of the HSBC Women’s Champions today in Singapore.

Wie started on the back nine and carded three birdies and a bogey. She parred all nine holes coming in.

She trails leader Azahara Munoz of Spain by six shots. Azahara carded seven birdies in a bogey-free round of 7-under 65.

Five golfers — Stacy Lewis, Pornanong Phatlum, Sun Young Yoo, Lizette Salas and Karin Sjodin — are two shots back.

Earlier, Ai Miyazato withdrew from the tournament as a precaution after she was hurt in a weekend auto accident in Thailand.

Miyazato, the 2010 champion, withdrew on Wednesday after hitting balls for about 15 minutes.

The former No. 1-ranked Miyazato issued a statement saying she still had stiffness in her neck, shoulder and back “but it is also a precautionary measure so as not to risk further injury.”

The  LPGA Tour said Paula Creamer, Suzann Pettersen and Miyazato were involved in a five-vehicle crash on Sunday.

Creamer told a pre-tournament news conference she had “pretty bad whiplash from hitting the headrest.”
Creamer shot 4-under today.