Wie 5 shots back after first round of Lotte Championship
Michelle Wie shot a 2-under 70 and sits in a tie for 15th after Wednesday’s first round of the LPGA Lotte Championship at Ko Olina Golf Club.
Three South Korean golfers — Sei Young Kim, Inbee Park and Na Yeon Choi — held the lead at 5-under 67, until another South Korean, I.K. Kim, stormed the leaderboard in the last group of the day to sit alone at the top with a 7-under 65.
Wie, the defending Lotte champion, birdied three holes on the back nine to get to 3 under before bogeying the par-3 No. 16.
The Punahou graduate tees off her second round at 7:44 a.m. Thursday along with fellow past Lotte winners Ai Miyazato and Suzann Pettersen.