Michelle Wie understands as much as anyone she can’t win a tournament on the first day, but she can definitely lose one.
The Punahou graduate, who won here in 2014 with a memorable final-round performance, opened with an 80 last year and had her bags packed the very next day.
Wednesday at Ko Olina Golf Club, the 27-year-old Wie battled the course, winds and a bit of exhaustion to stay within shouting distance of the lead, fighting off bogeys on a couple of her finishing holes with par saves to shoot a 1-under 71 and sit five back of the lead in the rain-soaked first round of the LPGA Lotte Championship.
Wie, who rolled in three birdies in her round, made par on her final eight holes. Her birdie chances were limited, but she managed to keep the round from getting away from her with some stellar play near the greens.
“Definitely need to make a lot more birdies coming in, but I’m excited,” Wie said. “Happy that I (finished) under par. An under-par round is good here today in the wind.”
Nearly half (69) of the 144-player field is under par chasing leaders Paula Creamer and Mi Hyang Lee, who battled the sunset to get in just in time with a 6-under 66.
Wie had the kind of round that won’t stand out on a leaderboard, but was needed to stay in the hunt for her first win since capturing the 2014 U.S. Women’s Open.
A bogey to begin the front nine (she started on the back) could have derailed her, but she hung tough, avoiding disaster the rest of the way through.
“Definitely grinding,” Wie said. “I just felt really slow out there today. Just tired a little bit. Essentially I guess my fifth week on the road right now, and just definitely took a little bit of soda on the last couple (holes) to try and get through.”
Wie has missed only one tournament (Honda LPGA Thailand) since the middle of February but has seemed to enjoy the heavy workload.
She’s posted top-10 finishes in Singapore (HSBC Women’s Champions) and in the year’s first major two weeks ago at the ANA Inspiration.
Her streak of five consecutive cuts made is her longest on tour since her finish to the 2015 season.
Wie’s biggest complaint after the round was her energy level, which she says should be much higher after a good 24 hours of rest.
“I am excited for an afternoon round (today),” Wie said. “I get to sleep all day today and rest a little bit tomorrow before I come out and come out fresh and hopefully make some birdies.”
Wie played alongside Brooke Henderson and In Gee Chun, who both shot 2-under 70.
Henderson, who already has four wins in her career, including the 2016 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, is only 19. Chun, who has won two majors and is ranked No. 4 in the world, is 22.
“They make me feel a little old, but they’re great girls and I love playing with them,” Wie said.
Waiakea alumna Britney Yada, the only other local product in the field, ended her day at 1 over 73 in a tie for 86th place. Yada had a double bogey on her first hole of the day but battled back with three birdies and two bogeys. She withstood a 45-minute rain delay while on the par-4 seventh and came back to close out her round with three straight pars.
Click here to see more photos from the 2017 Lotte Championship.
