Wie hurts her hand again, finishes with a 77

Michelle Wie struggled Wednesday to a 5-over par 77 at Ko Olina Golf Club, the course she grew up playing on. The Honolulu product was tied for 138th place at the end of the first round of the Lotte Championship.

Wie was steady at 1-under on the front nine. But then came three consecutive bogeys after the turn; and in the middle of it, Wie shouted out in pain after a shot on hole No. 11.

After the round she verified that she had aggravated her right hand; Wie had surgery on the hand in 2018.

“Yeah, just got into an uncomfortable position. Just coming back some shots are going to hurt,” she said. “Trying to figure my way around that and just trying to get back in the swing of playing again.”

Wie said she felt better toward the end of the round, and said she fully intends to play in today’s second round.

“Obviously disappointed about how I played, but still a lot of positives. Last couple holes felt good,” she said. “Yeah, it’s not fun when it does hurt, but I’m going to get (medical attention) right now and hopefully they can patch it up a little bit and I’ll be good to go tomorrow.”

Wie is in danger of missing the cut for the third time in the eight-year history of this event that she won in 2014.

She maintained a positive attitude.

“Feels great to play in front of the home crowd,” she said. “No matter how you play you just feel the support; see all the familiar faces, feels really great to be back. Really grateful that everyone came out and watched me play and excited for tomorrow.

“I’m going to go out there with guns blazing and hopefully make some birdies early on. Yeah, hopefully a good day (today).”

Other former champs show their stuff

In 2015, the par-4, 403-yard 18th hole was Sei Young Kim’s best friend. In the Lotte final round that year, Kim chipped in from 18 feet to force a playoff with Inbee Park. Then, on the first playoff hole, she won with an eagle from 150 yards.

Fast forward to Wednesday morning and this year’s first round: Kim came out blazing, 7 under after 12 holes. Going into No. 18, she was one shot off the pace of morning leader Eun-Hee Ji at 6 under. But the site of Kim’s miracle four years ago was unyielding this time, and she ended her round with a double bogey.

Kim finished at 4-under 68, and enters play today tied for 17th.

Another former champion, Minjee Lee, fared better Wednesday. The 2016 winner carded a bogey-free 5 under to tie for 7th.

Cristie Kerr, the 2017 Lotte champ, shot even-par 72 to tie for 81st.

The projected cut line was 1 under when play concluded Wednesday.

Kim Kaufman aces fourth hole

Kim Kaufman knew her tee shot on the 162-yard No. 4 hole was on target. She just hoped it had enough legs.

It did, and the sixth-year pro scored the first hole-in-one of her LPGA career.

“I actually said ‘go,’ which you don’t usually say on a par-3. Just fell right in the hole. It was just on line the whole way,” Kaufman said.

The rest of Kaufman’s round included two birdies and three bogeys, adding up to a 1-under par 71.

She started the year with a tie for eighth at the ISPS Handa Vic Open for a $24,875 payday, but has missed the cut at her last two events with a combined 20 over in four rounds at the Kia Classic and ANA Inspiration.

Rookie rights the ship

Pajaree Anannarukarn endured a brutal start to her first tournament on American soil, with double bogeys on two of her first three holes.

But the LPGA rookie from Thailand, who played the back nine first, destroyed the rest of the course with eight birdies.