Michelle Wie fired her ninth consecutive score in the 60s to sit two behind leader Chella Choi after the opening round of the KPMG Women's PGA Championship.
Michelle Wie fired her ninth consecutive score in the 60s to sit two behind leader Chella Choi after the opening round of the KPMG Women's PGA Championship.
The American came into the event having recorded top-4 places in her last three events, and despite an opening 37 stormed back in 31 to put herself in contention to earn her second major championship.
She also seems to be enjoying herself on the golf course more than she has in a long time.
“Just had a lot of fun in tough conditions,” she said. “It was tough out there but kind of have to laugh off the mistakes a little bit out here. I mean, it’s a tough golf course. Olympia Fields is a really pure golf course. It’s playing great right now.”
One of the reasons for Wie’s turnaround is her putting. While she’s not making as many birdies as she could, her lag putting is much better and when she does leave a 4-footer, she knocks it in.
“Don’t try to figure it out,” she says. “I literally just go and I’m like, ‘this feels right,’ and I just go with it,” she said. “It’s kind of a whatever thing. I’m not really thinking too much about it.”
Not stressing so much over golf and just letting herself enjoy the game again might be the best explanation for Wie’s resurgence.
“I kind of was sick of playing bad golf honestly,” Wie said. “I was just sick of being down and started this year with a really good sense of determination and motivation, and I just want to be happy and have fun out here,” she said.
Defending champion negotiated her way through gusts over 30 mph at Olympia Fields CC near Chicago, which is known as the Windy City for a reason, for a three-under-par 68. She’s two strokes off the lead of Chella Choi, and a stroke behind Brittany Altomare.
Playing in the morning wave, two-time major winners Cristie Kerr and Stacy Lewis as well as Ariya Jutanugarn, who was No. 1 in the Rolex Rankings until last week, dug deep holes for themselves. Kerr shot 78, Jutanugarn 77 and Lewis 74. Inbee Park played in the more benign afternoon but shot 73. They’ll be working hard Friday to make the cut.
English rookie Bronte Law fired a two-under par 69 to find herself in T11, alongside new World No. 1 So Yeon Ryu and compatriot Jodi Ewart Shaddoff.
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