Seven years ago we watched one of the world’s best limp to victory at another USGA Championship, that one at Torrey Pines. It was the same determination displayed by Michelle Wie on Saturday as she limped her way to a third round 68 at Lancaster Country Club, pulling herself into contention with the hope of defending her title this week at the U.S. Women’s Open.
“It was a long day,” Wie said after her round Saturday. “I've played with the pain for a while. I know what to expect, nothing is unexpected. But I'm proud of myself today, I hung in there, for sure.”
The reigning U.S. Women’s Open champion has been battling bursitis in her left hip since withdrawing from the Kingsmill Championship in May. The injury is just the latest in a series of setbacks for Wie since she won this championship last year, including a finger injury to end 2014 and illness earlier this year.
For the past month and a half Wie has worked with longtime instructor David Leadbetter to rework her swing in order to minimize the impact on her hip and lessen its intensity. The changes are beginning to take hold, which has helped Wie give herself the best opportunity to win so far this year. She enters the final round in a tie for fifth, six-strokes back of 54-hole leader Amy Yang.
“Obviously I had to overhaul my swing. Anytime you do that, it takes time,” said Wie. “My wedge game today, my short irons I felt pretty good with. But just overall, I just feel like it's coming together. I just want to keep the good feelings going and keep improving on them, gaining confidence in my good shots and learn from the bad ones. And I feel like I'm doing that, so I just want to keep doing what I'm doing.”
Wie bounced back from an opening round 2-over par, 72 with back-to-back 68’s, which is the first time this season she’s put together two consecutive rounds in the 60’s. She’ll have another hurdle to climb on Sunday and would have to make history to defend her title. The largest come from behind victory in the U.S. Women’s Open is five strokes. Wie is currently six.
“I'm grateful that I have an opportunity, I have a chance. So I'm going to try to do as much as I can with it.”
In the final round, Wie is paired with Chella Choi who made her own history in the third round, carding a 29 on the front-nine for the lowest nine-hole score in the U.S. Women’s Open.
Keep an eye on this pair Sunday. There may be more history in the making.
)
)
)
)
