Michelle Wie is stepping away from the game.
She needs to. Her injured wrist is speaking louder than ever and she needs to listen.
This is going to take time and even her coach — David Leadbetter — insists that she take plenty of time and not rush the healing process.
Six months after undergoing surgery to repair multiple ailments within her right hand and wrist, Wie announced she is going to “take some time away” to more fully heal. She made the announcement Tuesday on Instagram and Twitter, while also withdrawing from this week’s Hugel-Air Premia LA Open at historic Wilshire Country Club.
This was Wie’s statement:
“Had an encouraging visit with my doctor, however, we both think it’s in my best interest to take some time away to allow my body to heal properly and get stronger. Health is my top priority right now and hopefully I can get back to being pain free real soon. Thank you everyone for staying patient with me. I appreciate y’all.”
Wie has been trying to make her way back after undergoing surgery last October to repair an avulsion fracture, bone spurs and nerve entrapment in her right hand. She missed the cut at the Lotte Championship last week in her home state of Hawaii. During first round play, she yelped in pain after knocking a drive out of bounds. She also missed the cut at the ANA Inspiration two weeks earlier. In her start before the ANA, she withdrew from her title defense at the HSBC Women’s World Championship in Singapore, where she said “nerve entrapment” was still an issue. She was 10 over after 14 holes when she withdrew.
Leadbetter revealed that Wie was examined by a hand specialist in Los Angeles Monday, a doctor who helped her through wrist issues in the past, and he advised her to take at least a month off without touching a golf club. Her hand was operated on by a New York hand specialist last fall.
“This is pretty serious,” Leadbetter said. “Your hands are everything, and you don’t want this to become career ending.”
Leadbetter said he knows Wie would like to play in the U.S. Women’s Open in five weeks, but he is advising her that’s probably too early. “I’m trying to talk her out of that,” he said. “Who knows how the U.S. Women’s Open will be set up, but you would think there is going to be thick rough. I’ve been advising her to take as much time off as she needs and get this right, because there’s no point in coming back and reinjuring it, where you could be right back at square one.”
Wie has been one of the LPGA Tour’s most popular players and the most popular player in American women’s golf since she was a teenager.
2 Comments
baxter cepeda
Michelle is not in a chase for anything. She has a major. She has wins. She has money. She even has a fiancée. Take all the time you need wie wie !
Tom Edrington
Agreed, American golf needs her back WHEN she is healthy!