Michelle Wie made her return to the LPGA Tour last week after rehabbing from wrist surgery last fall.
She may have come back too soon.
On Thursday, Wie withdrew from the HSBC World Championship in Singapore after 14 holes. Wie was struggling with her surgically-repaired right wrist and was 10-over par for the day when she called it quits on the 15th hole. She was holding that right wrist as she exited the golf course.
Wie made her return last week in Thailand and finished tied for 23rd. She was the defending champion at this event. A day after her withdrawal, she updated her condition: “I’m dealing with some nerve entrapment due to tendon inflammation”
World’s No. 1, Ariya Jutanugarn was one of four first-round leaders. So was American Amy Olson. It was Olson and Jutanugarn who drew scrutiny last week when Olson benefitted from a “backstop” situation on a par five where he third shot was stopped close to the hole by Jutanugarn’s golf ball. Both players ended up with short birdie putts and celebrated with a fist-bump which caused the Twitter Sphere to question if this was a back-stopping situation. The LPGA Tour officials ended up clearing both players of any wrong-doing.
Olson, who is looking for her first career LPGA Win, has been on a nice stretch and her good play continued. She took the solo lead after Friday’s second round. Her 69 got her to seven-under, two clear of Jutanugarn and four other players.
“I had a top-10 my first tournament in Australia and I had two good, really solid rounds in Thailand. It’s there. It’s just a matter of — there’s four rounds. There’s a lot of golf left, so just staying patient,” Olson said. “It’s a lot of fun, but it’s Friday. So it’s just a lot of fun to make some birdies. You know, there were certain pins that I just didn’t go for, and you just have to play smart out here because there’s going to be some, there’s just going to be some tough days and today I just stayed patient. Yeah, it was a lot of fun.”
American Lexi Thompson got off to a less-than-spectacular start with an even par 72 and followed that up with a 74 and found herself two over par and tied for 33rd at the halfway mark.
