After staying mum on her injuries this season, Michelle Wie opened her 17-minute news conference Tuesday at Bulle Rock in Havre de Grace with a five-minute explanation of how both wrists have hampered her play.
“I didn?t want to have to tell you guys ? and then come back and say, ?Oh no, it wasn?t that.? ? I didn?t know what was going on,” Wie said. “The wrist injuries were very confusing.”
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Wie, 17, who is in town this week for the McDonald?s LPGA Championship, revealed that she was suffering from tendinitis in her right wrist and blamed overuse. Her left wrist was injured when she fell while jogging and tried to protect her right wrist. She went through a bevy of tests, which eventually revealed a slight fracture in her left wrist.
“At first I didn?t think I fractured it or did anything to it,” Wie said.
After 16 holes in last weekend?s Ginn Tribute in South Carolina, Wie withdrew from competition to rest for this week?s tournament. She missed four months with wrist injuries earlier in the year.
GOING THROUGH WITHDRAWAL: As of Tuesday afternoon, five golfers had officially withdrawn from this weekend?s tournament. Popular up-and-comer Natalie Gulbis headlined the group, which also included Helen Alfredson, Danielle Ammaccapane, Soo Young Moon and Nicole Perrot. The first five listed alternates have been called into action. Meredith Duncan, Kelly Cap, Kris Tamulis, Eva Dahllof and Jean Bartholomew are now in the field of 150.
After her amateur playing partners teed off on the first hole, Mi-Hyun Kim bowed out of the pro-am after playing the back nine and was replaced by Katie Futcher, who is already in the field of 150. Kim will play Thursday, though, teeing off at 12:59 p.m. from the 10th tee.
THAT SOMETHING EXTRA: The difference between the world?s top golfers and the average LPGA professional is very slim. But in watching Annika Sorenstam or Se Ri Pak in a pro-am, fans can tell the difference.
On the ninth green alone, both Sorenstam and Pak took some extra practice putts to gauge the speed of the green. Sorenstam?s caddie dropped a target in three different locations ? simulating potential pin locations ? and the three-time tournament champion took about a half-dozen extra putts.
