Wie shines in first round of HSBC Women's World Championship
The American shows that she is still a contender with a five-under 67 for joint-second at the Sentosa Golf Club's New Tanjong Course
Fourteen years after Michelle Wie burst onto the golf scene, the American continues to show that she is a force to be reckoned with.
Wie proved that she still has it in her after posting a five-under 67 in the first round of the HSBC Women's World Championship yesterday, placing her at joint-second with South Korea's Ji Eun Hee.
The 2014 US Women's Open winner sat at the top of the leaderboard briefly, but compatriot Jennifer Song vaulted into the lead after shooting a 65 on the Sentosa Golf Club's New Tanjong Course.
Still, she looks on track to settle what she said was "unfinished business" after narrowly missing out on the title last year.
Wie had held the lead in the first and third rounds, only to be supplanted by Park In Bee.
The 28-year-old's scorecard boasted seven birdies but was blotched by two bogeys on the third and last hole.
But she will not ponder over her errors and is raring to go for the rest of the tournament.
"I'm over it. I hit a good putt. I just misread it. There isn't anything I can do," she said referring to missing her putt on the final hole that caused her to bogey.
" I placed myself in a good position today, so hopefully the next three days, make my birdies. I three-putted twice today, so no more of that.
"Just going out there, being consistent every day, just building confidence. I think every day I go out there, just definitely more confident."
Wie is ready to go, after injuries kept her out of the US Women's Open and Canadian Pacific Women's Open last year.
She has made health a priority as she looks to put her injury-laden past few years behind.
Since emerging as a teenage golf phenomenon, she has had to battle with injuries, but that has not stopped her from claiming four LPGA titles, including the 2014 US Women's Open.
While Wie has four LPGA titles, yesterday's surprise leader Song is still chasing her first.
A two-hour delay due to lightning could not rain on the 28-year-old's parade as she fired a bogey-free round.
She is satisfied with her round but insists that it is still anyone's game.
The 2009 US Women's Amateur Public Links and the US Women's Amateur winner said: "I had five birdies and then I had two birdies on the front nine.
"So I just kept it going and then I had a little bit of trouble here and there, and I managed to save it, so I think that just kept me going.
"I'm not really thinking about winning or anything. I just want to take it day by day.
"There's a lot of great players out here, so it's a golf course where a lot of players can shoot low numbers. So I just need to keep grinding and do the same thing."
Atthaya Thitikul, winner of last week's Women's Amateur Asia-Pacific, held her own as she came in tied-17th with a 70.
The 15-year-old Thai, who credited her good form last week for her performance, said: " I feel really good. But it's all an experience and I have fun on the golf courses.
"I was a bit nervous. A lot of confidence today because of the win last week."
Defending champion Park registered a 73, placing her at joint-41st in her first LPGA Tour tournament since returning from a six-month injury lay-off.
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