Wie Back in Action this Week


Michelle Wie is returning to competition following a month-long absence caused by a finger injury. The reigning U.S. Women's Open champion withdrew after only nine holes of the Meijer Classic on August 7 and was later diagnosed with a "stress reaction" in the bone of her right index finger. Wie only began practicing recently with swing coach David Leadbetter.

The 24-year-old, who won her first major title in June at Pinehurst No. 2, edging No. 1-ranked Stacy Lewis by two strokes, will be teeing it up Thursday in the LPGA Tour's fifth and final major of the year, the Evian Championship in France.

"It's actually quite amazing to be back in a tournament," Wie said Tuesday from the host site, Evian Resort Golf Club in Evian-les-Bains. "I think I was thinking a lot about it, and you kind of take your health for granted. You know, when you're healthy and you play and a lot of times and you practice, you're like, oh, it's practice. You kind of have that mentality.

"But you kind of really do take your health for granted, and you really shouldn't, and I think that with my injury it just kind of put a lot of things in perspective for me about how important your health is, and I was really looking forward to hitting balls again, but I was being really patient.

"I kind of learned my lesson a couple of years ago, so I just decided to listen to the doctor this time and taking things pretty slowly," added Wie, a four-time LPGA winner. "But yeah, I'm extremely excited to be here and can't wait to tee it up."

Wie, who will be paired in the first two rounds with fellow American Lizette Salas and Scotland's Catriona Matthew, said she immediately knew something was wrong with her finger in the Meijer event, although she first injured it while hitting out of a divot in the Marathon Classic two weeks before.

"I remember something was up, and I kind of pulled out (after) nine holes, and then took an MRI, and they said it was an acute stress reaction, and that I did a really good job of stopping when I did," she told reporters in France.

Because she hasn't had much time to practice and fully heal, Wie noted she might not be swinging at 100-percent velocity. "I was in a splint for two weeks, and then the third week I tried to wean off of it, tried to move it around, and I actually just started really just putting and chipping last week and started hitting balls three days ago.

"You know, I'm definitely - I kind of have the mindset where I'm going to hit 230 yard drives, and hopefully I won't play with (long-hitting) Lexi (Thompson) and she won't out-drive me by 50 yards this week.

"I'm definitely one club less, not hitting as far as I want to, but at the same time I'm just really excited that I can hit balls, I can come out here and play. Kind of played just five holes (Monday), 13 holes today. I'm working up to 18 holes, so hopefully by Thursday I can play 18. But I'm feeling pretty good. I'm feeling pretty healthy, and I'm just really happy to be here. I'm really excited."