Michelle Wie West hits her approach shot on the 14th hole during the first round of the U.S. Women’s Open golf tournament at Pebble Beach Golf Links. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports
Before today’s opening round at Pebble, Michelle Wie West hadn’t played in an LPGA event since last year’s U.S. Women’s Open and the rust showed. The 2014 U.S. Women’s Open champion announced last year that this would be her final competitive event.
Thursday’s morning round included a lost ball in the famous tree near the green on the 18th and a boatload of putts in her opening 79.
“It was great,” she said. “I mean, felt like I played great. Just made a lot of really stupid, rusty bogeys.
“You know it’s funny, spend like the last year picking up those small putts and not thinking about them. You’re like, oh, wow, I have to make all these.
“So definitely just didn’t feel comfortable with the putting today. Just couldn’t get the pace down early on. I felt like I played great. Got one really bad bounce, I mean, lie, I don’t know what you call it, tree.”