Golf | Michelle Wie opens with 66, takes 1-stroke lead at Singapore

Michelle Wie rolled in several clutch putts yesterday and had six birdies in a 10-hole stretch to take a one-stroke lead after the first round of the HSBC Women’s Champions.

The 27-year-old Wie, who has struggled with injuries and form since winning the U.S. Open in 2014, shot a 6-under 66 at the new Tanjong course.

“It’s a marathon this week, it’s not a sprint,” said Wie. “But I have to say I’m very proud of where I’ve positioned myself today.”

Five others were tied for second after 67s — Olympic champion Inbee Park, Brooke Henderson, Mo Martin, Anna Nordqvist and Ariya Jutanugarn.

Among other scores in the 63-player field, Stacy Lewis and Paula Creamer had 68s, top-ranked Lydia Ko shot 69, Shanshan Feng and Lexi Thompson 70, Karrie Webb 75 and Cristie Kerr 77.

“I still feel like I’m a little bit rusty, but hopefully that rust goes away as quickly as possible,” said Park, who is playing just her second tournament after taking a six-month break. “One round doesn’t really matter. I have to do this for the rest of the three days.”

Park spent much of the early part of last year sidelined with a left thumb injury, and the break helped give it time to heal.

Wie, who had eight birdies and a pair of bogeys, has managed just one top-10 finish since 2014 and only got into the $1.5 million LPGA tournament on a sponsor’s invitation after her ranking slumped to No. 179.

But she was in vintage touch despite playing in tricky winds and light rain.

After making a bogey-5 at the third, Wie’s putter suddenly got hot as she made three birdies in a row to go out in 34.

She made another three birdies at the start of the back nine, draining a 12-foot putt on the 11th and then sinking another long putt from below the hole on the 501-yard, par-5 13th to take the early lead at a tournament featuring nine of the world’s top 10 players.

Wie slipped a shot behind Nordqvist when she bogeyed the 15th after an errant tee shot and the Swede picked up her sixth birdie, but Wie regained the lead with back-to-back birdies at 16 and 17. AP