A tearful Michelle Wie was not sure how much longer she can compete after struggling in the first round of the Women’s PGA Championship on Thursday, where she iced her ailing right wrist between most shots.
The 29-year-old American, who spent the last two months rehabilitating a surgically-repaired wrist, shot a 12-over-par 84 at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minnesota.
“It was kind of a little foolish to think that I would shoot really well, just hitting golf balls last week,” the former US Women’s Open champion said.
“It’s a tough golf course, but I’m really, really happy that I played. Just feeling a lot of joy, just being out there, and, you know, competing again.
“It’s going to take time, and I’ve just got to be patient, and, thankfully, I have all afternoon to get warm again and take care of my wrist.”
But Wie, a five-time winner on the LPGA Tour who has endured a start-stop return to competitive golf after surgery last October, broke down when she started to discuss her career.
“It’s hard,” a tearful Wie told reporters. “It’s just one of those situations where I’m not, you know, I’m not entirely sure how much more I have left in me.
“So, even on the bad days, I’m just, like, trying to take time to enjoy it. But it’s tough.”
Wie was so choked up while discussing her career that she was unable to continue, and walked away from reporters who had gathered outside the Hazeltine clubhouse.
Despite an opening round that included a quadruple-bogey, two double-bogeys, six bogeys and two birdies, former world number two Wie did not indicate she plans to withdraw from the year’s third major.
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/hashtag/InspireGreatness?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#InspireGreatness?
"Definitely my mom, the way she raised me & I hear all of her old dance stories & all that. I think her being an athlete as well has definitely helped to help to relate to me & to kind of guide me through that process." @themichellewie pic.twitter.com/vPELFHhcuX
— KPMGWomensPGA (@KPMGWomensPGA)