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Wie fires 75 in 1st LPGA round since February

McKay shoots 63, Sorenstam 64, Ochoa 65 at Michelob Ultra Open

Image: Michelle WieGetty Images
Michelle Wie managed just one birdie during her 4-over-par round Thursday in the Michelob Ultra Open.

Early morning rain and intermittent drizzle made scoring necessary, she said.

“You got to take advantage of that,” she said.

Playing with Sorenstam only highlighted the need to attack flags, she said.

“It keeps you motivated to play good and make birdies,” she said.

McKay avoided trouble all day in a bogey-free 63, and even turned her only errant tee shot of the day into a birdie. It came at the par-4 14th, where her drive came to rest under a tree, but she hit a punch 6-iron that skidded up onto the green, 20 feet from the cup.

She made that putt, and several others, thanks to a tip from her brother, who caddied for her last weekend at the Scottish Open and thought she was standing up too soon on putts.

“Definitely helped me,” she said.

Yoo played in the afternoon, and closed with four consecutive birdies.

“I didn’t realize I could be like this, so I really feel good,” she said.

D’Alessio played with Wie, and came up with the shot of the day — a 7-iron from 134 yards out on the par-4 16th that landed about 5 feet short of the hole, hopped and rolled in.

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“My caddie yelled, ‘Go in’ and it did,” she said. “She needs to do that more often.”

Besides the eagle, she had five birdies and two bogeys.

While she was celebrating the shot, Wie was walking toward the green, where she followed a pulled drive with a shot that went far right into greenside rough. From there, she chipped across the green onto the fringe, pounding her wedge in frustration, and then two-putted.

The 18-year-old got high marks for composure from her playing partner.

“She kept herself very composed, which was good to see,” D’Alessio said.

© 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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