Michelle Wie (click to enlarge)
With apologies to Thomas Wolfe, apparently you can go home again. In a storybook scenario, Michelle Wie returned to the comforts of her native Hawaii to win the 2014 LPGA Lotte Championship presented by J Golf. It wasn’t just a crowd rooting for the hometown hero. Watching how naturally and affectionately Michelle interacted with patrons it felt like she is truly beloved by her fellow Hawaiians. She is a part of them and they embrace her without reservation.
Michelle Wie (click to enlarge)
Michelle (-9) would need that support going into the final round. She trailed Angela Stanford (-13) by 4 shots. In her last event, the Kraft Nabisco Championship, Wie was unable to mount a charge against Lexi Thompson. But this time, perhaps the fact that Angela had a significant advantage allowed Michelle to play with more ease and relaxation. That seemed to be the case as she birdied her first hole of the day and soon thereafter had back to back birdies on 5 and 6. After a bogey on 8 by Stanford, Wie had quickly pulled even with her Solheim Cup teammate at 12-under. However, they were not alone as rising South Korean phenom Hyo Joo Kim also sat at 12-under. Angela and Hyo Joo would fade on the back 9 as Michelle played possibly the most assured golf that she has demonstrated in some time on the final 9. She found birdie on 12, 13 and 16. By the time she bogeyed the 18th, matters were already decided. The graduate of Stanford had bested the woman named Stanford on this day.
Michelle Wie gets a congratulatory hug from Cristie Kerr (click to enlarge)
For mainstream sports fans who don’t pay attention to the LPGA, it might seem like a sudden revival of Michelle’s game. That would be inaccurate, to say the least. LPGA fans could see this one coming. After a period of struggling with her game, things started to click at the end of 2013. In some ways, Wie fans didn’t want last year to end just as she was starting to find her groove. It turned out to be the best thing for Michelle. In the off-season she spent time in Hawaii without even touching a golf club. Critics can say what they want about Wie…and trust me, they do…but she seems to have a very balanced approach to living and loving life. When the 2014 LPGA season started, she looked refreshed and energized. Through her first 5 tournaments she had 2 top 10s, including a 4th place finish at the Honda LPGA Thailand, and had finished no worse than 16th. Then came the year’s first Major, the Kraft Nabisco Championship. While the final round did not go as she might have liked, she still finished 2nd. The writing was on the wall. She led the LPGA in scoring average. She led in greens in regulation. If she could only drop in a few more putts, she could capture her first win since 2010 at the CN Canadian Women’s Open. Those putts dropped in this week, giving Wie her 3rd LPGA title and first on United States soil. If she continues to make putts going forward, we could see those many predictions of future dominance come to fruition.
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1 MICHELLE WIE (-14)
2 ANGELA STANFORD (-12)
3 INBEE PARK (-11)
4 HYO JOO KIM (-10)
T9 SE RI PAK (-6)
| Pos | Name | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Today | Thru | Total | Strokes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michelle Wie | 70 | 67 | 70 | 67 | -5 | F | -14 | 274 |
| 2 | Angela Stanford | 72 | 64 | 67 | 73 | +1 | F | -12 | 276 |
| 3 | Inbee Park | 70 | 68 | 72 | 67 | -5 | F | -11 | 277 |
| 4 | Hyo-Joo Kim | 68 | 70 | 69 | 71 | -1 | F | -10 | 278 |
| T5 | Chella Choi | 74 | 68 | 70 | 67 | -5 | F | -9 | 279 |
| T5 | So Yeon Ryu | 68 | 70 | 72 | 69 | -3 | F | -9 | 279 |
| T7 | Haru Nomura | 73 | 67 | 73 | 68 | -4 | F | -7 | 281 |
| T7 | Amy Anderson | 70 | 72 | 68 | 71 | -1 | F | -7 | 281 |
| T9 | Katherine Kirk | 73 | 70 | 71 | 68 | -4 | F | -6 | 282 |
| T9 | Se Ri Pak | 68 | 71 | 74 | 69 | -3 | F | -6 | 282 |
| T9 | Katie Burnett | 71 | 69 | 72 | 70 | -2 | F | -6 | 282 |
| T9 | Cristie Kerr | 72 | 66 | 70 | 74 | +2 | F | -6 | 282 |
| T13 | Christel Boeljon | 71 | 70 | 74 | 69 | -3 | F | -4 | 284 |
| T13 | Shanshan Feng | 73 | 71 | 70 | 70 | -2 | F | -4 | 284 |
| T13 | Julieta Granada | 74 | 72 | 67 | 71 | -1 | F | -4 | 284 |
| 16 | Ariya Jutanugarn | 73 | 70 | 71 | 71 | -1 | F | -3 | 285 |
| T17 | Tiffany Joh | 73 | 68 | 77 | 68 | -4 | F | -2 | 286 |
| T17 | Brooke Pancake | 75 | 69 | 73 | 69 | -3 | F | -2 | 286 |
| T17 | Eun-Hee Ji | 77 | 71 | 72 | 66 | -6 | F | -2 | 286 |
| T17 | Na Yeon Choi | 75 | 70 | 69 | 72 | E | F | -2 | 286 |
| T17 | Amelia Lewis | 77 | 66 | 70 | 73 | +1 | F | -2 | 286 |
| T22 | Lizette Salas | 73 | 71 | 74 | 69 | -3 | F | -1 | 287 |
| T22 | So Young Lee | 70 | 70 | 75 | 72 | E | F | -1 | 287 |
| T22 | Amy Yang | 74 | 73 | 73 | 67 | -5 | F | -1 | 287 |
| T22 | Paula Reto | 72 | 69 | 73 | 73 | +1 | F | -1 | 287 |
| T22 | Azahara Munoz | 73 | 70 | 71 | 73 | +1 | F | -1 | 287 |
| T27 | Jenny Shin | 73 | 72 | 73 | 70 | -2 | F | E | 288 |
| T27 | Line Vedel | 76 | 71 | 72 | 69 | -3 | F | E | 288 |
| T27 | Mariajo Uribe | 76 | 70 | 71 | 71 | -1 | F | E | 288 |
| T27 | Danah Bordner | 72 | 74 | 70 | 72 | E | F | E | 288 |
| T27 | Christina Kim | 74 | 71 | 70 | 73 | +1 | F | E | 288 |
| T32 | Morgan Pressel | 73 | 69 | 75 | 72 | E | F | +1 | 289 |
| T32 | Lydia Ko | 72 | 71 | 74 | 72 | E | F | +1 | 289 |
| T32 | Paola Moreno | 76 | 69 | 72 | 72 | E | F | +1 | 289 |
| T32 | Sun Young Yoo | 76 | 70 | 70 | 73 | +1 | F | +1 | 289 |
| T32 | Yani Tseng | 74 | 72 | 74 | 69 | -3 | F | +1 | 289 |
| T32 | Ha Na Jang | 70 | 69 | 81 | 69 | -3 | F | +1 | 289 |
| T32 | Jimin Kang | 80 | 65 | 70 | 74 | +2 | F | +1 | 289 |
| T32 | Danielle Kang | 72 | 73 | 76 | 68 | -4 | F | +1 | 289 |
| T40 | Jennifer Kirby | 72 | 69 | 76 | 73 | +1 | F | +2 | 290 |
| T40 | Thidapa Suwannapura | 73 | 73 | 73 | 71 | -1 | F | +2 | 290 |
| T42 | Pornanong Phatlum | 71 | 71 | 75 | 74 | +2 | F | +3 | 291 |
| T42 | Silvia Cavalleri | 72 | 71 | 74 | 74 | +2 | F | +3 | 291 |
| T42 | Kim Kaufman | 72 | 71 | 74 | 74 | +2 | F | +3 | 291 |
| T42 | Mi Hyang Lee | 73 | 73 | 73 | 72 | E | F | +3 | 291 |
| T42 | Mo Martin | 74 | 69 | 76 | 72 | E | F | +3 | 291 |
| T42 | Ayako Uehara | 69 | 74 | 72 | 76 | +4 | F | +3 | 291 |
| T42 | Meena Lee | 73 | 74 | 75 | 69 | -3 | F | +3 | 291 |
| T42 | Hyun Soo Kim | 73 | 75 | 75 | 68 | -4 | F | +3 | 291 |
| T50 | Caroline Masson | 75 | 73 | 71 | 73 | +1 | F | +4 | 292 |
| T50 | Pernilla Lindberg | 78 | 69 | 72 | 73 | +1 | F | +4 | 292 |
| T50 | Dori Carter | 75 | 72 | 74 | 71 | -1 | F | +4 | 292 |
| T53 | Ryann O’Toole | 77 | 69 | 72 | 75 | +3 | F | +5 | 293 |
| T53 | Hee Young Park | 75 | 73 | 70 | 75 | +3 | F | +5 | 293 |
| T53 | Erica Popson | 75 | 70 | 73 | 75 | +3 | F | +5 | 293 |
| T53 | Nicole Jeray | 74 | 72 | 73 | 74 | +2 | F | +5 | 293 |
| T53 | Gerina Piller | 75 | 68 | 76 | 74 | +2 | F | +5 | 293 |
| T53 | Lisa McCloskey | 74 | 72 | 76 | 71 | -1 | F | +5 | 293 |
| T53 | Caroline Hedwall | 75 | 68 | 79 | 71 | -1 | F | +5 | 293 |
| T60 | Victoria Elizabeth | 72 | 73 | 73 | 76 | +4 | F | +6 | 294 |
| T60 | Moriya Jutanugarn | 72 | 72 | 75 | 75 | +3 | F | +6 | 294 |
| T60 | Irene Coe | 76 | 70 | 71 | 77 | +5 | F | +6 | 294 |
| T60 | Giulia Molinaro | 74 | 74 | 75 | 71 | -1 | F | +6 | 294 |
| T64 | Moira Dunn | 77 | 71 | 71 | 76 | +4 | F | +7 | 295 |
| T64 | Jennifer Rosales | 74 | 72 | 74 | 75 | +3 | F | +7 | 295 |
| T64 | Jaye Marie Green | 80 | 68 | 76 | 71 | -1 | F | +7 | 295 |
| T67 | Haeji Kang | 74 | 69 | 77 | 76 | +4 | F | +8 | 296 |
| T67 | Juli Inkster | 74 | 72 | 75 | 75 | +3 | F | +8 | 296 |
| T67 | Megan McChrystal | 76 | 72 | 75 | 73 | +1 | F | +8 | 296 |
| T67 | Sarah Jane Smith | 77 | 71 | 78 | 70 | -2 | F | +8 | 296 |
| T71 | Paula Creamer | 73 | 74 | 74 | 76 | +4 | F | +9 | 297 |
| T71 | Ji Young Oh | 76 | 71 | 76 | 74 | +2 | F | +9 | 297 |
| T71 | Seon Hwa Lee | 78 | 70 | 77 | 72 | E | F | +9 | 297 |
| 74 | Hee-Won Han | 76 | 71 | 75 | 76 | +4 | F | +10 | 298 |
| T75 | Daniela Holmqvist | 76 | 69 | 78 | 76 | +4 | F | +11 | 299 |
| T75 | Alejandra Llaneza | 74 | 74 | 76 | 75 | +3 | F | +11 | 299 |
| T75 | Carlota Ciganda | 76 | 71 | 79 | 73 | +1 | F | +11 | 299 |
| T78 | Anya Alvarez | 76 | 73 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 149 |
| T78 | Perrine Delacour | 77 | 72 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 149 |
| T78 | Paz Echeverria | 78 | 71 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 149 |
| T78 | Veronica Felibert | 74 | 75 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 149 |
| T78 | Jeong Jang | 78 | 71 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 149 |
| T78 | Hannah Jun Medlock | 75 | 74 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 149 |
| T78 | Sarah Kemp | 75 | 74 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 149 |
| T78 | Mindy Kim | 76 | 73 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 149 |
| T78 | Sei-Young Kim | 77 | 72 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 149 |
| T78 | Brittany Lang | 72 | 77 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 149 |
| T78 | Mirim Lee | 75 | 74 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 149 |
| T78 | Ai Miyazato | 74 | 75 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 149 |
| T78 | Belen Mozo | 77 | 72 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 149 |
| T78 | Jane Rah | 77 | 72 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 149 |
| T78 | Giulia Sergas | 74 | 75 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 149 |
| T78 | Karen Stupples | 74 | 75 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 149 |
| T78 | Kris Tamulis | 75 | 74 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 149 |
| T95 | Julia Boland | 77 | 73 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 150 |
| T95 | Heather Bowie Young | 75 | 75 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 150 |
| T95 | Cydney Clanton | 77 | 73 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 150 |
| T95 | Lindy Duncan | 77 | 73 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 150 |
| T95 | Kathleen Ekey | 76 | 74 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 150 |
| T95 | Maria Hernandez | 78 | 72 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 150 |
| T95 | Lorie Kane | 78 | 72 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 150 |
| T95 | Ilhee Lee | 76 | 74 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 150 |
| T95 | Jee Young Lee | 76 | 74 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 150 |
| T95 | Lindsey Wright | 71 | 79 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 150 |
| T105 | Mina Harigae | 77 | 74 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 151 |
| T105 | Brittany Lincicome | 76 | 75 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 151 |
| T105 | Becky Morgan | 77 | 74 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 151 |
| T105 | Rachel Rohanna | 78 | 73 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 151 |
| T105 | Alena Sharp | 78 | 73 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 151 |
| T105 | Jennifer Song | 77 | 74 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 151 |
| T105 | Kelly Tan | 77 | 74 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 151 |
| T112 | Sandra Changkija | 78 | 74 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 152 |
| T112 | Laura Diaz | 77 | 75 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 152 |
| T112 | Pat Hurst | 77 | 75 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 152 |
| T112 | Sue Kim | 78 | 74 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 152 |
| T112 | P.K. Kongkraphan | 76 | 76 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 152 |
| T112 | Kristy McPherson | 75 | 77 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 152 |
| T112 | Sydnee Michaels | 75 | 77 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 152 |
| T112 | Reilley Rankin | 78 | 74 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 152 |
| T112 | Jaclyn Sweeney | 78 | 74 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 152 |
| T112 | Kim Welch | 76 | 76 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 152 |
| T122 | Brianna Do | 78 | 75 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 153 |
| T122 | Katie Futcher | 80 | 73 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 153 |
| T122 | Megan Grehan | 80 | 73 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 153 |
| T122 | M.J. Hur | 77 | 76 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 153 |
| T122 | Mika Miyazato | 77 | 76 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 153 |
| T122 | Anna Nordqvist | 76 | 77 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 153 |
| T128 | Marina Alex | 83 | 71 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 154 |
| T128 | Katy Harris | 82 | 72 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 154 |
| T128 | Emma Jandel | 81 | 73 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 154 |
| T128 | Hanna Kang | 80 | 74 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 154 |
| T128 | Ashleigh Simon | 77 | 77 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 154 |
| T133 | Felicity Johnson | 79 | 76 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 155 |
| T133 | Stacey Keating | 77 | 78 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 155 |
| T133 | Hee Kyung Seo | 77 | 78 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 155 |
| T136 | Natalie Sheary | 80 | 76 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 156 |
| T136 | Christine Song | 78 | 78 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 156 |
| T136 | Victoria Tanco | 79 | 77 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 156 |
| 139 | Caroline Westrup | 78 | 82 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 160 |
| 140 | Rebecca Lee-Bentham | 76 | 85 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 161 |
| 141 | Xiyu Lin | 76 | DQ | DQ | DQ | – | – | – | 76 |
| 142 | Haley Millsap | 80 | WD | WD | WD | – | – | – | 80 |
| 143 | Natalie Gulbis | 81 | WD | WD | WD | – | – | – | 81 |
| 144 | Vicky Hurst | 82 | DQ | DQ | DQ | – | – | – | 82 |
Fairways and Forehands 