Two Scores Of 73 Bring Smile For Different Reasons

HAVRE DE GRACE, Md. (AP) _ Se Ri Pak shot 73, but it was good enough to get her into the Hall of Fame. <br/><br/>Michelle Wie posted the same score and had reason to celebrate for other reasons at the

Friday, June 8th 2007, 7:36 am

By: News On 6

HAVRE DE GRACE, Md. (AP) _ Se Ri Pak shot 73, but it was good enough to get her into the Hall of Fame.

Michelle Wie posted the same score and had reason to celebrate for other reasons at the LPGA Championship.

At least she finished.

A week after she caused a firestorm of criticism for pulling out of the Ginn Tribute with sore wrists and hitting balls two days later, the 17-year-old swung easy, played smart and left her driver in the bag Thursday.

It left her six shots behind the leaders and in decent shape to stick around all four days.

But it was a start.

``I built a lot of confidence on this round,'' she said, repeating the phrase in some fashion four times in the five questions her handlers allowed after a 5 1/2-hour round that finished at sundown.

Wie described her game as ``great today,'' even though it was the first time in nine trips around Bulle Rock that she failed to break par. She was proud of how she ``kept it in the short stuff,'' even though she hit only five fairways.

Indeed, expectations are much different these days.

Already dealing with two bad wrists, one that was broken during a fall in January that kept her away from competition for four months, Wie faced an onslaught of criticism for quitting after 16 holes at the Ginn Tribute, then showing up at Bulle Rock to practice on weekend.

It got even worse when Annika Sorenstam, the biggest star in women's golf and the tournament host last week, accused her of lacking class and respect for her behavior. That was after LPGA commissioner Carolyn Bivens spoke to the teen's father and agent about conduct the commissioner declined to discuss.

Given that soap opera, Thursday was perhaps the greatest pressure Wie has faced in any single round.

And considering sore wrists that kept her from swinging at full strength, and required therapy a half-dozen times, she indeed had nothing to apologize for about her round.

``I'm just going to think positively,'' Wie said. ``It's a work in progress and hopefully, it's going to be better and better.''

The leaders became an afterthought on this steamy day north of Baltimore.

Former U.S. Women's Open champion Birdie Kim, who virtually has disappeared since holing that bunker shot on the 72nd hole to win at Cherry Hills two years ago, opened with a 5-under 67 to share the lead with rookie Angela Park, who played in her group. Joining them was Kim Saiki-Maloney, who struggled to remember how she made her six birdies.

Some interesting possibilities were right behind at 68.

One of them was Morgan Pressel, getting off to a solid start in her quest for the second leg of the Grand Slam. Also at 68 was Karrie Webb, a seven-time major champion jilted at Bulle Rock last year when Pak nearly holed a hybrid from the fairway to win a playoff, and Laura Davies, who needs a victory in this major to qualify for the Hall of Fame.

The happiest person might have been Pak, despite her score.

The defending champion officially logged her 10th tournament of the year, marking her 10th season on the LPGA Tour, and that was all she needed to be eligible for the Hall of Fame. At 29, Pak will be the youngest member when she's inducted in November.

Several players from South Korea lined the back of the interview room, a fitting tribute to their pioneer. The McDonald's LPGA Championship was her first LPGA victory in 1998, and she went on to 23 victories and five majors.

``I don't think I can ask for anything more at this moment,'' Pak said. ``I'm a very lucky person.''

Sorenstam, in her second tournament since neck and back problems forced her out of competition for two months, opened with a 70. Lorena Ochoa was in the group at 71.

About a half-hour before Wie teed off, Bivens heaped more criticism on the teenager by backing what Sorenstam had said.

``I think that leaving the tournament and coming to practice when one had pulled out with a wrist injury was not very respectful, and that's what Annika and what some of the other members are responding to,'' Bivens said.

``Every person who tees it up on the LPGA signs a registration form that says they are bound by the rules and regulations of the LPGA. It's a privilege, and it is not a right.''

And for a while, it looked as though Wie's day would get even worse inside the ropes. She was scrambling to stay afloat at 2 over when she missed the par-5 15th fairway by 40 yards in wispy grass up to her knees, took two mighty swings to eventually get onto the fairway and took double bogey.

That's when she summoned a rules official to ask permission for her therapist and trainer, Leanne Quinn, to work on her wrist. Quinn made a half-dozen visits to massage her left wrist, and late in the afternoon worked on the right wrist.

Wie's fortunes turned with a bunker shot from the fairway that rolled to 8 feet for a birdie, the start of three birdies in a four-hole stretch that settled her down. Wie also made two big par saves, and spun a wedge back to 6 inches for birdie on the par-5 eighth.

``It's definitely not where I want to be still,'' she said. ``I hit some great shots out there today, and I'm just going to build on that.''