FILE PHOTO: Jun 21, 2019; Chaska, MN, USA; Michelle Wie walks to the scoring trailer after finishing on the 18th green during the second round of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Hazeltine National Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
(Reuters) – Michelle Wie, who has battled a number of injuries during her career, said on Friday she will not play competitively for the rest of the year in a bid finally to get back to full health.
The decision marks the latest setback for the 29-year-old American, who has endured a start-stop return to competitive golf after wrist surgery last October.
“After doing everything I could to play this year, I have made the decision to take the rest of the year off from competitive golf,” Wie posted on her Twitter account.
“My team and I believe that this will give me the best possible chance to finally get healthy.”
Wie, a five-times winner on the LPGA Tour, returned from a two-month layoff at last week’s Women’s PGA Championship where she was still bothered by her wrist as she shot a 12-over-par 84 at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minnesota.
The former U.S. Women’s Open champion iced her ailing right wrist between most shots and then broke down into tears when discussing her playing future with 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,” Wie said last week.
Despite the pain, Wie returned for the second round to card an 82 en route to missing the cut for the third time in four events this year, having also withdrawn from the HSBC Women’s World Championship in February during her first round.
Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto; Editing by Toby Davis