Wie, covered in kinesiology tape, shot two over in the first round of the U.S. Women's Open

LANCASTER, Pa. - Michelle Wie's difficult, injury-plagued year continued Thursday as she posted a disappointing two-over-par 72 at Lancaster Country Club in the first round of the U.S. Women's Open. While she saw glimmers of hope in her opening effort to defend the Open title she won last year at Pinehurst, it was six strokes behind the early leaders. Playing with physio-tape on her bursitis-rack left hip and with her left ankle heavily taped, Wie made four bogeys and two birdies as she found the thick, wet rough on seven of her tee shots, hitting only 11 greens. Still, she was upbeat. "Really close," she said about the state of her game. "Just a couple of shots here and there. I couldn't get my irons as close as I wanted to. Made a lot of good par saves -- kind of a mediocre round -- but at the same time just a lot of good feelings, and I'm excited about the rest of the tournament."