Injured Wie withdraws from US Women’s Open

LOS ANGELES, California: US golfer Michelle Wie said Friday the nagging right wrist injury that has sidelined her since March will keep her out of the US Women’s Open next week in Charleston, South Carolina.

“While I’m making progress with my recovery, I have decided to withdraw from the US Women’s Open,” Wie, the 2014 US Open champion, said in a social media post.

“It was a difficult decision to make because the US Open was one that I was looking forward to playing in all year, but my recovery and health is the priority. Thanks so much for all the messages of support- they really keep my spirits up. I am hopeful that I’ll be seeing you all back out on Tour very soon!”

Wie, who has been nagged by past wrist injuries as well as neck, back, hip, knee and ankle trouble, underwent surgery in October to alleviate pain in her arthritic wright wrist that had caused her to withdraw in pain during last year’s Women’s British Open.

But she withdrew in the first round of her title defense in the HSBC Women’s World Championship in Singapore in late February.

She returned for the year’s first major championship, the ANA Inspiration, but missed the cut there as well as in the LPGA Lotte Championship in Hawaii before announcing she would take an indefinite amount of time off in order to get healthy.