Injury forces Michelle Wie to overhaul swing before U.S. Women's Open

Michelle Wie was a tower of power, grace and unadulterated joy when she won the 2014 U.S. Women's Open at Pinehurst No. 2, putting to rest years of haunting criticism and unfulfilled dreams as she wrapped her long arms around the giant silver trophy.

She's been a mess ever since.

Damaged at first by a finger injury that marred the rest of 2014, then a respiratory infection that drained her energy, appetite and strength earlier this year, and now a battered hip, Wie is facing an uphill battle in the 70th edition of the women's national championship. She begins her title defense Thursday at Lancaster Country Club in Lancaster, Pa.

"It's been a tough year with my health," Wie told USA TODAY Sports in a phone interview last week. "As soon as I was getting over my sickness, then I had the hip thing. The hip injury made me realize my body isn't what it used to be. I am readjusting my body to my aging body. I'm just doing everything I can to keep playing."

Since leaving Pinehurst, she's played 24 events and missed five cuts and withdrawn three times. Her best finish this season in 14 starts is a tie for 11th, she's broken 70 just seven times in 47 rounds, and she's fallen to No. 17 in the Rolex Women's World Golf Rankings.

It wasn't the future she envisioned in the reflection of the trophy marking her first major. Instead reality set in. Despite being just 25, all the force from one of the mightiest swings in golf has taken its toll on her statuesque 6-1 frame. Being on a public stage more than half her life has compounded the stress. And the Big Wiesy has been the Big Clumsy as she's suffered accidental injuries while jogging, working out or goofing around.

Bursitis in her left hip is of major concern this week and causing pain throughout her left leg. She recently got a second platelet-rich plasma injection in the hip. She has a noticeable limp, a brace on her left ankle and support tape on her thigh and near her knee.

She also has a new swing. Doctors advised she was close to a complete muscle tear in her hip, telling her she needed to stop swinging with such violent force. As a result, she has significantly narrowed her stance, weakened her grip and lengthened her swing, a combination designed to relieve strain on the hip.

"I never really did anything major to my swing before," Wie said. "But I had to do a complete overhaul. It's the biggest swing change of my career."

But certainly not the first change.

Wie is a tinkerer at heart, whether she's painting, cooking, sewing, coloring her hair or hitting golf balls. She doesn't fear change or give much worry about what others think, as proven by her table-top putting stance, which caught everyone in golf off guard.

"In a matter of hours I can change my swing," she said. "Keeping it the same is the hard part. I had no choice this time. I had to change my swing. It didn't take too long to get used to it, but now I just have to get to the point where it's automatic. But I'm much more comfortable with it right now."

The new swing isn't a temporary fix, said her coach, David Leadbetter, who first saw Wie when she was 13 and driving the ball 300 yards. He's been trying to get Wie to narrow her stance for more than a decade to relieve stress on her body.

"David tells me it takes me about a three-year cycle to listen to him," Wie said. "Thing is, I have to do something on my own time."

This time she listened to her doctors and Leadbetter and immediately changed.

"She does a lot of the changes on her own," he said. "You know the movie Fifty Shades of Gray? Well, there's 50 Shades of Michelle. She could never write an instruction book because by the time it came out, her new one would be completely different.

" … It ties in to her personality. She is very creative and artistic. You always expect the unexpected from Michelle. She does bounce a lot of things off me, and many times I'm in agreement. She's one of the few people I've ever seen who can change so quickly. And so far, so good."

The constant setbacks haven't knocked Wie out just yet. Although she's financially secure and has multiple interests she wants to tackle in the future, the golf course still moves her.

She's inspired by the competition that includes world No. 1 Inbee Park, No. 2 Lydia Ko, No. 3 Stacy Lewis and others. And last year's win in Pinehurst continues to get her blood going.

"Whenever I see the trophy it inspires me and motivates me," she said. "Before that I was hoping to win the U.S. Women's Open. Now I want to do it again. I want to feel that way again. ... And I'm a grinder. I still love golf, I enjoy working hard and I hate losing and I hate playing poorly.

"I still want to be the best I can be."

Leadbetter believes she still can be.

"I don't think she wants to be in the game forever, but she will drive herself to succeed while she's playing," he said. "She has a burning desire. When she puts her mind to anything, she's an extremely hard worker. It has been a letdown the past year, very mediocre we'll say, because you really expected her to take the game by the neck after Pinehurst. But she's still young enough to make that happen.

"I think she has her best golf ahead of her. If she can stay somewhat injury free."