Wie withdraws from Safeway International

Michelle Wie, whose return to competitive golf after a dismal, injury-plagued 2007 season resulted in a last-place finish at the LPGA Tour's Fields Open on her home course at Ko-Olina Golf Club last month, withdrew March 21 from next week's Safeway International, citing an injured left wrist.

"I am extremely disappointed to miss the 2008 Safeway International," Wie said in a statement released through the William Morris Agency. "I'm so grateful to [tournament director] Tom Maletis and the entire tournament staff for offering me this great opportunity and hope to be back again next year." Wie, who was to play the Safeway on a sponsor's exemption, first hurt the wrist when she fell while running a year ago.

According to WMA, Wie reinjured the wrist when she hit a ball embedded in a thick rough at the range at Stanford March 13. She immediately consulted a doctor at Stanford, where she began her freshman year last September, and saw a hand specialist in Los Angeles March 17. X-rays, an MRI and a CAT Scan did not show any major injury. Her doctor diagnosed it as a sprain.

Wie played one PGA Tour event and eight LPGA tournaments in 2007, missing four cuts, withdrawing twice and finishing last or next-to-the-last in the three tournaments in which she completed 72 holes. Based on her play last year, and because she is not a member of the LPGA, Wie is not currently qualified for any of the major championships.

--Ron Sirak