NEW LOOK MICHELLE WIE IN THE MIX ON CROWDED LEADERBOARD

By Randall Mell

NAPLES, Florida – Michelle Wie is sporting a new look that even has fellow players doing double takes.
Bored during her six-week recovery from an emergency appendectomy late this summer, Wie decided to cut and dye her hair.
She went for golden locks, and a shorter style.
“I kind of went crazy after being in bed that long,” Wie said. “I just told my mom to grab the kitchen scissors and just cut all my hair off.”

Wie will get to sport her new look on a big stage Sunday after playing herself into a four-way tie for the lead with Kim Kaufman, Ariya Jutanugarn and Suzann Pettersen at the LPGA Tour's CME Group Tour Championship.
With a 6-under-par 66 for a three-round tally of 10-under 206, Wie is in contention to win her fifth LPGA title, her first since winning the U.S. Women’s Open three years ago.

Wie, 28, fought her way back this year after two of the most disappointing years of her career. Her rebound, however, was derailed in late August, when she withdrew from the final round of the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open to undergo an emergency appendectomy. She was out for six weeks.

Before the surgery, Wie enjoyed getting back into contention regularly, with six finishes of T-4 or better this season. She returned to the tour on the Asian swing in October.

Fellow tour pros were surprised when she came back with the new look.
“Definitely, walk by people and they didn’t recognise me,” Wie said.

Wie is looking to continue to build on her resurgence.

“I gained a lot of confidence this year,” she said. “I had a really tough year last year, the last couple years. Just really feeling like my old self. Really feeling comfortable out there and having fun, and that's when I play my best.”
American Kaufman had the tournament-low 64 for 206. Thailander Jutanugarn shot 67 for the 10-under mark and Norway's Pettersen had a third-round 69 to figure in the four-way tie at the top of the crowded leaderboard.
Only two strokes cover the leading 11 players with seven sharing fifth place only a shot behind the leaders on 207. They include Americans Stacy Lewis and Lexi Thompson.
Charley Hull from England is T12 on 208 after a 68. Compatriot Jodi Ewart Shadoff from Yorkshire is T46 on 215 after a 75.

THIRD-ROUND LEADERBOARD
par 216 (3x72) players from USA unless stated
206 Kim Kaufman 70 72 64, Michelle Wie 72 68 65, Ariya Jutanugarn (Thailand) 68 71 67, Suzann Pettersen (norway) 67 70 69.
207 Stacy Lewis 72 68 67, Karine Icher (France) 67 72 68, Austin Ernst 71 67 69,Lexi Thompson 71 67 69. Jessica Korda 69 68 70, Pernilla Lindberrg (Sweden) 69 67 71, Sung Hyun Park (S Korea) 67 65 75.

BRITISH SCORES
208 Charley Hull (England) 70 70 67 (T12)
215 Jodi Ewart Shadoff (England) 71 73 71 (T46)