EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France — Michelle Wie hopes a return to the French Alps will get her game back on track.

The 17-year-old Wie is back at the Evian Masters with her game, confidence and reputation in disarray. A year ago, the teenager from Hawai'i closed with a 4-under 68 and finished in a tie for second. She hasn't broken par — anywhere — since.

"It's so good to be back here," Wie said yesterday. "It's so nice, so beautiful, the people are so nice and I feel at home. It's been a really tough year this year."

Wie has struggled with wrist injuries, and her last appearance was at the U.S. Women's Open at Pine Needles four weeks ago, when she withdrew halfway through the second round.

Wie has completed only seven rounds this year with an average score of just under 78. Since the final round at Evian last year, she's gone a total of 23 rounds without breaking par. Wie and her parents came to Evian early hoping for a change of fortune at the 72-hole event.

"I just want to be able to play as freely as I did last year, as happy as I did, no thoughts in my mind, just out there, me and the golf ball and the golf hole and the beautiful course and just to play," Wie said. "Just to be my 17-year-old self again, have no worries and hit the golf ball into the hole, and that's all I'm asking right now. I just want to be able to play a pain-free round, not hurt and be able to play very well."

Last year, Wie led by two shots on the 12th tee in the final round, but Australia's Karrie Webb wound up winning by one over Wie and Britain's Laura Davies.

Current No. 1 Lorena Ochoa is in the field, which also includes this year's three major champions: Morgan Pressel (Kraft Nabisco), Suzann Pettersen (McDonald's LPGA) and Cristie Kerr (U.S. Women's Open).

The field has been expanded to 90 players with a cut after two rounds for the first time since the event began in 1994.