EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France — Michelle Wie failed to break par again, but the 17-year-old from Hawai'i was encouraged after opening the Evian Masters with a 1-over 73.

Wie has now gone 24 rounds without a sub-par round. Ironically, the last time she broke par was in the final round of last year's Evian Masters when she shot 68 to finish second.

Still, she left the Evian Masters Golf Club yesterday with a positive outlook.

"I'm definitely on the road to recovery. I'm stronger and more confident," said Wie, who said her injured left wrist was not too painful. "I'm swinging much better and I made some birdies. I take so many positives from this round."

Hitting almost every fairway to be 2-under 34 after nine, Wie came home in 39 with a double-bogey 6 at the 12th where she lost a ball out of bounds. She is in a 15-way tie for 37th.

Pat Hurst and Brittany Lincicome of the United States and Eun-hee Ji of South Korea each shot 6-under 66 to share the first-round lead.

On a day of low scoring, the leaders were just one shot ahead of Christina Kim of the United States, and Kyeong Bae and Jin Joo Hong of South Korea.