Michelle Wie improves her play in second round of U.S. Women's Open

LANCASTER - After finishing 2-over par at the U.S. Women's Open on Thursday, Michelle Wie was confident that she only needed time at Lancaster Country Club to improve her play.

She backed that up in the second round on Friday, shooting 2-under 68 to give her an even par score of 140 after two days. Wei, who is the defending U.S. Open champion, is still 7 strokes behind leader Amy Yang, but did move herself into realistic striking distance heading into the weekend.

"I hit a lot more fairways today and my irons were a little bit sharper than yesterday," Wie, 25, said. "I just have to keep on improving what I improved on today."

Wie birdied three of the last eight holes on the back nine and, after bogeying par-3 sixth, sank back-to-back birdies at seventh and eighth to improve to 3-under for the round.

When she missed a par putt at the ninth hole, her last of the day, Wie stood off to the side of the green and pantomimed her putting stroke. Moments later, she tapped in a bogey putt to cap her day.

Wie was hampered by a hip injury earlier this year, and called walking up the course's hills "sometimes not too fun." She's also wearing a brace on her left ankle, vibrant kinesiology tape all over her left leg and strapped an ice pack onto her left hip right after her round.

After a solid round, resting up for the weekend is all the more important.

"I'm just going to take it easy tonight, hopefully play a little bit later tomorrow so I'll have time to rest," she said. "But it is a little bit tough. But tape it up, brace it up and good to go."