Regaining form, focus

Question answered.

As much as it hurt, Danielle Amiee had to step away from the

second part of her dream.

The Newport Beach resident who captured the television world by

storm with her victory in the Golf Channel’s “Big Break III: Ladies

Only” series earlier this spring didn’t even step to the first tee in

the opening round of the LPGA’s Corning Classic in May.

The Corning would have been Amiee’s second LPGA Tour appearance by

virtue of her victory in the television series that pitted 10 women

golfers against one another in a series of skills challenges.

Swinging a club turned into a challenge for Amiee, 29, at the

Corning.

A pulled muscle in her back was to blame.

“It felt like a knife going through you,” Amiee said of the pain

she endured during practice rounds for the Corning. Three weeks

earlier she missed the cut in her first LPGA Tour event at the

Michelob ULTRA Open at Kingsmill Golf Club’s River Course in

Williamsburg, Va.

“It was pinching my ribs and spine on the follow through.”

The pain became so great that Amiee, who began competing on the

Futures Tour in 2000, withdrew after a practice round.

She tried stretching, but it didn’t relieve the pain.

Amiee contends the injury occurred because of overpractice. The

ailment sidelined her for 3 1/2 weeks, forcing her to also withdraw

from a U.S. Women’s Open qualifying round.

Ironically, the injury centered on an area Amiee tried to keep

free of pain.

She altered her swing in order to keep her back healthy, but

certain muscles weren’t used to the new movements, Amiee said.

Amiee denies any speculation that she withdrew as a publicity

stunt.

“I was upset I couldn’t play,” Amiee said.

She also soothed any alleged rift between her and the Golf

Channel. The station asked for an interview following her withdrawal

that she denied.

“Unfortunately a lot of people were upset due to their schedule

and what they had planned, Amiee said. “But I wanted to be there more

than anything, but my body was telling me I couldn’t.”

Amiee is slowly regaining form.

She placed 26th overall after three rounds of the American Century

Championship near Lake Tahoe earlier this month, teeing from the

back tees. She hasn’t played any Futures Tour events so far this

year. The Big Break took up most of her time. Amiee said in past

years the top five players on the Futures Tour money list have

received exemptions into next season’s LPGA Tour events.

But to secure a spot near the top of the list, players must

compete for an entire season, Amiee said.

“The Futures Tour is awesome, but unless you’re playing the full

season, it’s hard to compete and get in the top of the money list,”

Amiee said.

She will channel her energy on LPGA Tour qualifying school later

this year.

Q School sectionals will be held at Mission Hills Country Club in

Rancho Mirage Sept. 20-23 and the Plantation Golf & Country Club in

Venice, Fla., Oct. 4-7.