To be No. 1 – that is Wie’s biggest goal

The original women's golf wonderkid, Michelle Wie, will reach the grand old age of 30 in October.

It seems a lifetime away from when she became the youngest person to make the cut for the Kraft Nabisco Championship and US Women's Open at just 13 in 2003.

Her career hasn't fulfilled that early promise, with just one Major to Wie's name, the 2014 US Women's Open - although she has finished second at the ANA Inspiration and the Women's PGA Championship in 2014 and 2005 respectively, and third at Women's British Open in 2005 and 2017.

But the American believes her best is yet to come.

Speaking via a conference call ahead of her return to Singapore to defend her HSBC Women's World Championship crown next week, Wie said: "I hope the best is yet to come, I don't think I have reached my full potential.

"I feel very blessed with all the accomplishments I have had so far. Being able to graduate (from) college at Stanford and winning the US Open have been some of my biggest dreams.

"But I definitely think I have yet to reach my full potential. There's a lot more things I want to accomplish, so hopefully there is a lot more to come."

The biggest goal in the Hawaii native's sights is the No.1 spot on the LPGA Tour rankings.

Said the world No. 32: "Being No. 1 in the world is the most important thing to me.

"There's not a lot of things that I would change. Obviously, I have made mistakes in the past... but I believe that everything that has happened in the past, good or bad, has shaped me to become who I am.

"It's impossible to have a perfect career but I feel that I have grown from a lot of things...

"In order for me to become No. 1, I have to keep doing what I am doing and be healthier, be injury free, and hopefully that will happen."

Last year was an injury-ravaged one for Wie, whose season ended in October after going for surgery on her right wrist.

That meant she played only 16 events last year, her fewest since the 2009 campaign.

The HSBC Women's World Championship will be only her second event since surgery - she is competing in the Honda LPGA Thailand this week.

Having started putting and chipping again only last month and driving just 2½ weeks ago, Wie admits it will be a tough ask to retain her crown at Sentosa Golf Club, particularly with a field featuring world No. 1 Ariya Jutanugarn.

Said Wie: "I would have liked it to be further along the year, but I feel very grateful that I am able to play.

"Surgery went well, but last year was a tough year, injury-wise... It's been a long recovery, a lot of doing nothing, rehab. It's been hard, I've had to be very patient.

"It's been hard to try not to push it and listen to my doctors...

"I think coming back as the defending champion definitely has a different ring to it, which is very nice, and I'm just excited to go.

"I'm excited for the food, the shopping, everything Singapore has to offer.

"It's definitely one of my favourite stops of the year."