While Michelle Wie remained in contention with a "rollercoaster" round at the U.S. Women's Open, Kimberly Kim was the first thing Mark Rolfing wanted to talk about.

Kim, the 14-year-old former Hilo resident, sank four birdies on her first 11 holes yesterday and got to 4-under-par for the round before settling for an even-par 71.

"That (4 under) is the lowest anyone has gotten in a round at this (year's) championship," Rolfing said. "Amazing. It's the the stat of the day."

Rolfing spent yesterday following Wie, and called it "one of the most emotional rounds from Michelle in a long time."

After a steady round on Friday, Wie had "some really really highs and really really lows" on her way to a 1-over par 72. She remained just two shots off the lead at even-par 142.

Wie opened her second round on the back nine and parred the par-4 10th hole.

"I thought she started very well," Rolfing said. "She hit a bad drive, but she sank a 10-footer for par."

Wie went to 2-under overall with a birdie on the 12th hole.

"She was playing really nicely and had a bounce in her step," Rolfing said. "We were about to go on the air at 3 p.m. Eastern and we were talking about how good she looked."

But at the par-4 15th, after her second shot left her short of the green, Wie "did what she usually does, chip instead of putt, and didn't hit a very good chip. She chunked it and then made a bogey. It gave you the kind of a feeling of, 'Oh man, how can you give a stroke away?' "

Wie got a shot back with a birdie at the par-5 16th hole.

But at the par-3 No. 17, Wie made "a critical mistake," Rolfing said.

She hit her tee shot far right and into the right front bunker and in casual water.

Wie took a while to figure out where her relief was going to be and where she was going to drop it.

"Johnny (Miller) asked me about the shot, 'Don't you think she can chunk it out of the bunker and run it to the hole?' "

"I said, 'Maybe, but what she doesn't want to do is leave it in the bunker.' She didn't have a good lie and (her pitch) rolled back into the bunker, six inches from where it was and rolled back into the same water."

Wie dropped again, got it on the green, and took a double-bogey.

"She was pretty unhappy, the crowd was let down. It was a combination of mistakes — mental mistake in both cases — don't miss it out of the tee and get out of bunker no matter what and get a 4."

In contrast, Rolfing said Wie made an "incredible" par save on the par-4 seventh.

She played a fairway metal off the tee and pulled it far left over a water hazard into an unplayable lie.

"I tried to describe her options," Rolfing said. "(Analyst) Dottie (Pepper) was talking about not having many options — hazard in front of the green, left of green. This situation was a critical moment of the championship. She made the correct decision. The best thing she did all day."

Wie took a stroke penalty and dropped the ball within two club lengths, then hit an 8-iron from the muck 140 yards to the green.

"She could be looking at 6, 7 maybe 8 on the hole," Rolfing said, "then she hit one of the best shots seen in a long time, out of the mud, and it stops 15 feet behind the hole carrying the hazard. She then holed it for a par.

"In 21 years of broadcasting golf, it might be the best par I've ever seen in major championship," Rolfing continued. "It was really was incredible.

"When she walked by me coming off the seventh, she said, 'That was ridiculous,' which for a 16-year-old, I assume means ridiculously great.

"If she goes on to win or even stay in contention — I think she really has a good chance to win — that will be the turning point."