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SONY OPEN IN HAWAII

January 10, 2006

Michelle Wie West

HONOLULU, HAWAII

Q. Difference playing as a professional for the first time?

MICHELLE WIE: I do not think there is a lot of difference coming here as a professional or as an amateur. I still feel the same when I am on the golf course. It is pretty cool to have a big bag and have your name on the bag and be out on the range and not to be the only on with a stand bag. I think that is pretty cool. Having a big bag like everyone else is pretty cool. I feel so lucky to have a sponsor like Sony to be able to trust in me and believe in me. Invite me to the tournament. I feel really grateful to be here.

Q. On playing with Sean O'Hair and Justin Rose today in the practice round

MICHELLE WIE: They were awesome today. I was so amazed by how they played. They were great. I had a lot of fun today. They hit the ball so well. They played awesome. I think I learned a lot from playing with them. I had a lot of fun playing with them. It was great.

Q. What is the different about your game from this time a year ago?

MICHELLE WIE: I am a year older. Hopefully I am more mature than last year. My third time playing here, I have lot of experience about playing here the last two years. It was a different every year. Lot of different conditions - first year I played it was very calm. Second year that I played here it was a completely strange wind, really strong wind in the opposite direction. From those past experiences they have been really strange, different from when I practice. I gained a lot of experience from playing in those kinds of conditions. Hopefully this year I can use that experience.

Q. Do you sense that other people look at you differently now that you are professional or other players? What are the expectations?

MICHELLE WIE: I think a lot of people have high expectations of me, but I have high expectations of myself. All the players this week are saying -- 'congratulations on turning pro' and asking me how it felt different. It was pretty cool. Playing my first PGA TOUR event as a professional, I am starting to feel the difference. I am like wow I am one of them now, sort of. I am actually a professional. It is quite amazing. I feel really grateful.

Q. Do you sense any irony about you could earn your first paycheck playing with the men?

MICHELLE WIE: I have not really thought about that. It is pretty cool. That would be pretty neat. I am not really going to think about that this week. I am going to relax, have a good time, play my hardest and what happens, happens.

Q. You are getting use to playing along side the men now. All the media hype. Are you getting use to it? Is this the most relaxed you have ever been?

MICHELLE WIE: I think I have gotten use to the media and all the hype around me playing a men's event. Playing along with them I have learned a lot from them. In a sense I know what to kind of expect. Every year I think I am getting more and more comfortable. I have more and more experience. I think this year, I am trying to take it easy and feel my way around. Just want to have fun.

Q. Talk about the wind in your practice round today?

MICHELLE WIE: The wind was mainly trade winds, but today it felt like every hole was into the wind. It never really felt like any hole was downwind for me today. The practice round was really awesome. I just had a lot of fun. The trade winds were not that bad today.

Q. How much have you played out here?

MICHELLE WIE: Waialae Country Club has been very kind to me (allowing me to) play five times a week. I try and play nine hole three times a week on the weekdays. It is great because I have school anyway. This year I am trying not to just focus on just playing this golf course. I have been trying to work on my game a lot. I am trying to make myself more well-rounded. I think I am getting there.

Q. How do you handle the pressure playing here in Hawaii and how do you cope?

MICHELLE WIE: I do not feel much pressure playing the Sony here Open in Hawaii. I feel more comfortable playing here. I have all the people that know me, that I have grown up with, that support me. This is my home. I feel at home when I play here. I don't really feel that much pressure playing here.

Q. What has been more difficult - working on your fitness regime or giving up donuts?

MICHELLE WIE: The fitness has been pretty tough. I had Paul come over for a week. The workout was very intense. I could not wash my hair in the shower. It was way too painful. I could not lift my arms. I think it is getting really good. My New Years resolution is to cut down sugar and not be as lazy. That means going to the gym a lot more. My goal is to get fit, get stronger and prevent injury. Paul has been very helpful in that sense.

Q. To what extent has your short game improved since you played here for the first time?

MICHELLE WIE: My short game got a lot better as I matured. I've got more experience. I think short game is very feely, touchy and I have just been working on it. Hopefully it will show that I have been working on it. Hopefully it will show this week Hopefully I will be a lot better at it because I have been working on it, but whatever happens, happens.

Q. Can you measure how much better your short game is?

MICHELLE WIE: You cannot measure how good your short game is. It is not black or white. I have not really been measuring my short game when I was practicing.

Q. What are you trying to accomplish with the weight training?

MICHELLE WIE: Hopefully by the end of this year I will gain a lot more distance. I will be fitter in general, get more consistent, all the benefits that you get from weight training. Another upside to working out is I can actually eat junk food, without feeling guilty. It's basically to get stronger. When I played today with Sean O'Hair and Justin Rose - they are fit. They are in just great shape. Just to be like them because they are going to get better and better. The weight training is getting a lot more advanced. I know my weight training is more advanced with the help of Paul. Hopefully I can get stronger like them.

Q. How was starting back to school and getting ready for the Sony Open?

MICHELLE WIE: I had exams everyday last week. So that was not as much fun. I am glad that is over with. School has been great this year. I am so glad that nothing has really changed after I turned professional. Everything is the same at school. Since I am a junior this year things are a lot tougher than last year. I still have one more test and one more paper after the Sony.

Q. Do you ever think about Babe Zaharias?

MICHELLE WIE: She is amazing. She was amazing beyond words. I read her book and I think she is awesome. What she did - Olympics, playing in the men's events. Winning a lot of women's events. She had such a great combination of the stuff she did by playing men's events and women's events. I think she is awesome.

Q. Most impressive part of that book

MICHELLE WIE: I was crying at the end. It was very tragic I wish I could be like that, to be that brave. I can't really explain - just to be as brave as her and be good as her. It was very toughing when I read that book.

Q. What about critics saying you should learn to win on the LPGA?

MICHELLE WIE: Playing in men's events will help me to win in women's events because all the stuff I do here, all the practice rounds with the men, it helps me be a better player overall. As you can see, last year, after I played this event, I played well. You have to be a good overall player, use your long irons, your short irons. Playing with the guys has made me a better player. With that experience and knowledge, I think it will help me win women's events. That's my goal - to win with the women's events.

Q. What would make a successful week here?

MICHELLE WIE: I would consider a successful week if, at the end of the week, I felt good about the week. I had a lot of fun and played as hard as I can.

Q. Any added pressure with Sony as a sponsor?

MICHELLE WIE: I'm really grateful that I am able to play in this tournament, really grateful that Sony has invited me. I don't really take that as added pressure. I feel so lucky to be here. It's going to be a great week. I'm having a lot of fun. Every time I play here, I learn a lot. Whatever happens, I think it is a successful week.

Q. Were you more results-oriented here last year after missing the cut by one in 2003?

MICHELLE WIE: Most definitely. I've been trying to tell myself that results are not the most important thing. How you get there is the most important thing. People would always say that, 'results are not what count, it's how you get there.' My parents would say that and I would think, 'it's the results that matter' but as I get older, I'm realizing it's the road that you take is the most important thing. You're learning a lot even if you don't play well, you're still learning. That's the most important thing, there is so much to learn from the guys. They have so much to offer and I'm soaking it all in.

Q. Turning professional, how have you dealt with the sponsorship aspects of that?

MICHELLE WIE: It's pretty cool that I can be part of the 8-minute video for the expo in Las Vegas. It was pretty cool. I got to be a part of that. I got to do a couple of photo shoots. Hopefully, that turned out well. It hasn't been that hard to juggle stuff. I'm very grateful that Sony and NIKE have been very understanding with my schedule. They understand that I'm just a kid and I go to school full-time. They understand, I'm very lucky.

Q. Driver's license in the future?

MICHELLE WIE: I take my driving test on Tuesday. I've been driving quite a bit, so hopefully I can pass.

Q. Schedule for the year?

MICHELLE WIE: I haven't finalized my schedule. I am in the last stage of finalizing it.

Q. About David Leadbetter?

MICHELLE WIE: David was the best thing to ever happen to my game. He's awesome. It's a lot of fun to work with him. He's helped my game a lot. He's basically made me a lot more consistent. He has so much to offer. When I'm with him, I realize how much knowledge of the game he has. I think it's great.

Q. About Chris Couch and Camilo Villegas, your fellow competitors in your group?

MICHELLE WIE: I heard they got in from the Nationwide last year. I think that is awesome. I played in one Nationwide event and I know it's tough. It's not easy, very tough. It's going to be a lot of fun. I know if they both got in from the Nationwide they are really good.

Q. What is the difference in your height and weight from playing here two years ago?

MICHELLE WIE: Weight. Do we have to go there? I think I've grown a little bit. As far as muscle, I know I'm getting stronger and fitter.

Q. About your friends?

MICHELLE WIE: They have been making fun of me with all the money jokes. It's been pretty normal. I'm glad about that. People don't treat me any differently when I go back to school. I was a little worried about that. I was very relieved about that. Sometimes I forget to bring my lunch money and I have to ask (my friends) to buy my lunch. They are like, 'why, we're not going to buy your lunch money anymore.' So I have to remember to bring my lunch money.

Q. Not having a set schedule, has that been difficult?

MICHELLE WIE: That's the hardest part for me. Play one tournament, take a month off. If only I can play week after week after week, I'd be a better player. Taking as much time as I've been taking, I also feel that I have a little bit of rhythm, and (when I'm not playing tournaments), I practice like I'm at a tournament. That's the hardest part for me.

Q. Do you like school or are you looking forward to being done with school?

MICHELLE WIE: Part of me wants to play every week, but a big part of me wants to stay at school, be normal. That's very important to me and my family for me to go to school. I'm very grateful for that. I don't think I could be home-schooled. I'm not that kind of kid. If there were more days (in the year), I would love to play week after week after week, because that's what I love to do. But I love to go to school, sometimes, not when I have exams. That's a part of my life I can't live without it right now.

Q. Role model?

MICHELLE WIE: I'm think it's kind of cool that people may think of me as a role model. I never considered myself a role model. I think it's very awesome. To see little girls interested in golf and to see them inspired by me, I think that's awesome.

Q. About this week?

MICHELLE WIE: This week, last week. Trying to relax, have fun. Just to learn from everything since they have so much to offer. Soak it all in, be a sponge this week.

End of FastScripts.

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