U.S. WOMEN'S OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

June 24, 2005

Michelle Wie West

RHONDA GLENN: Michelle, that was a wonderful second round. I think you are leader in the clubhouse right now at even par. How did you feel about how the day progressed.

MICHELLE WIE: Well, it was a little tough out there, the second round today. But I still felt like I hit very good shots into the greens. I was very patient out there. But if I could have taken, taken -- okay, for the first 10, 11, 12, 13, I had very close birdie putts and I didn't make any. If I had made those it would have been a different story, but I am still happy with the way I finished.

RHONDA GLENN: Before we start the questions, let's go over your card. No. 2 made a bogey.

MICHELLE WIE: I kind of hit it to the right again and I just chipped out and I hit a good third shot. I hit a pitching wedge and I was about like twelve feet and I didn't make the putt.

RHONDA GLENN: No. 8, bogey.

MICHELLE WIE: That one, I mean, I was right in between 6- and 5-iron. It all depended on which way the wind was blowing. I hit a 6-iron because the wind was behind me. Right after I hit it, the wind completely changed on me. So I was a little bit short of the hole. And I hit a horrible chip shot and I was about like 20 feet by, two-putt.

RHONDA GLENN: 5-wood off the tee on No. 9. Second shot.

MICHELLE WIE: I hit a 7-iron for a second shot. Hit a little cutty on 7. It worked out really well.

RHONDA GLENN: Your first hole of the day was No. 10, you made a bogey. What happened there?

MICHELLE WIE: I mean, I hit it into the right rough there and I didn't think I hit it hard enough, so I was a little bit short of the hole and my chip shot came about nine feet short and I didn't make the putt.

RHONDA GLENN: Questions.

Q. Do you feel like at this stage of your career that you are prepared to win the U.S. Open?

MICHELLE WIE: Yes, I think so. I feel like I am ready. I feel like I am playing well enough and as long as I make a couple more putts, play a little bit more consistently, if I play under par, I think I have a good chance.

Q. I heard the sign carrier in your group is like roughly your age, 15 years old, you guys were talking about this and that and that and this. What was the subject matter during all those delays?

MICHELLE WIE: We made a club, actually. We called it "Club Delay". (Laughter).

We had a good time in the vans. I had a lot of fun out there with Brittany and Laura. It was great. Rain delays are pretty fun too actually.

RHONDA GLENN: What do you talk about during a rain delay?

MICHELLE WIE: Everything, ranging from school to movies, everything. Basically what we talk about.

Q. You and Laura?

MICHELLE WIE: Oh, no. She was in a different van.

Q. You talked about having a number of real good birdie opportunities. Could you describe a few of the best ones that got away?

MICHELLE WIE: 3-putt on 11, that was pretty bad.

RHONDA GLENN: Tell me about that hole. You hit the green at the par 5 in two shots.

MICHELLE WIE: Yes, 3-iron for my second shot. I was short of the hole. So I thought I was going to be pretty slow, then I hit it and it was pretty fast. So I went past the hole. I was about like six feet and I think I was overreading the breaks today.

Q. You are 15 and you just said you feel like you are ready and experienced enough to win the U.S. Open. There are some pros who have played longer than you have been born that probably aren't ready. What makes you feel you are ready?

MICHELLE WIE: Well, just the way I am playing and you know, if I never think I am ready then I can never win. Always think positively.

Q. Do you think this round could have gotten away from you, if not for some...

MICHELLE WIE: Yes, definitely. I could have shot some ridiculous numbers today, but I kept my head and I made a couple good par putts and I think that kept me going.

Q. Do you think it was an advantage for you to have been here for a period of time before the tournament and actually when did you start playing practice rounds here?

MICHELLE WIE: Well, I played here on Saturday but when I played here it was blowing like mad, so I was very shocked when I first came to the golf course.

On Sunday it calmed down, so I really got a chance to see the golf course and I think it was good for me to get used to the altitude, get used to the golf course, and I think it was good.

Q. How do you like this golf course where you hit more 3-woods and 5-woods maybe compared to some other courses where you hit more driver off the tee?

MICHELLE WIE: Oh, definitely, I'd rather go to a golf course where it's like about 100 yards wide and I can hit driver all the time, but I accept the fact that fairways are good and fairways and greens here.

Q. Laura said she was surprised you didn't play a little more aggressively. She would have liked to see you play more aggressively. Are you going to play more aggressively?

MICHELLE WIE: No, not really because, you know, I mean, if I go into the middle of the green, I mean, if I hit fairway, then I have a good chance, you know, of making birdie and, you know, I am pretty good with my wedges and my short irons. So if I just lay up to that kind of distances, I think I have a great chance.

Q. Could you just expound on why you think the round could have gotten away from you?

MICHELLE WIE: Because I mean, I made a lot of crucial par putts today, like on No. 15, the par 3, and when I could have made double, I made bogey, like chipping out and stuff like that. If I lost my head I could have shoot a big number.

Q. The third shot on 17, was there any thought given to laying up given where the pin was?

MICHELLE WIE: The third shot?

Q. Yes.

MICHELLE WIE: Oh, I didn't want to lay up there because it would be a hard, you know, fourth shot and I had a pretty good lie so just go for it.

Q. How many flags do you feel like you went dead at today? Everybody talks about U.S. Open go to the middle of the green, putt to the flag, and you're a fairly aggressive player by nature, is that sort of hard to throttle yourself back and back off your normal gung-ho mindset?

MICHELLE WIE: Well, you know, if it was just not a US Open golf course, if the rough wasn't that long, I mean, I would go for a lot of them, but you know, I had bad memories from yesterday. I actually hit to the pin on the par 5, No. 5. I actually short-sided myself and I don't want to do that again. I think I learned a good lesson early on.

Q. You had your hand on your driver on the par 5 on the back 9, No. 5, then you took it off. Was that hard to --

MICHELLE WIE: It's very tempting. You know, hit a heroic shot, it feels good, stuff like that. But, you know, you just have to play smart. I think that's what I did. I gave myself a good third shot. It's very hard pin position anyways.

Q. What keeps you from losing your head? You talked about that a couple of times, saying the game could have gotten away from you. What kept you sane?

MICHELLE WIE: Well, it wasn't a matter of going insane, it was a matter of getting patient, waiting for opportunities and that's what you have to do here.

Q. How many times did you hit driver today?

MICHELLE WIE: Twice, I think.

RHONDA GLENN: Which holes?

MICHELLE WIE: 10 and 11.

Q. Outside you sounded almost disappointed to be at even par. How close are you to your A-game at this point and what did you feel was out there?

MICHELLE WIE: Well, I feel like I have a lot of improvement to make over the next two days. My goal was to shoot consistent under-par rounds all four days. Didn't really quite achieve that, so I will just make it up tomorrow.

Q. You are halfway through a women's major with a realistic chance to win. From a pressure standpoint, you have got another USGA event in a couple of weeks. Which one do you think you are more relaxed in, halfway to a women's major or halfway to the Pub Links with a ticket to Augusta?

MICHELLE WIE: I am not really thinking about the Public Links right now. I am just focused on this tournament. I am not really feeling that much pressure

Q. You said you got up at 4:15 in morning. You are most likely to have a very late tee time tomorrow, what will you do now --

MICHELLE WIE: Thank God.

Q. -- in the interim to take your mind off golf and relax?

MICHELLE WIE: I am going to have a very good dinner tonight and then I am going to sleep, actually sleep. And then I am going to exercise tomorrow morning, just the actual routine.

RHONDA GLENN: Will you practice at all this afternoon?

MICHELLE WIE: Yes, I will.

RHONDA GLENN: What are you going to work on?

MICHELLE WIE: Just everything and then mostly chipping. I mean I didn't really chip well today.

End of FastScripts.