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KRAFT NABISCO CHAMPIONSHIP

March 22, 2005

Michelle Wie West

RANCHO MIRAGE, CALIFORNIA

JOEL LAMP: Michelle, thanks for coming and speaking with us. This is your third Kraft Nabisco Championship. You finished Top-10 the last two years and were fourth all by yourself last year. Just your thoughts coming in, you've gotten better every year, what's the goal this year?

MICHELLE WIE: Well, it's true, I have gotten better the last couple years, but I just want to keep on getting better. My game is feeling pretty good right now. Hopefully I can get things together hopefully it will turn out pretty good.

JOEL LAMP: You've played two events on the LPGA schedule so far this year. You tied for second and you had another great finish last week. Where is your game right now coming into this week?

MICHELLE WIE: Well, I guess it's okay. I mean, if I say it's good, it might come out bad so I want to avoid that, but feeling pretty good. It's not too bad. My putting is getting better. But, hopefully it will be good.

Q. Can you talk about what it feels like coming least this year, as opposed to the your first time here? Do you feel like a veteran now in three years of this?

MICHELLE WIE: Well, I don't feel too old coming into this tournament but it feels good. It feels like coming back home. It feels great. It's a great golf course and it's always fun to come back here.

Q. What's improved in your game this year?

MICHELLE WIE: Well, hopefully my game has got a lot more consistent. I practiced a lot of short game before the Sony Open, so hopefully that got better. I'm just trying to, you know, get my game to be better.

Q. You've been coming for three years now here, and I'm wondering, what did you learn the most about the game, your game here at this tournament and about your life and about yourself?

MICHELLE WIE: Well, this is my third year here and I feel a lot more mature. I know I learned a lot more about myself. So I feel a lot better from the first time I came here.

Q. You talked in the past about how weird it is to play a couple of events, go away for a couple of months and play a couple more events; including the Sony, this is your fourth tournament now in 2 1/2 months, I guess. Have you noticed any difference in your confidence level or just your comfort level playing that many times in a row?

MICHELLE WIE: Well, I feel more comfortable playing out here after the Sony Open. I feel a lot more comfortable. I feel like I know my game a lot better and I feel good.

Q. You've played enough LPGA events where you obviously know a good amount of the players now. Who do you feel most comfortable around, is it people your own age, or do you feel comfortable playing and spending time with players who are 20 or 30 years older than you?

MICHELLE WIE: Well, I'm pretty used to it by now. The first time I played out here it was kind of strange kind of playing with people that were a lot older than me, but I'm used to it right now.

I have fun. I don't care who I play with. I have fun.

Q. Is it easier to talk to someone who is maybe 20 or 21, as opposed to someone who is, you know, quite older than that or is there any difference?

MICHELLE WIE: Well, definitely you feel a lot comfortable talking with people that are around your age because you have a lot more in common. But I really admire and respect all the older players, and it's really great talking to them, too.

Q. Do you have any goals this year either on the LPGA TOUR or just to play well or win something, to win one of the USGA events? What's the No. 1 goal?

MICHELLE WIE: Well, definitely the top thing in on my list is to win at least one tournament this year. But, you know, the main thing is just to have fun and play well. It's pretty much the same.

Q. Does the second-place finish at Turtle Bay indicate that you really are ready to win out here now?

MICHELLE WIE: I had a chance to win that tournament but I gained a lot of confidence after that. I feel like I can win and my game is better, if I get things together, if everything is working that week.

Q. On a different topic, tennis saw a young star like you changing the fashions; are you going to make a fashion statement with golf?

MICHELLE WIE: Well, I don't know, maybe. I haven't really thought about that.

Q. What are you expecting out of yourself this week?

MICHELLE WIE: Definitely to play well. I'm trying to like some weeks my long game is great and my short game is bad. But I'm just trying to make everything more consistent, better and hopefully I can play better than last year.

Q. Have you seen the course yet this week?

MICHELLE WIE: Yes, I played yesterday.

Q. Did you notice any differences? Are you just comfortable out there having played eight rounds now in competition?

MICHELLE WIE: I feel comfortable out there. I heard it rained a lot this year the past few months. The greens seem a little bit more grainy, a little more grassy, but it's still the same golf course and I love playing it.

Q. Anything changed about your plans about Stanford? Are you still full-speed ahead? Is it still on your radar?

MICHELLE WIE: Yeah, definitely. Next year is my junior year and that's when I apply. So hopefully I can do good.

Q. Have you heard about Ai Miyazato from Japan? And how about your Japanese, has that improved?

MICHELLE WIE: Well, first one, I have heard of her, and second I don't really know much about her. I only know that she's a Japanese player and she's a pro, and that's pretty much all I know about her. So hopefully I get to know her better when I play with her on Thursday and Friday. I'll really be looking forward to it.

Thirdly, my Japanese is coming on fine. After I go back to school next week I have two Japanese tests so hopefully I'll do good.

JOEL LAMP: Thank you, Michelle.

End of FastScripts.

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