U.S. WOMEN'S OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

July 2, 2004

Michelle Wie West

MICHELLE WIE: I had fun, I made a lot of birdies. A lot of the mistakes that I made, all the doubles and stuff, I hit some really good shots out there. It was unbelievable. Like the par 3, I mean, that was a perfect shot, right there. It was one club more and fortunately it hit that lady and it was safe. But I think I played great today. I had a couple of ups and downs, but I think for tomorrow if I just get that, get rid of the downs then I'll be good.

Q. What happened on 14? Could you talk about the lie you had?

MICHELLE WIE: Well, I wasn't in that bad of a lie, I was a little bit scared. I was really fortunate there. I thought my ball was lost. But I was in the poison ivy. And I was like, "Can I get a relief from that, please?" But I didn't get relief, I just punched out. And it wasn't a bad lie. I think really fortunate. That putt should have gone in though.

Q. You had no twigs or nothing around your ball?

MICHELLE WIE: No, it was pretty good. It's poison ivy, that's bad enough, I think.

Q. You bounced back from a couple of bogeys with birdies. Is that sort of a mental thing for you, do you get mad?

MICHELLE WIE: Well, my dad was like, "Come on, you got to get a birdie". And I was just like, "Come on, settle down, we just got to make pars out here, it's good". And I just felt really calm today. Even after those bogeys, I felt like I was playing good, I had a lot of, a couple of birdie opportunities. And I felt really calm today. I feel really good about my game coming into the weekend.

Q. The only negative, 16 didn't work out the way you wanted. What was your yardage number on the third shot?

MICHELLE WIE: I was trying to do the same thing I did on nine, kind of spin it back. But I guess I added too much yardage on that. But it was a really good shot. And I thought it was in, but every one was like no and I was like, what?

Q. What yardage did you have?

MICHELLE WIE: I think I had like about 70.

Q. Was it a shock that it flew the green?

MICHELLE WIE: Yeah, I flew the green.

Q. You seemed shocked when it happened?

MICHELLE WIE: Yeah, because I hit it so good. It's not like I hit it too hard, it's not like I bladed it, it's like I hit it perfect. I hit it the way I wanted to.

Q. Are you more comfortable on this course, are you getting more comfortable each day?

MICHELLE WIE: Yeah, I'm getting really comfortable. I think that if I just get my driver straight, I think I would be in good shape and could shoot a lot better. I think that like No. 16 you have to be in the fairway to give yourself a shot to the green. And I believe that if I just hit a couple more fairways, just be as calm as I did today, hit a couple of good iron shots, hit some putts and I think I'll be good.

Q. Why were you so calm today? Did you do something different?

MICHELLE WIE: No, it's not like I was breathing differently, but I think that I was playing really good. I felt really confident about my game. I felt like I was making some putts, I didn't make some putts coming in, but I feel really good about my game and I feel comfortable, even if I did miss a fairway, I still know that I can make par.

Q. Does that calm come from your mother?

MICHELLE WIE: I don't know, she's been walking inside and it's been really fun having my dad on the bag. I had a lot of fun today.

Q. How different is your way you're attacking this course as opposed to last year? How much has that year helped you?

MICHELLE WIE: It helped me a lot. It helped me a lot. Because last year I was just frantically going at every pin. And that's not good on a U.S. Open course, because if you get on the wrong side of the green or even off the green you just leave yourself with a horrible shot. But right now I'm kind of looking at which shot is the best. And I'm just looking at the middle of the green, hopefully working it in towards the hole and I know there's pins where I can go for it, there's pins where I know I have to just be on the green and I have a lot more strategy.

Q. Are the greens getting soft enough from the rain that you can go at the pins?

MICHELLE WIE: I think this course drains really well. I didn't really notice any softness. But the fairways were a little bit soft. The balls were plugging but the greens were nice today. They weren't ridiculously dry. They were really nice because they were soft.

Q. (Inaudible.)

MICHELLE WIE: No. I had a lob wedge.

Q. You said yesterday that your goal was 1 under par both days and here you are almost on that goal, how do you feel about that?

MICHELLE WIE: Oh, gosh, I was thinking yesterday I shot even par, that's all right. Today I had a chance to shoot 2 under to reach my goal. I almost did that. I was 3 under, but that double bogey kind of brought me a little back. But I think I'm still good. I just have to shoot 2 under tomorrow.

Q. About one month ago there was a Korean American comment about a terrorist. What is your comment about that?

MICHELLE WIE: I don't know why he did that. It's not necessary. I'm not really into politics, so. I'm a golfer, you guys.

Q. Do you feel like you have a shot to win?

MICHELLE WIE: Well, yeah, I mean, the scores aren't going to be ridiculously low and I think that if I just shoot like 1 under, 2 under, every day, I think I think I'll be pretty good.

Q. Talk about that just going 1 under a day as your goal, I mean might you have to adjust your goals if everyone else is doing 2 and 3 under a day?

MICHELLE WIE: Well, I'm just happy with shooting 1 under every day. I believe that if someone shoots 65 and wins, I'm fine with that. I just have to shoot my goal and if I shoot 4 under, I'm a very happy person.

Q. What do you think 4 under will get you?

MICHELLE WIE: I think it will be pretty good.

Q. You seem to have the right mentality for a U.S. Open. Have you been listening to elders, watching tapes?

MICHELLE WIE: No, I just looked at Shinnecock Hills and saw every one kind of do that, so I'm thinking par is a good score out here.

Q. Media history lesson?

MICHELLE WIE: I know.

End of FastScripts.