KRAFT NABISCO CHAMPIONSHIP

March 24, 2004

Michelle Wie West

THE MODERATOR: Michelle, thanks for coming in and joining us. This is your second event of the year. You had a Top 20 last week in Phoenix. You played here last year, finished Top 10 with a tie for ninth. If you could go ahead, give us an opening statement, how it feels to be back, we'll take questions from there.

MICHELLE WIE: Well, I feel really great to come back. Last year it was really fun and it was really special to me. And I played really great last year, and hopefully I can play better this year. I think I can.

THE MODERATOR: We'll take some questions now.

Q. Last year you made ninth in this tournament. I'd like to know what you feel about this tournament? I know this tournament is special for you because after this your popularity really took off. I want to know what this tournament means to you and your goal for this tournament. You became such a famous figure in such a short time, I would like to know are you having fun with your popularity or is it more of a pressure?

MICHELLE WIE: Well, to answer your first question, if I remember it, I think last year, it was very exciting. I mean, I don't know whether my popularity went up after this tournament or not, but I played well last year. My goal for this year is to play better and jump in the lake. I think it would be pretty fun to do that.

And your second question, I like being popular. I don't know if I am, but I just like all these people that want my autograph, the media, it's all fun. And playing golf in tournaments, it's very fun now.

Q. How long are those earrings? Are you worried you might hurt yourself if you turn your head suddenly?

MICHELLE WIE: Well, they're pretty long. They're the longest earrings that I have. I don't think I could swing in these. They just slap right across my face, and they hurt. They're metal, so. I just wore them today because I'm going home right after this. I was just like, "What the heck, I'll just wear these."

Q. In the next 10 years, what do you think is going to be bigger, your art or earring collection? You just had this painting presented. Are you going to have more paintings or more earrings?

MICHELLE WIE: I hear the painting goes to the winner, so hopefully more paintings than earrings.

Q. What have you been told about links golf? You're playing in the Curtis Cup this year. Have you been told anything about it?

MICHELLE WIE: I heard about it, it's very narrow and tight. I heard that you have to play a really low ball, and you have to like run the ball up to the hole, you can't really slide up there. I think it's going to be pretty cold.

Q. Have you experimented with the low shots or not?

MICHELLE WIE: In Hawaii, it's pretty windy, so I already play quite a few low shots. I think I never really played links style before. I think it will be really interesting to see what a pot bunker really looks like. I'm really looking forward to it.

Q. Since last year was the year when pretty much everybody saw you on TV, what has changed in that year? Are you still six feet tall? How is your game different than one year ago at this time?

MICHELLE WIE: Well, I think I'm a little bit taller this year. I mean, I don't want to admit it, but I think I am. But everyone I met says, "You seem like you're taller." I'm a little bit over six feet now.

And I think my game improved a lot. I think I matured a lot over the last year. And on the golf course, I think I'm making less mistakes. Like last week, like in the first and third round, I only made one bogey, so I was pretty proud of myself. And I think I'm making fewer careless mistakes and I'm working on my shots to make it straighter. So I think I improved a lot hopefully.

Q. Did you tighten your game up, change your swing?

MICHELLE WIE: Yeah, tightened the screw a little bit.

Q. Do you remember the time when you more or less decided to get so serious and make golf your life? My second question has to do with, as hard as it is to bring yourself to the level you're at, do you sometimes not want to practice? Do you have to be "encouraged" to practice or do you wake up every morning saying, "I can hardly wait to get out there and hit the ball"?

MICHELLE WIE: Well, I'll answer your second question since I remember it better.

I don't know. I'm not the kind of person who likes hitting balls like 24/7. I don't really think about golf like all day long. I think once I get off the golf course, I can forget about it. I'm not what you call like really obsessed with it. I just like playing in tournaments, and I love it. I love the game.

But I think one advantage that I have is that I can forget about it. Even if I have a bad round, I never lose sleep over it. But sometimes I get encouraged, like not in a bad way, but I encourage myself. If I want to be in a tournament, I have to practice a little bit more and a little bit harder.

But I think mostly, I don't really spend a lot of time. I think it's more quality than quantity. And, I don't know, I just -- it's like I'm not a really big fan of practicing. I love going to tournaments and traveling, but practicing sometimes is a little bit boring. But that's what you have to do to win.

Q. Is there anything about what's happened to you that has surprised you with the media and the fans and the general rise in interest about you in probably the last year?

MICHELLE WIE: I just think that it's a general rise in interest, it really surprised me. I mean, after this tournament it just grew a lot. It was a little bit surprising.

But I think it's been a really fun time, and hopefully it will keep on rising.

Q. Can't help but notice that your relaxation quotient with us is a lot different. You seem a lot more at ease, more talkative and so forth. Do you feel more relaxed? Are you ready to host your own show, I think?

MICHELLE WIE: Yeah, I mean, I think I just feel more relaxed because I know more of you guys, or I've seen a lot of you guys. It's like talking to people like you know. I think the more you do it, the more you feel comfortable.

I think I'm becoming more comfortable.

Q. Have you decided if you're going to try to qualify for the men's Public Links, and if so, where are you going to qualify?

MICHELLE WIE: Well, this year, I don't think I have any time for it. I'm pretty much booked right now. But, I don't know, I want to play in the Public Links.

Q. Can you repeat that? I don't think they heard you in the back.

MICHELLE WIE: Well, what did I say? I don't remember.

Q. About your schedule.

MICHELLE WIE: I'm really booked right now, so I don't think I can qualify for it. I want to play in the Public Links, because if I want to play in the Masters right now, then that's the route to go.

Q. One of the things we all get a kick out of is that you're so young, you still go to school. Can you tell us what is going on at school? What are your favorite sung? What books are you reading? What are your favorite movies?

MICHELLE WIE: High school is a bit harder than middle school. I just found that out. It's a little bit harder to miss school. But I think high school is a lot more fun. I just love high school. It's like fun.

The classes I'm taking right now are biology honors and geometry honors, Japanese I, medieval history, PE.

Q. Sounds like a pretty full schedule.

MICHELLE WIE: Yeah, I'm taking five courses. But I like my schedule right now. I end at 12:30 every other day. I got pretty lucky.

And my favorite subject right now is Japanese. I just love it. It's so fun. I think it's really amazing.

Q. Are you going to try to qualify for the Women's British Open?

MICHELLE WIE: Well, the British Open is right after the Evian Masters, right? I want to go to Paris right after. So I don't know, I don't think so.

Q. Do you feel like you've had problems when you're on the mainland with wearing down, getting tired? Do you think that's what happened last day last week?

MICHELLE WIE: I think that was the case. I think I got a little bit tired on the fourth day because I made like a promise to myself that I wouldn't get tired. I've been working out a lot. I've been like doing 45 minutes on the bike every day. Then for the last week, I got a little bit lazy and I didn't do the exercises. I got a little bit tired on the fourth day.

But yesterday I went to the gym, I worked out a little bit. Hopefully this week I won't get tired on the last day because I think I'll need my energy.

Q. Do you play any other sports? Are you scared of getting injured?

MICHELLE WIE: Yes, I did. I played a lot of other sports. I played baseball.

Q. Now?

MICHELLE WIE: Now, no, nothing, because I found out that I wasn't really talented in running or doing anything really fast, yeah. So, I think golf is a little bit more easier, because you just do it slowly, relax. It's good.

Q. What do your sister pupils make of your progress?

MICHELLE WIE: Well, my friends, I mean, I don't know, they make a big joke out of it. They're like my friends, it's a little bit weird. I think it's pretty good, though, because all the seniors and juniors aren't playing any pranks on me or anything. It's pretty good.

Q. How do you deal with the fans now? Do you like signing autographs? Do you sometimes get tired of that?

MICHELLE WIE: Well, I do sign autographs. But there's a lot of autograph seekers now. I kind of taught myself how to like distinguish between them. And, I don't know, it's a little bit strange because last year there was none and this year there's like a lot of autograph seekers.

I don't know, I'm a little bit more careful because, I don't know, it kind of hurts me when I see my things get sold. It's like a part of me gets sold. I don't know, it's a little bit tiring in a way. I just have to say, "I don't sign those things."

Q. What would you say is the most important thing you took out of your performance at Sony?

MICHELLE WIE: Well, I think my putting was really good that week. I just have to remember how I putted that week, just like remember what I felt, use it this week, I think.

Q. What kind of music do you like listening to and what kind of films do you watch?

MICHELLE WIE: The music I listen to, I like alternative, punk rock, underground music. For movies, I like to watch really stupid movies, like Dumb and Dumber is my ultimate favorite. I just like movies that aren't too serious, that I can just watch and relax.

I just love comedies. I think I love them. They're great.

Q. You're going to play Evian. How did that come about that you chose that tournament?

MICHELLE WIE: Well, I went to France when I was four, and I always wanted to go back. It was a chance to go to Paris. Why not? I love France. It's great.

Q. How hard is it for you to detach yourself from golf? What is your favorite time of the day when you don't play golf?

MICHELLE WIE: It's not really that hard to like not play golf for me really. I can really separate my own life and golf. It's not like when I'm doing something else, like when I'm shopping, I never think about golf really. When I'm shopping, I'm shopping. When I'm playing golf, my brain kind of wanders a little bit, but I mostly focus on golf.

It's not really hard to take me away from golf. I just love it so much that I always come back. But I love vacations. I love shopping, going out with my friends. I don't know, I'm not really just like a golf, golf, golf kind of person. I have my own life, too.

Q. So many golfers are on fitness regimes. You're so young. Do you have to lift weights? Do you have a fitness regime?

MICHELLE WIE: Well, I do have a trainer at Body Balance, his name is Mel. That's mostly for stretching, keeping me flexible so I don't have any injuries. What I'm doing right now is very light weight because I don't want to lift weight and become all bulky. I don't know. Plus I'm not really that diligent to go out to the gym.

Plus I have PE every other day, so that's enough, I guess.

Q. In previous interviews, you said you respect Tiger Woods as a player the most. I learned that you also bring his pictures in your wallet. Is it true? Do you still have his picture in your wallet?

MICHELLE WIE: Oh, not in my wallet, no. That's my dad's wallet. He doesn't even have a picture of me, and he has a picture of Tiger in there.

Q. What is on your wall?

MICHELLE WIE: Well, on my wall there's pictures of Tiger Woods because my dad forbid me to take it off. He's like, "Don't even dare."

I have some actors that I like that I want to put it out. But, no. It's like seven years old. I can't take it off.

It's pretty interesting to see, like the pictures, it's kind of amazing to watch what he does. I kind of want to take it off but I kind of don't.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you all. Thank you, Michelle.

MICHELLE WIE: Yes.

End of FastScripts.