June 3, 2022
Southern Pines, North Carolina, USA
Pine Needles Lodge and Golf Club
Quick Quotes
Q. Michelle Wie West. Can you talk us through your round today?
MICHELLE WIE WEST: I started off great. I just got unlucky at times. Just was above the hole one too many times and just having to hit -- just trying to figure out the short putts and how much it breaks and just not having much speed on them.
I just got off to the wrong start with my reads and just didn't trust my eyes. Kind of starting off the way I did I felt like I played pretty well considering, and I had a lot of fun today.
Q. Obviously, it's not the outcome you wanted, but what are some of the takeaways from this week?
MICHELLE WIE WEST: Today started off on a great high. I did wordle for the first time I and guessed the word on the second try. I thought it was undefeatable after today, and then it was a gradual decline after that.
It was an amazing week. It's definitely a bittersweet week. I wish I would have ended on making the cut and all of that. Obviously, no matter what, missing the cut sucks, but overall, I had a very positive experience.
It was so great to see all the fans out today. Had a lot of fun.
Q. Were you thinking at all about next year today?
MICHELLE WIE WEST: No, it's a long ways away. I'm just going to -- I'm excited to step away.
Q. Michelle, what is your plan now going forward leading up to that? You are getting away from the game. What are you going to do over the next year?
MICHELLE WIE WEST: I'm probably going to let the clubs collect some dust on them for a little bit now, but I'm excited. There's a lot of projects that I'm working on that I haven't had time to do before, so I'm just going to dive into those. I'm really excited.
Q. Can you elaborate?
MICHELLE WIE WEST: Not yet. (Laughing).
Q. Did anything hurt out there when you were playing, or did you feel good physically?
MICHELLE WIE WEST: I felt pretty good. Yeah, it was -- I felt pretty good out there. My calves were hurting. I'm greatly out of shape, but other than that, I felt pretty good.
Q. What did you think of the gallery support coming up on 18 and just kind of that scene out there?
MICHELLE WIE WEST: Yeah, I definitely teared up a little bit knowing that it would be one of my last times doing that. It was really cool. Definitely had flashbacks of Pinehurst and just seeing all the same people.
When they come up to me, oh, I was there in 2014. It was just really cool to see everyone here again.
Q. Who is here with you? Is McKenna here?
MICHELLE WIE WEST: Solo.
Q. Just by yourself?
MICHELLE WIE WEST: Yeah, yeah.
Q. Down the stretch how much were you aware of where you stood in relation to the cut line? By the 18th you get to 3-over, and you never know.
MICHELLE WIE WEST: The last putt tried to make a hero putt. Thought it was going in. Gave a good run, but, you know, it is what it is. I gave it my all today.
Just unfortunate stupid bogeys here and there, but that just comes with not playing a lot. I just felt a little more rusty today than I did yesterday, but overall, I'm pretty proud of how I'm playing.
Q. Looking at your career and all your involvement with USGA, you've grown up with this organization and playing these championships and winning them. This was the right time to do this, do you think, because of that connection in addition to other things throughout your career, that as a USGA event that you cap it off with?
MICHELLE WIE WEST: Yeah, I mean, the U.S. Open was always going to be the last tournament I played. The Public Links was the first tournament I played on the mainland, and the U.S. Open was definitely going to be my last.
I love the USGA family. Just seeing everyone, I grew up with these people. It's just so amazing to be here, and I'm excited for Pebble Beach next year.
Q. Michelle, I'm just curious how is the way you approach playing hole to hole, shot to shot changed from when you were younger to now? You seemed a little more relaxed and more enjoying it. Could you just talk a little bit about that?
MICHELLE WIE WEST: Yeah. I definitely think that there were times where I was very intense in my career on the golf course, but I soon learned that just -- it's a game still.
Even though it's your job, the golf is still a game. It's a great game, and it's a long time to be out there if you're not having fun.
So I decided I was going to have fun on the golf course, and I definitely had fun today.
Thank you.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports
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