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KRAFT NABISCO CHAMPIONSHIP

March 30, 2006

Michelle Wie West

RANCHO MIRAGE, CALIFORNIA

PAUL ROVNAK: Michelle, thanks for coming and joining us. A terrific round today. Six birdies, no bogeys, 66. You put yourself in great contention. Give us a reaction on your round today and we'll take some questions.

MICHELLE WIE: I'm really glad I played well in the first round. Usually I have a little bit of trouble starting off real well. My game was really solid today. There are a couple of things I want to work on after I eat lunch. So hopefully I will just get better and better every day.

PAUL ROVNAK: We'll take questions.

Q. The talk the last couple of days were that the greens were firm, that they were really fast, the rough was up, maybe the scoring wouldn't be quite what it was. And yet the scoring seems to be as low, if not lower, than it was last year. Were the greens as tough as people were talking about?

MICHELLE WIE: They are fast. They are in perfect condition. I don't think these greens have ever been better. The rough was high. It just shows that the players out here are getting better and better. Even if the course is that hard, they can shoot that low, and I think Lorena is a very good example of that.

Q. What are you most proud of today?

MICHELLE WIE: I think I'm proud that I didn't I think I'm proud that I played solidly throughout the whole round. There were a couple of holes where I didn't feel that comfortable, but I just survived on those holes and I came back. That's what I'm really proud off. And I think that's what I need on this course.

Q. Why didn't you go for it on 18?

MICHELLE WIE: It was about 220 to the front of the green and I was already 6 under at that point so I didn't feel like I needed to go for it.

Q. What were the two holes where you thought you were a little worried and then you came through?

MICHELLE WIE: The two holes that I hit right into the trees. You know, I found out if you miss it that far right, you have a pretty good lie from the rough. But those are the holes where I just wanted to get par and I was really proud of that.

Q. And that punch out shot on 12, take us through what you were thinking and how you played that.

MICHELLE WIE: That shot, I hit it right into the trees, and I kind of saw the shot. I tried to hit a fade around the tree and I hit it the way I saw it. I was very proud of myself because I hit it pretty well.

Q. Not to get ahead of ourselves, but what do you think about the tradition about the winner jumping into the lake here, and how much would you be looking forward to doing something like that?

MICHELLE WIE: I'm not really thinking about that right now. I'm just thinking about tomorrow, what am I going to shoot tomorrow, how am I going to play tomorrow. That's all I'm thinking about right now.

Q. As well as you hit the ball today, do you feel like that's about the highest score you could have shot today?

MICHELLE WIE: There were a couple of shots where I wanted to make birdie. There were a couple of shots where I was glad that I saved par. I think all in all, it turned out the way it is and this is how the first round turned out for me.

Q. As much as you might try to simulate tournament conditions at home, how difficult is it to come out and play like this, five weeks since your last tournament? Is there a different feeling? And how were you able to pull it off, do you think?

MICHELLE WIE: I was thinking the Fields Open was last week. I was just trying to carry on that same momentum that I had going at the Fields. And I think the tournament practice that I had back at home helped me a lot. So I can use this day to push me forward even more.

Q. On 18, last year I think you had some problems on 18. Did that play into your thinking at all?

MICHELLE WIE: Last year was last year. I was a whole other person last year. So hopefully I won't make the same mistakes I did last year. I'm just going to play smart.

Q. With all the hubbub about your first major as a professional, any more flutters or butterflies on the first tee, or anything go through your mind?

MICHELLE WIE: No. It's the first tournament. I don't think it's changed because I'm a professional. I was really excited this morning teeing off when the starter told me told them, her first major as a professional. I thought, Oh my God, this is it. I didn't feel any more butterflies. I thought, This is really exciting. I'm enjoying every part of it.

Q. Even by your standards it seemed like there were a lot of cameras and reporters and television cameras out there, obviously you and I both together. Was there any point out there where you looked around and said, wow, look at all these people around here?

MICHELLE WIE: I'm pretty used to that. I played with Ai last year and there were a lot of cameras. I think that was her like first event overseas, so there were even more cameras last year. I'm always surprised when I play with Ai, so many cameras and television cameras, so I was pretty used to it. It was pretty awesome.

Q. Can you expand on why you're a whole different person than last year?

MICHELLE WIE: I'm 16, not 15 anymore. I have my driver's license. I'm a junior. That's it, basically. That covers it.

Q. How does that translate onto the golf course?

MICHELLE WIE: I feel like I'm older now. I feel a little more mature. I try to act like I'm a little more mature since I'm a year older. I'm just getting older, I guess.

Q. You're shaking your wrist a lot.

MICHELLE WIE: I had a little discomfort on my wrist a little bit. It was a little uncomfortable during the round. I was kind of hitting my shots bad a couple of weeks ago back home. Nothing serious, just a little uncomfortable.

Q. That little preshot thing, the Fred Funk move, the left foot coming up before you hit your shot, when did you start that and why?

MICHELLE WIE: I have no idea what you're talking about.

Q. Seriously?

MICHELLE WIE: Yes.

Q. With your right foot here over the ball and right before you get ready to take your position, you bring your left foot together.

MICHELLE WIE: Well, coming to this tournament a couple of weeks ago, I had a little bit of trouble lining up, and David taught me that new routine, coming with my right foot forward, matching the club face up. I think that worked really well, so I felt comfortable lining up today.

Q. When you spoke to Ai on whatever whole the camera was shooting, was it in Japanese or English?

MICHELLE WIE: I tried to speak some Japanese. I don't know how it went. I'm trying. But her English got so much better from last year, so mostly in English.

Q. You said you were going to go work on something. What will you be working on this afternoon?

MICHELLE WIE: Well, just to wrap up with I did to keep the feel going. I'll hit a couple of drivers. Obviously I mis hit a couple. Just putting, just all the normal stuff.

Q. You talk about being a year older and you're a professional now rather than an amateur. Does this tournament feel different than it did when you were here last year and the year before?

MICHELLE WIE: Not really. I came it's my fourth year here, if I'm correct, but it didn't really feel that different. Just because I'm a pro, just because I have a big bag now doesn't really make the tournament any better or any worse. I'm always excited to come to this tournament. I don't think it feels different now because I'm a professional. The tournament is always exciting. I'm always excited to come here. It's no different.

Q. After talking to some of the celebrities that were out there playing with you guys, they said not only are the ladies making their game out there, but they're bringing fashion to the golf course. Talk about that.

MICHELLE WIE: Obviously, because we're women, we want to look kind of fashionable, or at least that's me. But Nike has been making a lot of new cool clothes, especially with the sunglasses. They're comfortable, but also they're nice looking, and just try to keep it a little bit fashionable. I don't know if that's working or not, but I'm trying. And Nike has been helping me a lot.

Q. You've obviously played well here in the past, but how important is it for you to take that next step and be in contention on Sunday and win? And what do you think that next step is on this course in this tournament?

MICHELLE WIE: Well, you know, I'm not really thinking about, Oh, I have to be in contention on Sunday right now. I'm thinking how am I going to shoot the same or better tomorrow. If I'm in contention, that's great. If I'm not, I'll try my hardest to be in contention. I'm not thinking I have to be in contention to win. I'm just out there trying my hardest to see where it takes me.

PAUL ROVNAK: Take us over your score card, starting with 2.

MICHELLE WIE: I hit a driver down the middle. I had a 5 wood to the back edge of the green. It was about like a 50 foot putt. My second putt was about four feet.

Birdie on 3, I hit a driver down the middle. I hit a pitching wedge to about four feet.

7, I hit a 5 wood and I hit a 6 iron about like 20 something feet left of the hole and I made that, 25 feet.

10, I hit a driver left, and then I hit a 9 iron over the trees, a little bit of a draw. That was a good shot. And I made about a 12 foot putt.

15, I hit a driver down the middle. I hit, I think it was a 52 degree wedge to about like nine feet.

17, the par 3, I hit 6 iron to about 12 feet.

PAUL ROVNAK: Thank you, Michelle.

End of FastScripts.

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