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FIELDS OPEN IN HAWAII

February 23, 2006

Michelle Wie West

KAPOLEI, HAWAII

PAUL ROVNAK: Thanks for coming in and joining us. Great round today, 5 under par 67, with a three day tournament, it's important to get off to a good start and you did that. Can you just talk about your round today?

MICHELLE WIE: Yeah, that's always my biggest problem, not really starting off on the right foot. Today, you know, I feel very proud that I actually started well. It's a three day tournament and starting well is very important. So hopefully I can keep the flow going for tomorrow and Saturday.

Q. It all started with that first birdie on that very first hole, how much did that do for your confidence going the rest of the way?

MICHELLE WIE: I think a lot, because that wasn't really the shortest putt, and making the first putt about ten feet and then it kind of really boosted my confidence.

Q. Can you talk about the role that you were on, I think you had four birdies on the front nine, how confident and how much momentum did you have?

MICHELLE WIE: I just hit one shot after another and I just tried to play as well as I can. I think it showed today in those five or six holes. I mean, I just hit my driver, hit my iron, made the putt and I think that's very important for the next couple of birdies.

Q. Can you talk a little bit about the birdie on 14, you're in a trap, what was going through your mind there?

MICHELLE WIE: Yeah, you know, when I was on my second shot, I was like, don't go right into that bunker. And I did and I was like, "Oh, good job Michelle." I hit a good shot from the bunker, I was very proud of myself. I work a lot on my bunker shots and I think it showed.

Q. How confident you are with this round No. 1, you can't ask for a better round to start the tournament?

MICHELLE WIE: Obviously there's still people in front of me. I feel like I left some shots out there. I had a couple of stupid shots but I still feel like I started very solid and hopefully I'll just get better and better.

Q. Were there any butterflies, not having played in such a long time?

MICHELLE WIE: Well, I don't really I have to say, I had a little bit of excitement, not really like nervous. I was really excited to start this morning. I think it's good when I have a little bit of butterflies in my stomach.

Q. Glasses new for you?

MICHELLE WIE: Oh, no. I had these for a long time. Just when I was on the driving range, the sun was like straight into me. I was like, okay, I need my glasses today. So it's nice, it's really nice. It's not too dark, not too light.

Q. Can you talk about the galleries that was following you, especially the local fans that you're supporting?

MICHELLE WIE: Yeah, they are great. The fans were awesome today. A lot of my family friends come and watch me. It's always great to have them support me like that. It boosts your confidence like that, so it's great to have fans like that.

Q. I know you didn't want to talk about it too much, but I know the World Rankings came out this week, a lot of the talk was about that, how good was it to get out on the course and just play some golf?

MICHELLE WIE: Well, yeah, it was nice to just actually play in the tournament after a long break. I didn't really think about the World Rankings when I was playing today, I was just concentrating on playing my game.

Q. You say you like to learn something from every tournament, so how about today's round?

MICHELLE WIE: I learned that this is a matter of distance control when you're out there playing a tournament, distance control is very important, and I still think I need to work on that a little bit. But, you know, I'll just keep on learning. It's not over with and I still haven't really assessed my game yet.

PAUL ROVNAK: Can you talk us over your scorecard.

MICHELLE WIE: 1, I hit a driver a little bit down the right. The ball was very wet and it had I at of grass clippings on it and my 5 wood just screwed it completely toward the left. I asked for a rules official when I was dropping from the cart path, I was very nervous when I picked up that ball. I thankfully dropped the ball not nearer to the hole and I hit it to about ten feet and made that putt.

5, I pulled my driver left into the rough and that was a good lay up shot. I had 80 yards. I hit a really good lob wedge, too. I just thought it was going to be perfect and it through at least like ten yards past the hole and I guess I was a little bit pumped up for that. I got a what's it called a buried egg or whatever, the fried egg. I just got it out there, went over the hill and went down. I had about like 50 feet for par and I 2 putted.

6, I hit a driver down the right and I was in the rough. Then my ball was like stuck right behind the weeds, so I used my 52 degree, I was like about 15 feet short and I made that putt.

7, I hit a driver down the right side again and I hit a 9 iron, kind of like a three quarter 9 iron shot to about ten feet, nine feet and I made that putt.

9, I hit my driver down the middle for once and I hit a pitching wedge to about three feet.

11, I hit my 3 wood down the middle, hit a pitching wedge to the hole and I had about three feet.

14, I hit my driver in the middle. I hit my 5 iron into the bunker, right, and then my putt was about two feet, right next to the hole.

Q. Seems like there's fewer here today, and if so, do you like that better?

MICHELLE WIE: It did seem a little like medium. It's not great, it's not bad. I mean, I don't really care. I'm really glad that you guys are interested in me sort of.

Q. When you asked for the ruling, what was going through your mind?

MICHELLE WIE: Oh, the first hole, I was like, it was a simple drop, cart path, but I was like, I'm not going it by myself. I'm calling a rules official. He told me what to do, it was quite simple and it was nice.

Q. Were you thinking about the other tournament?

MICHELLE WIE: Well, yeah, definitely that was in the back of my mind. I didn't want to pick up the ball without asking first. It was like, "Can I pick up the ball?" I was asking him and I felt more comfortable.

Q. Anything else that you can train?

MICHELLE WIE: No.

Q. Can you talk about going to Korea to play in the men's event?

MICHELLE WIE: I'm very excited to go to Korea. I haven't been to Korea in a long time and I'm really looking forward to it, hopefully me and my family there, and eating Korean food and shopping there. I can't wait.

Q. Do you have any expectations from the men's tournament?

MICHELLE WIE: Expectations, it's kind of far ahead. I'm just thinking about this tournament right now.

Q. And you went through something

MICHELLE WIE: It's a herbal drink.

Q. What was it?

MICHELLE WIE: I don't want to know what's in it.

PAUL ROVNAK: Thank you.

End of FastScripts.

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