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RICOH WOMEN'S BRITISH OPENJuly 29, 2009Michelle Wie WestLYTHAM ST. ANNES, ENGLAND COLIN CALLENDER: Ladies and gentlemen we have Michelle Wie in the interview area, welcome to the RICOH Women's British Open. I understand you had a chance to play the course now. How is it playing? MICHELLE WIE: It's nice. I got to play on Monday and I got to play on Tuesday. Tuesday was a little bit more wet than Monday but the course is playing really well. I think it's a lot more green than it was last time around. But you know, it's in fantastic shape. I'm really excited to come back and play links golf. So I'm really looking forward to the next couple of days. COLIN CALLENDER: You finished tied 26th last time around in 2006. What are your memories from that tournament? MICHELLE WIE: Those bunkers is all I remember, you know. (Laughing) But I think this time around, I'm going to try my best to stay out of them. Q. We spoke to Karen before and she was saying level par would be a good score for her, and she thinks that could possibly win the tournament; do you agree with that? MICHELLE WIE: I definitely would agree par is a really good score out here. I just have to put it in the fairway, put in the greens and try to give yourself birdie opportunities, and if you do get in trouble, you just have to play it smart and not get too greedy out here. That is the main key. It is a Major Championship. It's not an easy golf course. I think par is a really good score out here. Q. You were talking about your memories of the bunkers; have you noticed that there are an awful lot more? MICHELLE WIE: They seem like they are multiplying. But there's still grass on the course, so just trying to find that grass. Q. Just in 2006, there was a lot of pressure on you in those days obviously, and the world was watching and there was that incident with the bunkers like you said. How do you think you've changed from now to then? Are you much more sort of calm and do you feel less pressure now? MICHELLE WIE: You know, I think I just feel better because I'm a lot healthier. I think a better mind-set. I think like after all that's happened to me, you know, I think nothing really can faze me more than that. So I think just starting afresh, joining the Tour this year, making it through school, just finding joy in little things and just finding success in little things. Just moving and just keep working at it and have a positive mind-set on things. I think it's helping me a lot and I was having a lot of fun out here, so that helps, as well. Q. Do you feel you're much more part of the Tour now that you're an LPGA member? MICHELLE WIE: Yeah, I think it just comes with joining the Tour. There's a lot of nice girls out here. I've gotten to play with a lot of them and gotten to know them a lot better, so it's been fun getting to know people, getting to know the courses. You know, just getting to know everyone out here, it's been fun. Q. What sort of finish do you think you might need to get in the Solheim Cup team and is that part of your thoughts this week? MICHELLE WIE: Well, I think a win would make my life a lot better. So I'm hoping for that. That's the goal. Q. There was an article in the paper last week about the specifics of the injuries to your left wrist a couple of years ago; does it still affect you, do you still have treatment on it, and is it still having any effects on your game? MICHELLE WIE: Well, it did, whether I like to admit it or not, it did have a huge impact on my game, my psyche. I think going through that I think is not fun when you're not playing 100 per cent. I think after all of that, it made me a stronger person and it made me want it even more; you know, going through that and not having a healthy body makes me appreciate the good things a lot better, a lot more. So right now, I feel really healthy. I don't really go through a lot more treatment. Just strengthening everything so things like that don't happen again, and a lot more careful in other activities that I do, because I didn't hurt it while I played golf. I just hurt it running and stuff. So I'm just a lot more careful what I do and what I don't do. And I think I definitely became a lot stronger after that. Obviously I wish it didn't happen to me. Obviously I wish I didn't go through that. But at least it happened when I was really young and at least it didn't happen when I was a lot later in my life. I'm healthy and that's the most important thing, and I have a stronger mind-set about it now. Q. Where did the Solheim Cup feature in your plans earlier this year? MICHELLE WIE: I would love to play. I think it would be the greatest honor. It's one of the biggest goals for me this year is to play in the Solheim Cup. Obviously it's been weighing on my mind the last couple -- the whole year. Right after I got through Q-School, I was talking to Meg and she reminded me that the Solheim Cup was this year, and was talking to Beth and all that. Obviously it's on my mind and it's definitely a big goal of mine, but I think this week, I think like I said, a win will solve everything. Good playing will solve everything. So I'm just out here and try to show them that I could play good golf and hopefully I can play well enough to make the team. Q. You mentioned the bunkers in 2006, do you have a different strategy this time? MICHELLE WIE: I think so, in some ways. But I think the main thing is try and keep it on the fairway. I think it's a little different strategy. I think even if I have to play a little further back, just try to keep the ball in play here. Q. With respect to being a different player in 2006, do you think the bunkers -- MICHELLE WIE: Yeah, I think there's a definite respect for these bunkers. These bunkers are not just any sort of bunkers. They are definite hazards. I'm out here to try to get the ball in play from the fairways because the greens are receptive and stuff like that. You've basically just got to get it in the fairway. Q. And how many more events will you play -- MICHELLE WIE: I'm not really sure. I start school like end of September, so up until then. Q. Do you think you need more patience around a links course; does that suit your game? MICHELLE WIE: Yeah, I think you do need patience around here, especially when the wind starts to blow and the weather starts to go crazy. You just have to keep your head on straight. And you are going to have some bad holes out here. You've just got to stay patient and I think that's a big goal for me this week is just never lose sight of what I'm doing and just be patient and just kind of trot along. Q. Are you receiving any treatment for the wrist? MICHELLE WIE: Not right now, no. Q. Is it 100 per cent? MICHELLE WIE: Yeah, I think so. It's been healing pretty good. Q. Are you worried about the state of women's golf at the moment, you hear all of these stories about events being scrapped or next year, chief executives being kicked off the Tour. Are you personally worried about it? MICHELLE WIE: Personally I'm not really that worried. I think that we have a strong enough product. I think everyone out here is strong enough, and I think the LPGA itself is really solid. I think it's really strong out here. You know, we've made some decisions to change stuff and I think that was good. Everyone just came together and we got stronger because of it. You know, there's always talk about how things are going haywire and this is going to turn bad and that, but in the end everything seems to work out. So I think we are a stronger product and I believe in that and I think we'll get through this and become stronger as a whole. Q. When Annika was playing, she was the superstar and with her not playing, you are probably the one person in the game to be the superstar; do you feel any responsibility? MICHELLE WIE: I think right now, my responsibility is to play well, and to get that win. And I think everything else will take care of itself, and I think right now, I'm just trying to work on my game and try to become that player that I want -- that I want myself to be and that everyone wants me to be. I think in the end, it's all about good playing and right now I'm just trying to focus on that and really just work hard on it and really just try to show everyone what I have. Q. Since you changed management groups, has that there been noticeably different advice that you've received? You had bodyguards with you last time you were at Lytham; do you still have people looking after you like that? What are the differences since the switch of management groups? MICHELLE WIE: You know, I really enjoyed my time at William Morris. I still talk to people there and stuff. We still have a really good relationship. I think it was a really good decision that I made moving on where I just wanted to make a different choice. I think regarding the bodyguards, it really wasn't my decision. I wasn't like, I want ten guards with me because I'm just that cool. It wasn't really that kind of stuff. It was just the tournament believed that I might need that extra. But it just depends on the week and depends how many death threats I get that week. (laughs) I guess this week it's only a couple, so I'm not in that much danger this week (laughs). I'm really happy with IMG. They have done a lot of good stuff. They work really hard, and I think the same with William Morris, same with IMG. It's great to know that they have my best interests in mind and they really keep an open mind of what I want to do. You know, they always just listen to me, so it's great. Q. Have there been death threats in the past? MICHELLE WIE: Not directly to my face, but I'm sure there are; that I haven't heard yet. But I haven't heard anyone to my face. I think it's a different kind of management company. William Morris is more entertainment management but it's like comparing apples and oranges really. They are both really great management companies. I just felt having a slight different change in management would be better. But like I said, IMG and William Morris are both really great companies, and IMG have done a lot of good things for me so far and I'm just really happy with them. Q. Do you have more say in your career now than you used to? MICHELLE WIE: I always did have say in my career I think. There is an idea where I really had any say, but I always say what I wanted to do. I think as I'm getting older, I think I'm just starting to know how to putt my voice into things. You know, when I'm younger, I just didn't really know. I just would say stuff and now I know who to go to, who to talk to when I have certain issues that I want to talk about. And I think I'm just starting to know the system a little bit better, and I think it comes naturally; I definitely want to have a strong input on my career, because it is my career. So I'm just trying to work on that. Q. If you need a wildcard, do you think you deserve one? MICHELLE WIE: Well, I would like to say I deserve one. It's just hard to say. Everyone is working really hard to get on the team. But I would love to play on the team, and you know, I feel like I played well this year. But like I said, that's all in the past. All I can do, I have one tournament left. I have one tournament left this week, and it will all take care of itself if I play well, so I'm trying to think about that. Q. What kind of scores have you been shooting in your practise rounds? MICHELLE WIE: I don't really like to scope score in practise rounds. I just hit different shots, hit different tee shots and hit different shots on the green and chip-and-putt. Just try and get the feel for the golf course. Q. And you're out tomorrow afternoon? MICHELLE WIE: Well, I can't really prefer that, I would rather play in the morning but I'm playing in the afternoon but it is what it is. Q. I just wanted to clear it up the thing about death threats. I'm assuming that's entirely tongue-in-cheek and no tournament has ever received them and your management company haven't received them and no one has ever received them secondhand and this was an entirely tongue-in-cheek comment, because Tiger has seriously received death threats. MICHELLE WIE: Well, you always have to sign these forms in tournaments, like if you receive a death threat, do you want to be informed or not, and I'm like, no, I don't want to know. I'm still alive, I'm still breathing and it's all good (laughs). Q. In the future, will you watch how you phrase your responses? MICHELLE WIE: Well, I don't think I said anything bad here, you know, it's just I think security detail is important in tournaments especially when you're playing. Q. Getting back to it, I think you'll be safe coming from local media, the Lytham crowd are mainly over 70, so I think you'll be all right. You're in Lytham yourself; are you enjoying your stay over there and are you enjoying the week? MICHELLE WIE: For sure, the crowd is great. I always notice when I come over here and play that they are just so respectful to players. You never hear a cell phone go off. They really know about the game, and even the people that don't really know about the game, they are just so respectful towards the players. And even people that come up to you and ask for autographs and pictures they so kind. I just feel so welcome this week. The death threats was a joke and all of that. But I think the people here, I just notice that every time I come, they are so respectful towards the players and the game. Q. How does all of that compare with playing tournaments in America? MICHELLE WIE: Oh, America is good, too. I think they are learning to be -- to turn off their cell phones and everything. It just depends on week-to-week. But the crowds in America are great, too. It's just a different crowd. I can't compare them both. The crowds in general are good. They do make mistakes and they do forget their cell phones. Not a big deal, just laugh it off and step away from the ball. Crowds are great in general. There's so many people out there that if one cell phone goes off, big deal. COLIN CALLENDER: Thank you very much and good luck this week. End of FastScripts |
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