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KRAFT NABISCO CHAMPIONSHIPApril 4, 2014Michelle Wie WestRANCHO MIRAGE, CALIFORNIA THE MODERATOR: Good afternoon, everyone. We would like to welcome Michelle Wie into the interview room, a solid 1‑under par round today, sitting one shot out of the lead. Just take me through the day out there and how pleased are you with your performance today. MICHELLE WIE: Yeah, it felt good to start off with a birdie. Just after that really just couldn't get anything going. But I held on in the middle and the front nine, and the back nine was just a whole lot of pars. But it felt good. Par is a good score out here. Just couldn't get anything going today, but at the same time I'm happy with the 71 today. Hopefully I can get things going again this weekend. THE MODERATOR: When you come off such a great round as yesterday and to be up near the top of the leaderboard, how does that change your approach when you come into round 2? Is it really just try to maintain? Do you think about going low? What was your mental approach today? MICHELLE WIE: You know, I just went out there and I just really took it hole by hole. I know the holes that are birdieable, so I went out there and tried to attack those. I knew the holes that par is a good score. So I really just attacked it hole by hole. It doesn't really matter what I shot yesterday. I really just kind of focused on that particular hole. THE MODERATOR: When you're in a major now heading into the weekend, to see yourself up near the top of the leaderboard, do you let yourself get excited, or are you pretty much focused on what you have to do tomorrow? MICHELLE WIE: I'm really excited. It's fun being on or near the top of the leaderboard. But try not to look forward too much. It's a long way 'til Sunday; two days is a long way to go. But at the same time I am very excited. Q. That stinger fairway wood shot off the tee has really become your go‑to shot to keep the ball in play. Is that something you're totally comfortable with now? MICHELLE WIE: Yeah, it's kind of always been my shot in my bag. I've been kind of bringing it out a little bit more. But yeah, it's definitely good. Q. You were in the final Sunday pairing in Thailand; what was it like to be back in that situation, and what did you learn from that that will help you this week? MICHELLE WIE: It was a lot of fun. I was really excited. I was nervous. And I think I learned a lot from it. I think I was in contention for a little while, like really close to Anna. I caught up to her. Obviously she played really well coming down the stretch, but definitely learned a lot from it. I can definitely use that experience this weekend. Q. Can you talk about maybe how you've gotten less technical over the years? Is that a true statement? MICHELLE WIE: Yeah, you know, I've tried‑‑ it's always a battle for me just because I'm such a perfectionist when I'm out there. I try to do everything perfectly. I just really just am trying not to look at my swing, just really feel it and just try not to be perfect, just kind of get it in the ballpark and just feel it and kind of just hit some shots rather than trying to make a perfect swing every time. Q. When did you start trying to make a conscious effort to do that? MICHELLE WIE: Well, I've always kind of made a conscious effort of it, but I really told myself this last October not to really look at my swing, maybe looked at my swing maybe twice since then. So I really haven't looked at any of my swings. Q. It looked like yesterday and today you made some pretty tough par saves at various times during the round. Is that a sign that you're just comfortable with your overall game as much as hitting that stinger or making a few putts? MICHELLE WIE: Yeah, I think that's the beauty of majors. You kind of have to do that. It's not like ‑‑ we have tournaments where you're going to have birdie chances every hole. There are some tough holes out there. I was really proud of myself for making those par saves today, and hopefully on the weekend it won't have to be that difficult. Hopefully make it a little bit easier on myself, but I was proud of myself today. Q. You were talking about getting less technical. How difficult is that when you get yourself to a point, and I know it's easy to look at your golf swing and keep looking at it. How difficult was it when you made that decision not to look at it? MICHELLE WIE: It was hard. I almost felt like a little bit of an addict. I was like, I really want to look at it, am I doing it right. But once I stopped looking at it, I like don't even want to look at my swing anymore just because I don't want to start relying on my eyes again. I just really am starting to rely on my body and how it feels, and I think I've really gotten into tune with how I'm moving. Q. Does that take you back to when you first started playing? Do you feel like you did maybe early on in your career? MICHELLE WIE: Yeah, I think so. I think definitely when I was younger, way younger, I just tried to hit the ball hard.  I really just wanted to hit it far, so I definitely think I'm kind of going back towards that. Q. After you missed the short putt on 18 and walked away with par there, then on that next par‑5 did you hit it in the trees and it came out and you ended up with a birdie? MICHELLE WIE: Yeah, it was a pretty lucky shot there. I thought it was for sure OB. But hit the tree luckily, bounced back into the middle of the fairway, and it was a good birdie. I was really happy about that. Q. Sometimes you just need a little luck, right? MICHELLE WIE: Exactly. Q. We've talked a lot about confidence and how it's coming back for you in spades. Not to be a downer or anything, but at what point did you feel the least amount of confidence? Is there a point in your career that you can point to? MICHELLE WIE: Yeah, for sure. I think there was a couple of points. I don't think it was just one moment. I just really struggled with injuries. I really struggled with my health, as well. I was just not healthy. I was not feeling well. And you just go out there and you're grinding and you're grinding and you don't see any improvement, and I think that's when you get most frustrated, the most like‑‑ that's the least confidence. I think it was beginning of last year, end of two years ago, when I really struggled with my putting. I think that's when I just wasn't comfortable at all. But I'm just really grateful that I went through that just because I know how I came over it, and if I ever get not confident and get back into that, I know how to get past it now. THE MODERATOR: Always about a learning game, right? You learn from everything that you go through, and we're glad to see you back up here near the top of the leaderboard again, and wishing you the best of luck this weekend. MICHELLE WIE: Thank you. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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