KRAFT NABISCO CHAMPIONSHIP

March 30, 2003

Michelle Wie West

MODERATOR: Congratulation on playing today in the final group. How was it playing today?

MICHELLE WIE: It was great playing with Annika and Patricia, they're really great players, it was a pleasure playing with them.

Q. Your thoughts overall on your performance in this tournament?

MICHELLE WIE: I think I played pretty well all day. I think I played extra well on the third day, so I was really happy about that score.

Q. Just in terms of today's round, Michelle, who did you learn more from, watching Patricia or watching Annika?

MICHELLE WIE: I learned from both, because they're really good players. Annika hit the ball really straight. Patricia hits it solid, I just learned from all of them.

Q. What will stay in your mind about each player's game?

MICHELLE WIE: I think Annika, she hits the ball really solid every time, and she just hits it from everywhere, no matter what the lie. And Patricia does the same thing. Patricia is good chipping, good everything.

Q. You were right there going into the back nine. How were you feeling at that point, were you feeling calm and collected, were you getting nervous, were you aware of where you were on the leaderboard?

MICHELLE WIE: I'm always aware of where I am. And I wasn't really nervous, I have to make a lot more birdies to catch up with them, because I knew they'd make birdies, too. I had a chance to eagle on No. 11, and I 3-putted that, just brought me down.

Q. Can you talk about that, Michelle, because you looked really frustrated after that one and for good reason, obviously. The first putt, did the speed fool you on it, just leaving it short as much as you did?

MICHELLE WIE: It looked downhill, from where I was standing. I don't know, it looked super fast. And the green was like all pressed down, so I thought it was super fast. It just fooled me. And I think on the second putt oar -- I don't know, I hit it well.

Q. Did the frustration of that carry over or did it hurt your confidence at all putting after that, because you had several 3-putts after that, I was wondering if it kind of carried over?

MICHELLE WIE: I don't think it really affected me that much, but I tried to forget about it and move on, but the putt on No. 12, I tried to put it in to make par on the last hole, but I sort of hit it hard. The second putt to that one -- I hit it well, and it didn't fall in.

Q. How would you analyze your putting for this tournament?

MICHELLE WIE: First day was pretty bad. Second day was getting better. Third day was good. Today was not good.

Q. Did you ever think at any point that, hey, I've got a chance to win this?

MICHELLE WIE: I did, because on No. 11 I was just like two strokes -- I think two or three strokes off the lead. And I had a really short eagle putt. And I was thinking oh, maybe I can win this tournament.

Q. Annika told us that she started playing when she was 12, Lebouc said when she was 13, your age. What do you think, how many titles can you achieve in the age where they're right now?

MICHELLE WIE: I don't know how many, but I think I'll get better. I don't know how much I'll win, but I think I'll play better and better, and start winning tournaments.

Q. How many spring breaks have you had like this, and what will you remember the most about your spring break this year?

MICHELLE WIE: I had none like this, because I didn't have a major tournament on my spring break. And my most memorable was when I shot 66.

Q. How about meeting people like JoAnne Carner and Pat Bradley, some of the heroes of the game?

MICHELLE WIE: It was exciting. It was really nice to meet them.

Q. What was your most memorable moment of today, of being in that final threesome and maybe approaching the 18th and seeing that large gallery. What really stood out in your mind of being in that final group?

MICHELLE WIE: I think the most memorable part of today was playing in the last group on the last day. So it was pretty exciting. I couldn't really imagine myself being there this year. But it was pretty cool.

Q. How old were you when you started playing golf, and how did you happen to start playing golf?

MICHELLE WIE: I started playing when I was four. And I think I started playing when my mom and dad went on the golf course. I was around the golf course, but they wouldn't bring me out to the course, I would be in the clubhouse. And I would watch out the window to see how they played. And finally they took me out. And I was driving the cart and then I found I was really interested in golf. So they took me out to the baseball field with a set of clubs, and I started hitting balls.

Q. What was your distance on the 18th tee, and did you consider going for the green in two today?

MICHELLE WIE: It was 220, and my dad thought maybe we'll try, but it was not all that great.

Q. (Inaudible.)

MICHELLE WIE: I think it was like 230.

Q. How long was that putt on the 11th that you left short?

MICHELLE WIE: 15 feet.

Q. (Inaudible.)

MICHELLE WIE: No. 2 I hit a 3-iron -- 4-iron, I think it was about 210, it was like downhill, and it was really short, and I 2-putted.

Q. (Inaudible.)

MICHELLE WIE: About 8 feet, 9 feet.

Par-3, I hit the tree on the left and it came short, about like 30 yards. I chipped it over the green, and then I 2-putted.

I hit like a pitching wedge to the green, I think -- no, I hit an 8-iron half shot to the green, and then in the middle of the green and I 3-putted.

Q. (Inaudible.)

MICHELLE WIE: That one, I had a great 9-iron shot, but I thought it went down, and I think that is impossible to 2-putt. It was way gone.

Q. (Inaudible.)

MICHELLE WIE: Not that far.

On that one a hit a good shot, but my second shot I kind of hit it too hard. I tried to hit it hard and then stopped. I hit it too hard to the right, and hit a lob wedge. And then I chipped it kind of far, and then I missed my putt.

Q. (Inaudible.)

MICHELLE WIE: 16, I hit that really perfect. And then I hit it kind of long, my shot, and then I hit my second -- my first putt pretty well, about like two footer, and then, I don't know, I think I read it wrong, and it just went left.

Q. (Inaudible.)

MICHELLE WIE: About 40.

Q. How many hours in a week would you estimate that you practice?

MICHELLE WIE: I practice about two or three hours, I usually try to practice as much as I can until it gets dark. So two or three hours, that makes about 12 hours. And then I practice about six hours in the weekend, so that's like almost 24 hours of golf for a whole week.

Q. Does the experience this week make you want to devote your life to golf more or less?

MICHELLE WIE: I don't know. I think it's still the same.

Q. (Inaudible.)

MICHELLE WIE: I always wanted to come on the LPGA to just play golf. I think it has stayed the same.

Q. College first?

MICHELLE WIE: Yeah.

Q. Have you ever seen galleries like today, and if you hadn't, can you see your cousins out there that came down to root for you, could you pick them out in the crowd?

MICHELLE WIE: I never played in this large of a crowd. It was really cool today. And I did see my cousins and aunt, they were just so visible.

Q. (Inaudible.)

MICHELLE WIE: This is their second time.

Q. Are you good in any other sport, like basketball or baseball?

MICHELLE WIE: I did a ton of sports when I was little. I played baseball, swimming, balance a, gymnastics, tennis. And then I did piano for a little while.

Q. You wouldn't switch to any other sport like playing professionally, maybe?

MICHELLE WIE: Later on, a different sport? I don't know, because I'm not really good at anything else.

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