Q. Michelle, three birdies, two bogeys today, 1 under, a good start for the first major championship of the year.
MICHELLE WIE: Yeah. For sure. I was a little shaky at the beginning, but I was able to calm myself, and I made some good shots, and I feel confident with that.

Q. Golf course in excellent shape. Greens are a little firm, but yet they will hold a shot, a good shot.
MICHELLE WIE: Yeah. For sure. I've never seen this golf course in better condition. They've done a great job here.

Q. Do you remember a round with so many six to eight foot putts?
MICHELLE WIE: I know. It's so odd, but thankfully they went in, and my stroke is good, so hopefully tomorrow it'll be for birdie.

Q. Talk about feeling the jitters. You've played in plenty of majors. What was different about this one that maybe caused some jitters?
MICHELLE WIE: Just back at this course. This is my first major in a while, and it was excitement, but just a little jittery, but I calmed it down pretty quickly.

Q. Michelle, what's your game like right now?
MICHELLE WIE: I'm working at it. It's always a work in progress, but I feel pretty confident.

Q. If you were to win on Sunday, would you jump into the water and would your parents jump with you?
MICHELLE WIE: Me and Tim (Vickers) were actually trying to figure that out the other day on the 18th. We did a little greens map. We coursed out the greens, and I told Timmy I have to course out the water and which way is the deepest part.

I'm pretty sure I hopefully want it to be a graceful jump, but it'll probably turn out to be a really ugly one, unfortunately, but I don't really care as long as I get to. (Laughs).

Q. You mentioned about looking ahead and not in the past. What ways have you done that?
MICHELLE WIE: Well, I guess I just take a different outlook on my life, I guess. Just trying to stop worrying about stuff that I can't handle, like I mean I can't I've stopped worrying about things that I can't have any control over.

I think I'm going to I think I'm just going to change my outlook to I'm just going to try my hardest in everything that I do and how I play, and if it works out, then great. If it doesn't, then I know I've tried my hardest, and I think it's a lot less stress on me. It's a lot less pressure.

I still want to play really great. I want to win, but I can't really control that. All I can control is how I play and how hard I try.

So I'm just focusing on that, so it's a lot easier for me.

Q. How important was it to be able to go play a tournament before you came here?
MICHELLE WIE: I think very important. Obviously last week wasn't my greatest week, but I feel like I learned a lot. I learned a lot about my game. I haven't played for a month or so, so it's good to get some of the rust off, so I think it's very beneficial.

Q. Can you talk a little on how you think you played today?
MICHELLE WIE: I felt like it was a hard day out there, with the wind and everything. I felt a little bit rusty, you know, I made a couple of stupid errors, but overall I played pretty solid. I will be ready to tee off at 6:50 tomorrow morning, and get things started.

Q. You started your year in Hawaii at the SBS Open at Turtle Bay with a nice runner-up finish. Has the layoff for you effected your game any?
MICHELLE WIE: Yes, I was very excited to get back out here this week. I am ready to refocus for tomorrow and to hopefully have a chance. I was anxious to get back out here. Like I said, I was a little bit rusty out there today, but overall I feel pretty good.

Q. What did you think of the course?
MICHELLE WIE: The course is in good condition. I played here on Sunday. From Sunday to now it's been a great improvement. The fairways are in good condition. It's a little deceiving because it's brown in some spots, but the course is in great condition. It's a really great track.

Q. How does it setup for you? 6,700 yards, but is it really playing that long?
MICHELLE WIE: Yeah I don't think so because it's pretty firm out there. It's a tricky track. The greens are tricky with a couple of big slopes. Overall it's a fun course. I don't know if there are any advantages or disadvantages toward me. I'm just trying to have a lot of fun.

Q. Talk about Phoenix. What do you like about this place?
MICHELLE WIE: I mean, obviously, the weather is awesome. But, the weather is great, golf course is great. There is good food, and all the people are really nice too. What more could you ask for, right?

Q. Could you talk a little bit about leading up to next week? Obviously, you have played really well in the past at Kraft Nabisco Championship. Are you looking ahead to that?
MICHELLE WIE: It is exciting that next week is a major. I'm not looking forward to that week right now, I'm just really concentrating on what I have to do right now. I'm just trying to stay in the present. I just need to figure out what I need to do today, and just go from there.

Q. Is making The Solheim Cup a big goal for you?
MICHELLE WIE: It's a pretty big goal. I think it would be a great honor to play for my country. If I play well, it should take care of itself. When I passed Q-School, I talked to Meg (Mallon) and Beth Daniel and they reminded me that The Solheim Cup is this year. I'm really excited.

The 2009 Samsung World Championship will be played at  Torrey Pines' South Course, September 16-20.

MIKE SCANLAN: Michelle, second place in your first tournament as a member; not a bad way to start. Might be a little bit disappointed, but just take us through your day and how you feel right now.
MICHELLE WIE: You know, I felt like I played pretty solid, just had one bad hole that I just, you know, kind of was disappointed about.

But I guess there are a lot of positive things I can take from this week. You know, I shot pretty solidly in the wind in tough conditions. It was pretty tough out there today. And it's not a bad start. It's not what I wanted, the outcome today, but it's just the beginning. And I think there's a lot more good stuff to come out of it.

Q. Do you feel like you had a lot of support out there today?
MICHELLE WIE: For sure. Like I said, there's a lot of familiar faces out there. And I just feel people rooting me on, and it felt great. It felt really I had a lot of fun today. It was really fun to be in that position and to, you know, be playing that well again.

Q. Did you pick up anything from Angela out there today?
MICHELLE WIE: She had a really good ball flight into the wind. She made a lot of good putts and is a very good player. I learned a lot of things from her, playing with her today.

And, you know, the more good players I play with, the more game experience I get. And, like, different players can, you know, give me different kind of, not like I can learn different stuff from different players. And I learned a lot from Angela today.

Q. What did you do to prepare last night?
MICHELLE WIE: I pretty much became a vegetable and just sat in front of the TV and just kind of just passed out. Tried to drink a lot of water. Had a nice dinner. And I just, you know, talked to some friends and just did the usual I guess. Nothing too special.

Q. You got a late start on Solheim Cup points. Your thoughts on trying to make the team?
MICHELLE WIE: Yeah. It would be a great honor if I, you know, got to play on the team, and it's definitely a goal of mine. And I think it would be a lot of fun. And hopefully I'll get in.

Q. What is your confidence level right now?
MICHELLE WIE: I'd have to say it's pretty high. Every good shot that I hit I'm putting in the positive memory bank and gaining confidence a little bit by little bit.

I feel pretty good with my game. Obviously, right now I am a little disappointed, but I can take a lot of positive thoughts from this week. And I think I know exactly what to work on. I know, like, what I have to do to go to the next level. And I think this is just going to just missing the trophy by a little bit is going to motivate me to work even harder for the next one.

MIKE SCANLAN: Michelle, a great round, especially in that wind today. You're on top of the leaderboard after the morning wave. If you would, just talk about the conditions and how you felt today.
MICHELLE WIE: It was pretty tough. I thought the wind was blowing pretty hard yesterday and today I was almost blown off my feet. But it was pretty tough conditions out there today, but I just tried to play patiently and tried to not be too greedy.

Q. What are your key thoughts on the wind?
MICHELLE WIE: Patience. I think I'm just repeating that. I think that's the most important thing.

There were a couple of hard pins out there today, and I just tried not to be greedy, just hit solid shots and that's it.

Q. Any other expectations other than winning?
MICHELLE WIE: Yeah. I just wanted to have fun out here and to just be patient, and just try my hardest out here.

I think that's all that I have of myself. If I try my hardest and if things go my way, then great. If they don't, I know that I tried my hardest. I think tomorrow I really tried to play hardest out there today and do the best I can for each one and I want to do the same thing tomorrow.

Q. What would your first win mean?
MICHELLE WIE: It would be great. I just don't want to get that engrained in my head just yet. I feel like everyone has been asking me that, and it's still a day left, and I just want to do the same thing, play as hard as I can, and obviously it would mean a lot. So I'm just going to try and have fun out there.

Q. Does it feel different to be in contention this time?
MICHELLE WIE: Well, I mean another thing is I don't really feel I mean I'm not like thinking I'm on top of the leaderboard right now. I'm thinking about things that I want to accomplish before I leave the golf course today, and I'll just like I have a game plan tomorrow.

I can't really control what other people shoot today. I can't control the conditions for the rest of the day. I know what I shot today. I know what I have to do to improve for tomorrow, and that's what I'm going to focus on right now.

MIKE SCANLAN: Michelle, thank you so much for coming in. What a great way to start off the year, right at the top of the leaderboard going into the second round tomorrow. If you would, just take us through the day. How do you think you played and how are you feeling right now?
MICHELLE WIE: I think I had a couple of shaky driver shots, but overall I played pretty solid. I made a couple of good putts, and I'm excited for the next two days.

Q. Talk about the first tee. Were you nervous? Were you excited?
MICHELLE WIE: Yeah, I was a little nervous. That tree looked taller than usual. I felt really excited. You know, a new beginning, a lot of excitement.

Q. When did you get your confidence back last year?
MICHELLE WIE: I think I started getting my confidence back when my wrist stopped hurting. Every time I hit a good shot I gained confidence a little bit, and I realized you don't gain confidence overnight. It's definitely a work in progress.

And I felt like, especially after Q School and all of that, when things started going my way, I got a lot more confidence.

Q. How much did local knowledge help this afternoon, with only a few golfers going low?
MICHELLE WIE: I guess I did have local knowledge since I grew up here and stuff. But I haven't played in Hawaii in a really long time, so I guess I do have a lot from back then, but I guess the thing I felt really comfortable with today was the fact that I was playing in front of a home crowd.

There were so many familiar faces out there, and to see them rooting me on and just to know that they've been rooting me on for the last how many years? So I just felt really comfortable playing in front of them, so I'm really grateful and happy to see all of them.

Q. You have a history of playing well here at Turtle Bay, second place as an amatuer. What's it like to be back here?
MICHELLE WIE: I'm just glad I got to come back home. I haven't been home in around six months or so, so I'm just loving home, loving the weather, loving the golf course.

I’ve never seen the golf course in better condition. They've done a really good job with it, and it's going to be exciting. Hopefully the wind won't be that brutal, but I've had some good moments here in the past, and hopefully I can do better this year.

Q. Do you feel like a rookie?
MICHELLE WIE: It's a strange feeling. I feel like a rookie because I went to my first player meeting on Monday. That was interesting. (Laughs). It's just it's different. Your picture is posted of the rookie class.

At the same time I played a lot before. So it's a whole new beginning for me. It's a completely new slate. I'm not thinking about the past and not really thinking too much in the future. Just thinking about this week, tomorrow, and just going to think about what I can do best in each moment.

Q. Talk about your rookie class.
MICHELLE WIE: It's a great class. It's a great year. I met a couple at orientation and stuff. And there's all different kinds of people out there. We all have different games, all have different histories. We're all playing for the same prize. So it's interesting to see the competition that's out there. And it's going to be tough out there, but I'm just going to try my hardest, and I think the rookie class is great.

Q. What are your goals this year?
MICHELLE WIE: I just want to work hard and play hard. I just want to have fun with it. Obviously try to become the best player I can be. Obviously all those awards and stuff, I have those in the back of my mind, but the main thing I'm focused on is just playing as hard as I can, trying to play the best golf out there and work really hard and be happy with my results.

Q. You seemed loose out there today. How is your confidence level?
MICHELLE WIE: You know I'm pretty confident. I feel pretty comfortable here. I feel a little bit of nerves, but I do feel a huge dose of excitement. So I think I'm probably as well. But I'm looking forward to it. I want to have fun out there again.

It's already available for pre-order on Amazon.com.

 Go to the following site:  http://www.hernco.com/golfclub/ac122008.htm

and click on the windows media or mp3 link to hear an interview with the author (first 40 min.)

Q. Michelle, congratulations on a great week of golf. You finished tied for seventh at 12-under-par. Can you talk a little bit about your day and the week you've had?
MICHELLE WIE: Yeah, it was a weird day. I started off a little shaky, and it is what it is. I felt like it was a pretty solid week. I felt really good about my game- it was just pretty steady. It was one of those things where I want to play really well, but you also don't want to play bad. So, I just played pretty conservatively, I thought. I just wanted to hit the fairways, hit the greens, and make some putts; that was what I was thinking about today. But, today was a little weird, a little shaky in the beginning, but I felt like I steadied the ship and did what I needed to do. I had a couple of missed birdie putts on the back nine which I thought was going to go in, but that's the way golf is. I guess if you're playing five rounds of golf, you're going to have one bad day. I felt like I played really solidly and really steady, and I did what I needed to do.

Q. What does it mean to have your card?
MICHELLE WIE: It's a weird feeling right now. It's a good feeling. I really earned it. I legitimately went through q-school, went through the first stage, went through the second stage, and I really got it. It feels good to get that card. It's like high school graduation, I guess. It's just weird. I've played on the Tour for like seven years now, I think, and it's just like wow, I really finally got it. So, it's a very surreal feeling right now.

Q. How would you compare this to winning something, or earning a great accomplishment and all the close calls you have had?
MICHELLE WIE: I think it's a different feeling. When I played really well at the Kraft, and everything was working out really well for me, it was like oh, I was playing really well and deserve to be out here. It was like the feeling like you are always on the outside, no matter how well you might play. I have come from really far below. After my injury to now, it feels like I have a clean slate from the beginning. I finally feel like I have really earned it. I took the long way to get here, but I feel really about it.

Q. Michelle, do you know what you will do winter quarter for school? Will you go to winter quarter at Stanford?
MICHELLE WIE: Yes I will. I have missed a couple of weeks, but if I pass fall quarter, I will go to winter quarter. I have a final on Wednesday, and I haven't even started studying for it. And, we have rookie orientation on Monday and Tuesday, so it's going to be interesting.

Q. How long until winter quarter ends?
MICHELLE WIE: Like, spring break; the end of March.

Q. Where is your confidence now?
MICHELLE WIE: It definitely boosts my confidence. I have worked really hard for this week, and for this moment. Even at school, I have practiced a lot and worked out a lot. I have just really worked hard at it. I just closed my eyes and closed my ears at everything that was going on. Everything that was written about me, you know, it was a tough period. I just have worked really hard, and finally this week, I actually get something for my accomplishment, so it feels really good. I just feel like, I got it.

Q. Sorry to being this up, but just from recent moments, did you take real good caution signing that card?
MICHELLE WIE: Oh yeah. If would have signed that card, I really wouldn't have been here anyway. Things happen for a reason, and I have learned my lesson. About 10 people have reminded me to sign my scorecard, so it's good. My caddie looked over my shoulder telling me to sign it. It's a lesson learned.

Q. As you look ahead, how do you want your 2009 to go?
MICHELLE WIE: You know, I kind of see this card as I can play whenever I want card now. Not have to play, or I can only play in six tournaments anymore. It would be great, because I can actually play in three in a row, two in a row, and gain some momentum. I want to play a lot. I really like this game, and I want to play a lot. I'm going to take advantage of this card.

Q. Michelle, what makes you want to go back to another quarter at school? You have your card, and golf is what you want to be your career. What's your thinking?
MICHELLE WIE: I think golf and school is completely different for me. I have two separate goals in my life that I have set out for. Half of it is my golf, my career in golf, but also there is another part of my life that's really important to me, and that's my personal life and my education. I was brought up that education is really important. Graduating from Stanford is definitely one of my top goals as well. I get all my work done and have a lot of fun. Finals aren't that great, but it's what I want to accomplish. Golf is not 100 percent of my life, and I want to make that, keep that goal.

Q. How close do you feel you are after dealing with all the injuries and that condition, to where you were in the beginning, before you broke your wrist and when you were ranked high?
MICHELLE WIE: It's weird because when I was like in rehab and trying to get the wrist better, I was just telling myself I want to get back to where I was. It's impossible. You will never be who you were when you were 14 or 15, that's said if you are. You move forward. I'm a completely different person now. I'm not who I was when I was 14, I'm not who I was when I was 15, 16, or 17, or 18. It's just, I move forward from it. I'm a stronger person, and you learn a lot. I'm just, you know, moving forward. I'm no longer trying to be who I was before, so I'm a whole new person.

Q. From a golf perspective, have you grown?
MICHELLE WIE: Oh, I think golf wise as well, I am a better player, than how I was. I have a different body now, and I'm a different player.

Q. There has probably been a lot of jealousy for you for many years now with all the headlines and attention. Do you think you have earned the players' respect?
MICHELLE WIE: I mean I hope so. I mean, I not doing this just for the headlines, you know. I wanted to earn this. The respect is nice. It would be nice for the players to respect me, if they like me. But, really for myself, it's really a gratifying moment right now. To go through the first stage, to go through the second stage, and finishing; it's nice.

Q. How much do you respect the best players in the women's game. Obviously, Annika Sorenstam is stepping down, and you are coming in to the game. What are your thoughts about playing with the best women in the game?
MICHELLE WIE: I respect them 110 percent, just for the dedication that they go through. I have been playing with them for the last seven, seven or eight years now, and I have been able to play with a lot of great players. You know, even the up and coming players, I have a lot of respect for because you know everyone out there is grinding it out. We are grinding it out for the same prize.

Q. How will you handle the expectations from the outside, now that you are on the Tour, everyone will want you to be what you were when you were 13, 14, or 15. You have moved forward, but maybe some people still feel that way.
MICHELLE WIE: You know, I can't control what other people think. Obviously, it's great when they are high. I am looking forward to people having that high expectation of me, and I'm going to work hard because I have that same high expectation for myself. So, I'm just going to work harder. I am going to move forward. There's nothing I can do to control other people's thoughts.

Q. Wednesday was a long time ago. Did you feel a lot of pressure on the first day? How does this tournament compare to all the majors you have played?
MICHELLE WIE: It's a different experience. I have played in Monday qualifiers, and all of that, but it's a weird dynamic. Like I said, you want to play really well, but at the same time you don't want to play bad. I wasn't really that nervous. I guess I was a little bit, but I really wasn't. It was a good excitement. I think my last tournament was in Palm Springs, and I just wanted to see how well I could play. It was actually a really good feeling.

Q. You were obviously in good shape going into the day, in terms of getting your card. Could you just talk about what crazy thoughts were going through your head after missing the first five greens. Then on the other side, what it was like coming up on the 18th green?
MICHELLE WIE: Like I said, it was a weird day today. Nothing really worked; it was weird. People were saying to me, relax, don't be nervous, but I was like I'm not nervous right now. I feel really good about my game, it just didn't work out this morning. I don't know, maybe the cold did something to me. It was a weird thing this morning. It was weird that my irons weren't working. Walking down the 18th fairway, I was thinking, I better see a three-letter name on the leaderboard. You never really know. It's actually a really good thing that you don't see the score. Thankfully, my name was on the scoreboard. The last putt was a little nerve-wracking because I thought I had to make it. Even after, I signed the scorecard and everything. I was like, did I really make it? It's not like, just the top-three or anything. It was a surreal feeling.

Q. Have you thought yet about what your first tournament will be next year?
MICHELLE WIE: I haven't really looked at the schedule yet, so I don't know. I don't know, really.

Q. What's your final exam in?
MICHELLE WIE: Sociology.

Q. Have you decided on a major?
MICHELLE WIE: I haven't really declared it, yet. I want to do East Asian Studies.

Q. Are you looking forward to orientation?
MICHELLE WIE: Well, I guess the politically correct answer is yes, I'm very excited about it, with a smiling face.

Q. What are your plans for the holidays?
MICHELLE WIE: I am going home. So, I am really excited. Home as in Hawaii. I'm just going to be a beach bum for the next seven days, and enjoy the warm weather.

Q. What have you done practice wise and work out wise for the six to eight weeks leading into this, with school? How much time per day?
MICHELLE WIE: I really did grind. Basically my schedule was practice in the morning from 7:00 until maybe like 1:30, then I had class from then until like 4:00 or 5:00. Then work out for an hour after that. I would do that everyday, basically. Everyday since I got to school, basically. Basically, I didn't really have a moments rest. I really did work hard. I have to say last year with the wrist injury, I really didn't do much, but this year was really good. I fell asleep a lot during lectures, but other than that, it was really good. I went to bed like by 8:30 at night, just passed out. It felt really good to be able to work, and push myself, finally.

Q. I don't want to look too far ahead, because I know you don't either. Have those goals to play against the men changed any right now?
MICHELLE WIE: I still definitely want to pursue that.

Q. Why?
MICHELLE WIE: Because I am kind of the person that I start out wanting to do something, and I am going to do it. I have always wanted to do it, ever since I have played golf, so I want to do it. It's as simple as that.

While Wie's round, started with 3 consequetive bogeys and finished with an uninspiring round score of 74, she was never in any real danger of failing to get a card, finishing with 7 shots to spare.

20 players in total secured their placing privalleges for the 2009 season, with 20 further players receiving various forms of limited lpga tour membership.

Louise Stahle made a big move in the round with a 65, moving from T41, to T12.