Michelle Wins U.S. Women's Open 2014

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U. S. Women's Open Conducted by USGA Final Round Notes and Interviews

Michelle Wie of the United States poses with the trophy after her two-stroke victory at the
69th U.S. Women's Open at Pinehurst Resort & Country Club, Course No. 2 in Pinehurst,
North Carolina

U.S. Women’s Open Championship
Pinehurst Resort & Country Club, Pinehurst No. 2
Village of Pinehurst, N.C.
Final-Round Notes
June 22, 2014

More Interviews- here
Rolex Rankings No. 11 Michelle Wie (-2)
Rolex Rankings No. 1 Stacy Lewis (E)
Rolex Rankings No. 168 Juli Inkster (+7)

Link to Article:
www.lpga.com/golf/news/2014/6/us-womens-open-final-notes.aspx

In the Winner's Circle with Michelle Wie

Michelle Wie of the United States celebrates an eagle putt on the tenth green during the
final round of the 69th U.S. Women's Open at Pinehurst Resort & Country Club, Course
No. 2 in Pinehurst, North Carolina.

Link to Article:
www.lpga.com/golf/news/2014/6/winners-circle-wie-us-womens-open.aspx



U.S. Women's Open

Michelle Wie: Final-Round Press Conference

Sunday, June 22, 2014
MIKE TROSTEL: It's a pleasure to welcome the 2014 U.S. Women's Open's champion, Michelle Wie, to the interview room. Even par round of 70 today in the final round for a 72 hole total of 2-under, 278, the only player under par in the championship. Michelle Wie's second victory of 2014, and her first Major Championship. You sat here on Tuesday and talked about holding everything up like a trophy, even salad bowls. And now you have the trophy right next to you, just talk about what that means.

MICHELLE WIE: Oh, my God, I can't even think straight. I'm so happy right now. I'm just unbelievably happy. I'm so honored to be part -- to have my name on the trophy. Just so grateful for everything. I'm just really happy. I'm really thankful, just everything, feeling every single emotion I can right now.

Link to rest of long Interview of Michelle:
www.usopen.com/women/en_US/news/interviews/2014-06-22/201406221403480259415.html

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Morning Drive talks with Michelle Wie after winning the 2014 U.S. Women's Open.
Golf Channel's Morning Drive catches up with Michelle Wie after winning the 2014 U.S. Women's Open.
Link to Video of Michelle’s interview:
www.golfchannel.com/media/michelle-wie-joins-morning-drive-after-us-womens-open-win/

Rolex Rankings Move of the Week: Michelle Wie

Michelle Wie of the United States celebrates her two shot victory during the final round of the 69th U.S. Women's Open at Pinehurst Resort & Country Club, Course No. 2 in Pinehurst, North Carolina
Michelle Wie made a move in the Rolex Rankings this week moving up four spots breaking into the top-10 at No. 7 with her historic win at the 2014 U.S. Women's Open conducted by the USGA.
In her 11th appearance at the national championship and making her 38th start in a major, Wie etched her name in the history books at the esteemed Pinehurst No. 2. Growing up in the limelight of big stage golf, the 24-year old from Hawaii has played under lofty expectations her entire career and has now joined the elite company of those who can call themselves ‘major champions.’ With a final-round even-par 70, Wie finished the championship two shots ahead of runner-up and world No. 1 Stacy Lewis.
“I can’t even think straight,” as Wie opened up her press conference. “I’m so happy right now. I’m just unbelievably happy. I’m so honored to be part -- to have my name on the trophy. Just so grateful for everything. I’m just really happy. I’m really thankful, just everything, feeling every single emotion I can right now
.
Other Notable Moves:
- Stephanie Meadow moved up 506 spots coming in at No. 113 with her professional debut and third place finish at the U.S. Women's Open conducted by the USGA.

Link to Article:
www.lpga.com/golf/blogs/2014/6/rolex-move-wie-us-womens-open.aspx

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After Further Review: Open win could be just the start for Wie
By
Jason Sobel
Randall Mell
Rex Hoggard
June 23, 2014, 6:18 pm

Each week, GolfChannel.com takes a look back at the week in golf. In this edition of After Further Review, our writers weigh in Michelle Wie's major breakthough and the successful experiment by the USGA to hold back-to-back Opens at Pinehurst No. 2.
Michelle Wie was the biggest star in the women's game before she won on Sunday, but you wouldn’t have called her the best player in the game, not by a long shot. With her U.S. Women's Open victory, Wie isn’t overtaking Rolex No. 1 Stacy Lewis as the best player in the game, but she’s in that conversation now, too. She’s knocking on the door. Wie’s ball-striking is as good as anyone’s in the women's game, and with her putter holding up so well under pressure at Pinehurst No. 2, she has a chance to make a run at Lewis. If Wie’s confidence in her unorthodox “table-top” putting stroke keeps growing, she isn’t done winning majors. Remarkably, she entered this week fourth in putts per greens in regulation in the LPGA ranks. She won at Pinehurst without a three putt. – Randall Mell

Of all the stats and facts and numbers that have surfaced in the wake of Michelle Wie’s first major championship win, this is by far my favorite: Wie is exactly one month younger than Annika Sorenstam was when she won her first major. That’s right – the same Wie who was written off years ago, who has been labeled a bust more times than she was called a phenom, won one before the 10-time major champion. There’s some delicious irony in that, not to mention a few lessons. Just as some have been quick to criticize Jordan Spieth for not closing in either of the year’s first two men’s majors, patience was rewarded with Wie’s triumph, too. It’s just another reminder that sometimes fulfilling potential can take a while. – Jason Sobel

The U.S. Golf Association’s decision to hold back-to-back Opens at Pinehurst No. 2 was not only doable but it was an inspired choice. Martin Kaymer’s eight-stroke masterpiece was testament enough to the Donald Ross layout, proving again the No. 2 course is one of America’s best at identifying the best player. But this week’s U.S. Women’s Open – which many, including your scribe, thought would be marred by less-than-stellar conditions following last week’s championship – was a telling encore. Michelle Wie and Stacy Lewis dueled late Sunday in another stellar finish. Back-to-back Opens may not be the best idea at many venues, but at Pinehurst it seems to have been a perfect one. - Rex Hoggard

Link to Article
www.golfchannel.com/news/golf-central-blog/after-further-review-open-win-could-be-just-the-start-for-wie/

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Wie strolls into United States golf history

Michelle Wie of the United States poses with the trophy after her two-stroke victory at the
69th U.S. Women's Open at Pinehurst Resort & Country Club, Course No. 2 in Pinehurst,
North Carolina

June 23 2014, Nicklaus Parker

PINEHURST, N.C. - Michelle Wie followed just behind Martin Kaymer inside the ropes down the 18th fairway at Pinehurst No. 2 seven days ago, soaking in his victory lap with goose bumps canvassing her body. She wanted that feeling for herself, her very own stroll into United States golf history. She got it Sunday – and the goose bumps that come with it – with a win in the same spot Payne Stewart transfixed the golfing world 15 years ago.

“I thought to myself, I want to be here on Sunday. I want to feel this exact thing,” Wie said. “It's a dream come true that it actually happened. I feel extremely lucky.”
Everything was in doubt 30 minutes before when Wie stood in the waste area by the 16th green with a three-shot lead, searching frantically for the ball no one could find after trying to fire a hybrid at the green from 216 yards out of a fairway bunker on the course’s most demanding hole. No one saw which of the wire bushes that littered the natural area the ball had lodged itself in.
She did find it, was unable to hit it and had to take an unplayable. The championship was suddenly back in play and even more so when Wie jammed her bogey putt five feet past and was staring in the face her first three-putt of the week and a potential triple bogey that would have tied everything up with two to play. Instead, Wie – whose putting has held her back before – calmly walked up, sank the putt, and fist pumped.

Internally, she was saying “words you can’t say in public” as she left the green. Externally, she giggled and stalked her way to the 17th tee with a one-shot lead. The shot that followed she could have folded, letting a poor shot compound itself as she’d done before in majors. Not this time. She fired her tee shot 25 feet right of the pin and drained the biggest putt of her career. It was fitting that the club that had haunted her more than any other over the years ended up being her redeemer when the tension peaked.

“I just like to make it really difficult for myself. But, no, I mean I just -- stuff like that happens at a U.S. Open,” Wie said. “I was kind of a dummy for not laying up when I was in that situation [on 16]. I just unnecessarily tried to go for it, and it kind of bit me in the butt. But I laughed it off. Stuff like that does happen. 17, I felt comfortable there all week. And I hit a good shot there. And I think that was one of the best putts I've ever hit in my life. It was really fast. It was a double breaker.”
That putt officially set the “best to have never won a major” label on fire and concluded an 11-year, 38-major search. She nearly won this championship as a 15-year-old but went through a career slide from 2007 through 2008 and again from 2011 until the start of this year, playing golf that frequently didn’t match her immense talent.
Wie admitted there were times she doubted herself and doubted this moment would ever happen. No matter how hard she worked, she didn’t feel she was getting any better for a stretch. She wanted to be perfect, carrying the weight of a golfing world that had watched her accomplish things no one her age ever had before. Her instructor David Leadbetter kept telling her over and over that results sometimes took years to show, but not for her she thought. Everything had come so easy and so early with the game to have patience for improvement.
“I think one of the biggest lessons I've learned is to just really stay in the present and really try not to control everything. I think when, growing up, I was kind of a control freak. I just wanted to control everything,” she said. “Have the perfect swing. Have the perfect putting stroke. And if something wasn't perfect, then I would start to freak out. I think over the years I started to learn, notice, that you can't be perfect.”
It’s easy to forget that her first major comes before Lorena Ochoa first won hers (25) and at the same age as Karrie Webb and Annika Sorenstam got their first and the struggles got her here. It was obvious at the end, Wie wasn’t sure whether to smile, laugh, cry or exhale.
“I think it just means so much more to me. I think life is just so ironic. I think that without your downs, without the hardships, I don't think you appreciate the ups as much as you do,” Wie said. “I think the fact that I struggled so much, the fact that I kind of went through a hard period of my life, the fact that this trophy is right next to me, it means so much more to me than it ever would have when I was 15. Obviously, I still remember that. I try to drive the first hole. I learned not to do that at the U.S. Open on the first hole. I learned a lot. But I think life is just so ironic like that. I am just so grateful for that, just because of everything I've been through. I feel extremely lucky.”
The childhood prodigy that received criticism for competing against the men on the PGA Tour as a high schooler despite having not beaten the women yet, was asked after if she considered playing the men’s event the week before. She could only laugh at the possibility. The women’s game is hers now. She’s always been the biggest star of the women’s game and she’s got the results to match the billing now, winning golf’s greatest test on the same stage the men just competed
“Well, I think that scene on 18, being on network TV, as many people as we had around there at Pinehurst No. 2 and Michelle Wie winning the golf tournament, I don't think you can script it any better,” world No. 1 Stacy Lewis said. “I think it's great for the game of golf. I think it's even better for women's golf. I'm so happy for Michelle Wie. I mean this has been such a long time coming for her. She works way too hard.”
The win for Wie wasn’t how she had envisioned seven days prior, it was better. There on the 18th green she stood, pouring in a par putt from a similar spot she had seen Kaymer do prior - her dream falling into her lap with that putt. Jessica Korda and Jaye Marie Green rushed out to her, spraying her with champagne as she basked in golf’s limelight for a change at a major championship. Lewis waited with a fist bump and a hug. Her parents sat off to the side of the green elated for their daughter’s big breakthrough but determined not to interrupt her moment.
Everything was all about Wie on Sunday and for all the right reasons.

Link to Article:
www.lpga.com/golf/news/2014/6/wie-wins-us-womens-open.aspx

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Nichols: This is only the beginning for Michelle Wie


By Beth Ann Nichols
June 22, 2014 9:03 p.m.
Follow Me: Twitter @golfweeknichols

PINEHURST, N.C. – Michelle Wie strolled into the interview room wearing a stars and stripes backpack. She sat down next to the trophy and pulled it in tight. The smile was mega-watt. Her parents, B.J. and Bo, quietly sat in the back of the room soaking it all in. They had declined all interviews and any formal pictures with Michelle beneath the scoreboard. Bo said they’d take one at home in private, and she rubbed the trophy lightly as Michelle walked off the golf course.
“I can’t even think straight,” Wie said. “I’m so happy right now. I’m just unbelievably happy.”
It has been, at times, a tumultuous journey for the Wie family. For those who have watched this tight-knit threesome forge their own path to make the most of Wie’s unprecedented raw talent, only to fall and fail time and again, it was an emotional walk down the 18th hole at Pinehurst No. 2.
The fact that panic set in on the 16th when Wie’s ball was momentarily lost in a bush atop a fairway bunker made it an even more fitting end to this fairytale. Wie bounced back from a double with a birdie on the 17th, letting loose two gigantic fist pumps as she headed to the 18th tee with a two-stroke lead over top-ranked Stacy Lewis.
“I didn’t let it get away from me,” Wie said proudly.
She piped a fairway metal down the 18th and hit her approach to 20 feet. On the green, she told caddie Duncan French that the putt was similar to Martin Kaymer’s and she wanted to drain it. She lowered herself into the table-top position, like some kind of mechanical doll. The putt came up short, and she went through her routine again, marking the ball and carefully finishing off her par to secure her first major crown.
At last.
A sense of joy and relief flooded her 6-foot frame and she covered her mouth to contain the emotion. Wie, 24, raised both arms in triumph and walked toward Duncan as a packed grandstand rose to its feet.
It was a full-circle moment for Wie, who had watched that same scene unfold one week prior as Kaymer cruised to victory. Wie walked inside the ropes with Jessica Korda that day and told her friend to look left.
“Those people in the stands,” Wie said. “It was unbelievable. We both got goosebumps. I thought myself, 'I want to be here on Sunday. I want to feel this exact thing.' It’s a dream come true that it actually happened. I’m extremely lucky.”
Korda rushed out to the green with champagne to celebrate. Stacy Lewis walked out after a bubbly shower to hug her friend and swap fist bumps.
Lewis’ 66 was a stunner, with birdies on 17 and 18 to post even par and put pressure on her practice buddy. When it was over, Lewis stood off the green and looked at the bigger picture.
“Network TV and this,” Lewis said, shaking her head. “You couldn’t have scripted it any better.”
Lewis admits that, from a distance, she often wondered why Wie chose to play against the men growing up. The first time they played against each other, Lewis said, was LPGA Q-School in 2008. Lewis won the event and resented the fact that Wie got all the credit.
Much has changed since then, with Lewis and Wie often practicing together back home in Jupiter, Fla. Lewis said she once asked Wie why she took on the PGA Tour and was surprised by the response.
Growing up in Hawaii, Wie said, she played against the guys all the time. There weren’t a lot of female amateurs to compete against so when the prospect of playing on the men’s tour came about, it made sense to her.
“Her reasoning is really quite funny because it makes sense in her head,” Lewis said. “She doesn’t look at it the way the rest of us look at it. She had this child-like perspective. She didn’t realize how big the world was.”
That path, for better or for worse, is what made Wie a household name and it’s what makes Sunday’s victory at Pinehurst so monumental for the LPGA. How fitting that the woman who spent the most time trying compete against the men wound up sharing the stage at the USGA’s most daring experiment.
It’s interesting to note that two PGA Tour players – Rickie Fowler and Keegan Bradley – played key roles in her success. They passed on their yardage books and their caddies’ books and Wie studied them for hours, highlighting and formulating her plan. Without those books, Wie said, she would’ve been lost.
Meg Mallon reached out to Wie on Saturday evening offering advice, and Bradley sent YouTube clips of when his aunt Pat won this title. Wie drank a couple glasses of wine and slept like a baby.
This girl who first captured our attention at age 10 has grown up. And yet, it feels like it’s just the beginning.

Link to Article:
golfweek.com/news/2014/jun/22/michelle-win-wins-us-womens-open-pinehurst-no-2/