Solheim Cup Partners Alison Lee and Michelle Wie In Contention at Sime Darby LPGA MalaysiaMichelle Wie remembers what the Solheim Cup did for her in 2009 as a wide-eyed 19-year-old. She went 3-0-1 that week, the United States won, and she carried the momentum into the rest of the season to post her first career win two and half months later at the Lorena Ochoa Invitational.
That’s why Wie wouldn’t be at all surprised to see 20-year-old Alison Lee use some first-time Solheim Cupper momentum of her own from a few weeks prior to post her first career win this week. Lee got off to a promising start in that regard Thursday with a first-round 6-under-65 to storm into a share of the lead with Xi Yu Lin after the first round of the Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia. Lee had just started settling in on Tour with top-10 performances in 4 out of 5 events leading up to the Solheim Cup.
“For sure, I think it can have a lot of the effect,” Wie said. “Same for Gerina [Piller], for a lot of the players. I always feel like even after 2013 Solheim Cup for me, that really turned things around,” Wie said. “You just have to play in such high pressure situations and try to pull shots that you usually don’t, so when you do actually pull them the confidence level raises.”
Added Lee: “I mean, not only did we win, but just to be able to be there and participate and be a part of something so great like that and to go into history with the biggest comeback ever, yeah, just be a part of it and experience all that definitely go down in the books. Definitely learned a lot from it. Especially seeing Gerina make that kind of putt, you know, gave me a lot of motivation to play well as well.”
Although Wie and Lee became tight over the course of the Solheim Cup two weeks ago and Wie would love to see her win, she just hopes it doesn’t come this week as Wie proved she’s got plans of her own in that regard Thursday with a first round 5-under-par 66. Wie’s back nine birdie barrage, five in six holes, was entirely similar to the one she went on two weeks ago in singles play at the Solheim Cup when she posted 8 birdies in 14 holes. Wie posted eight birdies again Thursday and is currently tied in third with Chella Choi, Shanshan Feng, and Yani Tseng.
“Yeah, since Evian it’s been feeling really good just health-wise. Not even game or anything,” Wie said. “Just feels so good to be out here and not thinking, Oh, this swing is going to hurt my hip and my ankle. Just going out there and being actually able to hit balls and hit golf shots and play the way that I know I can.”
Link to Article:www.lpga.com/news/2015-sime-darby-lpga-malaysia-round-1-quick-recap 2015 Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia Round 1 Notes and InterviewsWritten By:
LPGA Communications
Excerpt:Scholars, Stars, & TwinsOutside of attending rival schools in UCLA and Stanford, there’s a lot of similarities between Alison Lee and Michelle Wie. Both played professional golf at the highest level while still attending classes to get their degrees at world renowned universities. Both studied communications. And both competed on a winning United States Solheim Cup team before their 21st birthday.
And according to Wie, it goes even further than that.
“I guess she says a lot of people think she’s me, recognize her as me. We’re both tall, Asian, I guess,” Wie said with a laugh. “She’s smart. She’s great and a great player. I’ll do anything I can to help.”
Wie was particularly proud of the steps Lee’s taken to continue to have a life outside of professional golf. She knows the juggle that it requires and was proud of Lee for not pushing school off to later years, which would have been easy to do as a rookie on Tour.
“We’ve talked a lot about it. She just joined a sorority, which I was really proud of her for doing. I’m proud of her,” Lee said. “We’re both the same major. UCLA is a great school, and it’s kind of her passion. Her goal, her dream was to graduate from college, so I commend that a lot. She’s smart and definitely handling it great.”
Even Lee at times isn’t sure how she’s juggled it. Wednesday, for example, she woke up early and went out and got a practice round in before lunch time then proceeded to do school work the rest of the afternoon.
“Honestly, I have no idea. Right after Solheim I took one day off and started school right away and did my apartment and bought books and went to class, did rush,” Lee said. “Yeah, I don’t know how I’m sitting here right now. I don’t know how I survived, but I did it somehow. I feel like it’s all a great experience. I love still being in school and seeing all my friends back at school. I haven’t seen a lot of them since March because I took the spring quarter off, so it was nice to see all of them and friendly faces. I feel like that’s what keeps me going, just seeing a lot of friendly faces and having a great atmosphere and support base supporting me back home.”
More Excerpts:Numbers To Know8 - Michelle Wie had eight birdies Thursday, the same amount she had in her final match at the Solheim Cup.
66 - Michelle Wie’s first-round 66 tied her lowest round of the year and is her best opening round of the 2015 season.
Link to Article:www.lpga.com/news/2015-sime-darby-lpga-malaysia-round-1-news-and-notes
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