Manulife Financial LPGA Classic Third-Round Notes and InterviewsManulife LPGA ClassicGrey Silo Golf Course
Waterloo, Ontario
Third Round Tournament Notes
June 7, 2014
Rolex Rankings No. 7 Shanshan Feng (-15)
Rolex Rankings No. 2 Inbee Park (-13)
Rolex Rankings No. 10 Michelle Wie (-13)Rolex Rankings No. 13 Cristie Kerr (-12)
Rolex Rankings No. 3 Lydia Ko (-11)
Excerpt:Michelle Wie got off to a shaky start on Saturday with two bogeys on Nos. 2 and 3 but bounced back with three birdies before making the turn, still trailing Feng by four shots. The Hawaii native would pick up three more birdies on the back nine including the par 5 18th hole.
“I just couldn’t get my tempo right in the beginning, but definitely felt like I finished strong,” said Wie. “Definitely the start that I had today, I’m really happy with the way I finished today.”
Wie was seen dropping to her knees on a few lip out putts and said she feels extra fire this week knowing that every opportunity could be a difference maker. Wie will be playing for her second win of the year and trying to record two victories in the same season for the first time in her career.
“I think that especially the last putt, a couple putts out there really felt like they were all going to go in,” said Wie. “It’s fun, it’s a lot of fun being in contention. Kind of every shot matters, birdies matter, bogeys matter. So I’m having a lot of fun being in contention out there.”
CHANGE OF PLANSA gloomy afternoon forecast has forced the tournament to send players off both tees in round three and moved the leaders tee times up to 10:20 A.M. TV coverage on Golf Channel will be bumped up two hours so the coverage will go live from 1 - 3 PM.
TV COVERAGEGolf Channel
Sunday: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM EST
Rolex Rankings No. 10 Michelle WieQ. Shaky start, talk about the bounce back.
MICHELLE WIE: Yeah, there was quite a shaky start. I missed a good birdie opportunity on the first hole and I kind of duck hooked it on the second hole and had to take an unplayable, and actually it was a really good bogey. Then I kind of hooked it on the next hole, hit it in the bunker. So I just couldn't get my tempo right in the beginning, but definitely felt like I finished strong. Definitely the start that I had today, I'm really happy with the way I finished today.
Q. Did you have to do a little mental recheck? Did you have to do a couple deep breaths? Was there a little bit of regrouping?
MICHELLE WIE: Yeah, there was definitely some regrouping. I broke a nail out there as well, too, which I was I think more pissed about that than bogeys. I definitely regrouped myself and I was happy that I hung in there.
Q. Tomorrow looks like it's going to be, if it's anything like the first round, a birdie fest out there. Is that what you were expecting, to go low?
MICHELLE WIE: Yeah, I think I tried to go too low in the beginning today, so I'm just going to go out there and there's birdie holes. I'll just hit the shots that I need to hit, birdies will happen. Nothing good will happen out of me forcing anything. So I'm just going to go out there and try to play the best as I can and see how many birdies I can make.
Q. Any guess on a number you think you might have to shoot?
MICHELLE WIE: No guess as of right now. I think, you know, no really set number. I'm just going to go out there and just try to birdie every birdie hole out there and see what I can shoot.
Q. A lot of nice long putts or very close, a lot of knee dips. (Inaudible) on the Golf Channel said he hasn't seen you so passionate and hungry for birdies. Do you feel that way, feel like you're getting a little bit more emotional?
MICHELLE WIE: Yeah, for sure. I think that especially the last putt, a couple putts out there really felt like they were all going to go in. It's fun, it's a lot of fun being in contention. Kind of every shot matters, birdies matter, bogeys matter. So I'm having a lot of fun being in contention out there. I'm really looking forward to tomorrow and I'm really looking forward to playing in front of a big crowd.
Q. With a crowded leaderboard, do you pay attention to it?
MICHELLE WIE: Yeah, I pay attention to it somewhat, but I try not to let it dictate my game and I think that I just have to, like I said before, just really take advantage of some of the wedge shots that I have in on the par 5s and just try to play as good as I can and see where that takes me and hopefully it'll be good enough.
Q. A lot of your strokes look very confident on the greens. Are you feeling the confidence as you're stepping up to the ball?
MICHELLE WIE: Yeah, I feel very confident. I think, you know, I'm getting more and more confident, which is also really great. But it's always a work in progress because golf is such a finicky game. It's like one day you're feeling really great, the next day you're not. Especially in the morning today, just all of a sudden I was 2 over par. I was feeling really uncomfortable with my swing. Things can change, so it's always a work in progress for me.
Q. Was there any turning point maybe when you bounced back after the two bogeys?
MICHELLE WIE: Yeah, the fourth hole when I birdied, when I made that putt, it definitely gave me the confidence back.
Q. How long was that putt?
MICHELLE WIE: Probably about 20 feet.
Q. Any other highlights, anything else that stuck out?
MICHELLE WIE: No.
Link to Article:www.lpga.com/golf/news/2014/6/manulife-third-round-notes.aspx
