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"Wowwwww... never thought this would feel THIS great!!!!"
That's what a cerveza-soaked Michelle Wie Twittered moments after her first professional win at the LPGA's Lorena Ochoa Invitational in Guadalajara, Mexico, in November.
"Wowwwww" is right. For Wie, 20, the victory was six years in the making, her first since winning the Women's Amateur Public Links at the bubblegum-popping age of 13. Since then, Wie has seen sublime highs (shooting a 68 on the PGA Tour) and desperate lows (injuries, DQ's, leaving a tournament on a stretcher). On a fall afternoon in the clubhouse at Bighorn Golf Club in Palm Desert, Calif., the Big Wiesy — in a baggy gray Stanford University sweatshirt, a kitschy turtle-shaped ring on her hand — was still beaming from her Big Win.
Under the guidance of father B.J. and mother Bo, Wie has given few in-depth interviews. That's too bad. She's smart, silly, sarcastic, and speaks from the heart — when her memory allows. Wie says she has repressed the darkest moments: "I had it easy early on. Then it all came crashing down."
Congratulations on your first pro
win. You said it was everything
you thought it would be. How was
it different than you thought?
I'd always planned this extravagant,
Tiger-like reaction — fist pumps,
jumping around. But I froze [laughs].
I just put my hand over my mouth
and was, like, "Umm, this would be
the time to do something crazy." I
was too overwhelmed. Tears were
coming down.
Describe the feeling of winning.
Relief. And puuuuure happiness. I
did it. All the hard work paid off. I
realize I want to do it — win — over
and over. The feeling is awesome. It
made me even more motivated.
Mexico's drinking age is 18.
How many Coronas did you
have Sunday night?
[Laughs.] None. But I did get a beer
shower on the green [from fellow pro
Morgan Pressel].
Were you fighting your nerves
Sunday morning?
I wasn't thinking about winning. I
was thinking, Get through this day. I
was really sick. I had a fever. I had
thrown up that morning. I broke
out in hives. My ankle bothered me. And I had a research paper to do that
morning. I was paired with Cristie
[Kerr]. We're close. I got nervous,
excited, all these emotions. She gave
me a pat [while on the 18th fairway]and said, "You can do this."
You led Paula Creamer by a stroke
on the last hole, but your second
shot on the par-5 18th found a
greenside bunker. You're one good
shot away from your first pro win.
What went through your mind
over the ball?
I was thinking, It would be really
embarrassing if I hit someone in the
crowd in the head. I could see myself on a sports bloopers show. I had a
choice: hit a safe 60-degree [wedge]to the middle of the green, or a
trickier running shot [with less spin]with my 56-degree. When I don't
pull off the 56-degree shot, I chunk
it or skull it. I went with the 56 — the
ballsier move. I'm proud of that. I
hit it to four inches. But that putt
[for the win] was pressure. It felt a
lot longer than four inches. Over
the ball, I was shaking, thinking,
Ohmygodohmygodohmygod.
That was your first win in six
years. Your parents were just
off the green, right?
The three of us were absolutely ecstatic.
Then I called David [Leadbetter, Wie's
longtime swing coach]. He said, "Well,
it took you long enough." Hey, thanks
a lot, Lead.
Earlier in the year, you were
the star of the Solheim Cup,
going 3-0-1 for Team USA.
Would you have won in Mexico
without that experience?
Mexico was a walk in the park compared
to the Solheim Cup. It prepared me for
high pressure. You represent yourself,
your team, your country. Every putt
and shot means so much. I loved it. The
intensity! You have your face paint on, your tattoos. It's so quiet standing over
a shot. You can hear crickets. Then you
make a shot, and there's an explosion.
The crowds go crazy. I can't imagine
my life without that experience. Golf
is lonely. You're out there by yourself,
playing for you. It's different with
teammates. We'd go putt after dinner
and blast music on the greens. Golf
should be a team sport.
Can you explain the booty-slapping
that you and Christina Kim were doing?
[With a straight face] Oh, I've been
doing that since I was 13. No, it was the
electricity of the moment. Christina
and I had this funny handshake where
you fist bump [extends her right fist
and gives a bump], and then you make
it rain [flutters her fingers]. It's corny!
We're just big dorks.
When was the Solheim Cup
pressure the most intense?
The final day, the final match [in singles].
From the first tee, it was just pressure,
pressure, pressure. You're on your own,
and you're, like, [looks left and right]"Umm, where is everybody? Where are
my teammates?" Helen [Alfredsson]played so well! I knew I couldn't
make any mistakes. On the second
hole, she stuck it to four feet for eagle. I thought, Oh, so this is how it's gonna be. I
said to myself, "Be aggressive. Make the
crowd go crazy." I put it to three feet. I
was excited to show my game, to show
what I've got — to try to be cool.
Given all you've been through
in recent years — wrist injuries,
Rules infractions, being DQ'd
from events — did 2009
taste even sweeter?
I appreciate the ups more now. I
was fortunate early on in my career.
I had it easy. It was a dreamland.
Everything turned out fine. Then it
all came crashing down. The work
to get back was not easy. It definitely makes me appreciate things more.
Because I went through so much,
it's hard to get me down. I'm a lot
stronger. Mexico and the Solheim
Cup were delicious.
Why do you think it all came
crashing down?
I think my wrist injury was the worst
thing that could have happened. I
was running [in January 2007] when
I fell and broke three bones in my left
wrist. It was a freak accident. Maybe
I shouldn't have played, but I was
stubborn. Now I know that playing
through an injury is not smart. The
turning point was becoming healthy.
It took about two years. Around May
[of 2009] my wrist finally started
feeling 100 percent. There are a lot
of bones in there.
Wasn't another turning point
the 2008 State Farm Classic?
You were DQ'd for signing
an incorrect scorecard. That
cost you a big check.
That was a blessing in disguise because
[with that prize money] I might have
gotten an [LPGA Tour] exemption
through the money list. Instead, I had
to go to Q School. I didn't want to, but I
had to. It built a lot of character getting
my LPGA card the hardest way. That
way was cool and satisfying.
You're 20. When you were 14, you
told Sports Illustrated, "Everyone
is saying that your teenage
years are really hard, but they're
actually really easy." Would you
like to amend that comment?
Wow. I was really naive. Life was easy
back then. I had good friends, was
healthy, liked what I was doing. Then
I went through a really tough period
and grew from it. I made mistakes.
But I've learned from them. I've
become more grown up.
Your toughest year was 2007.
You broke your wrist. You
withdrew from several events.
You looked like you were
miserable. Your coach David
Leadbetter said, "Michelle
couldn't have cared less if she'd
never played again." True?
There were times when it would have
been fine if I didn't play again. It hurt so
much. [The wrist injury] was dragging on forever. I felt like I would never get
better. I would feel that way, and the
next day I would want to go at it again.
There was no way I was ever going to
give it up. I didn't want to go down this
way. It was not the way I wanted this
to end. I had goals. I'm not a person
who gives up. So I fought through it.
The low points were low. My wrist was
broken, but I was determined not to let
it break me.
What was the lowest low point?
I don't remember.
What do you mean?
I don't remember a lot from that
time [nervous laugh]. I think I've
blocked it out.
You mean you don't dwell on it, or
you literally don't remember?
I literally do not remember a lot of
things from that time.
You mean entire tournaments?
Just in general. I don't remember a
lot of things.
Because it was so traumatic?
Yeah, it was a lot more traumatic for
me than people think.
Why? When was it most
traumatic?
I can't remember. I literally can't. I
don't remember. It all blurs together.
The year [2007] feels like it was a
really short time.
You said something at a press
conference at the 2007 U.S.
Women's Open that was very
revealing. Do you remember
that tournament?
Not really.
It was at Pine Needles [in North
Carolina].
I don't remember where it was played.
At a press conference before the
first round, you were asked if
playing with an injured wrist
was a smart move. You said,
"Come on, this is the U.S. freaking
Open." You shot 82 and ended up
withdrawing. But the fact that
you played showed heart.
Oh yeah, I do remember that. I
was determined not to miss the U.S. Open for anything. Now that I
look at that, it doesn't make sense,
because there are gonna be so many
more U.S. Opens. But at that time,
everything felt so important, and I
did not want to miss any of it. It was
the U.S. freaking Open.
That May, you withdrew from the
Ginn Tribute under controversial
circumstances. Annika Sorenstam,
the event's host, said you showed
a "lack of respect and class." Have
you ever spoken with her about it?
No.
Did you ever feel a need to?
I actually don't remember. What
happened?
You were in danger of posting an
88 in the first round, which would have made you ineligible to play
LPGA events for the rest of the
year. You withdrew after 16 holes,
citing your wrist injury. Two days
later, you were seen hitting balls.
Critics wondered if you used your
wrist as an excuse so that you
wouldn't have to submit a score.
I have no comment about that
because I really don't remember.
None of it?
I kinda do, but I don't want to say
anything false. I don't need to rehash
that. I don't want to say anything
false because I don't remember.
To be clear, you haven't spoken
with Annika since then?
I don't think so, no. I think we're
over it. We're past that.
Playing PGA Tour events,
LPGA events, going to school — looking back, did you have too
much on your plate?
No, I don't think so. My life would
be different if I hadn't fallen down.
But life happens. Things explode.
There are "what ifs," but I'm living
my life, and I'm very content. I feel
like I'm on the way back. I'm on the
up-climb and will do everything I
can to keep improving.
The last PGA Tour event you
played was in 2008. Will you
ever try to tee it up with
the guys again?
I realized, OK, I'm not ready for it
now — I'll focus on something else. Will I
try again? I don't worry about future
questions. When I was younger, I
spent so much time talking about
the future. I want to worry about
now, what makes me happy now.
Thinking too far in advance about
things you can't control is pointless.
A hypothetical: A teenage girl
comes to you for advice. She
wants to conquer the world — to
play the LPGA, the PGA Tour, the
Masters. What do you tell her?
I would say, "Have a thick skin. There
will be a backlash." Also, I see a lot of
girls being home-schooled, not
getting [a formal] education. That
worries me. College is an important
growing experience. People say I
didn't have a normal life growing up, but I did. I went to a regular high
school. My advice would be to find
a balance. If you want to conquer
the world, enjoy it.
Speaking of education, is it
true that when you were in
grade school your dad had
you memorize pages in the
dictionary?
[Laughs.] Yeah, that was fun. Every
day on the way to school, I would
rip out a page from the dictionary
and had to learn every single word.
I pulled my first all-nighter when I
was in fourth grade.
What's your relationship like with
your parents? The perception is
that they're too controlling.
Our relationship is normal. We're
very close, and I love having them
around. They're so supportive. My
dad and I bicker. We're too similar.
We clash. Obviously, they drive me
up the wall, like any parents would.
There will come a day when it's just
me, my manager, and my caddie. But
it's not time for me right now to go
out on my own. It's a brutal, tough
world, and I feel fortunate that I
have two people who will love me
no matter what. So I'll keep them
around for a while.
OK, miscellaneous questions.
What wakes you up in the middle
of the night — not counting
term papers?
Bad dreams. I watch horror movies at
night. I've been having these dreams
where people are killing me. A serial
killer is after me, a different person
every night. I have bizarre dreams. I
have golf dreams. I'm late for my tee
time, but someone's stopping me. Or,
here's a good one: I'm chipping onto
a green, but the green's made of glass.
I hit it, it rolls over. Hit it again, rolls
over. I chip it soft, it comes back. It's
pretty annoying.
What's your biggest pet peeve?
When I'm eating and people shove
their camera phones in my face and
take a picture. Or when they act like
they're saying hi — "Michelle, hi!" — and I turn, and they snap a picture.
I'm like, "You weren't saying hi. It
was a trick!" I have this surprised
expression. Just ask. I'm human.
Do you ever think, I have millions.
Why bother studying?
There are times when I'm, like,
"Really? I have to do this?" But I won't
half-ass it. My worst nightmare is that
people say, "She can play golf, but does
she have brains?" I want to do well.
What's the biggest myth about
Michelle Wie?
People think I'm controlling, cold.
Tell them something they don't
know about you.
I love spray-painting.
You mean subway cars? You can
get in trouble for that.
[Laughs.] I wish. No, I love spray-painting
cardboard boxes. I love art,
artistic endeavors.
You like art. You're great at golf.
What are you terrible at?
Karaoke. I'm so bad. I sang "Dancing
Queen" once. It's a high-pitched song,
and it was me screeching. I love '90s
pop: Britney, 'N Sync.
One more quote from your past:
When you were 14, you said,
"Being famous is pretty cool.
Like I went to this restaurant,
and they gave me free dessert."
Is being famous still cool?
[Laughs.] My god, I sound so young.
I still get free ice cream from time to
time, and it's quite delicious. Being
famous has its perks.
Do you ever wish you were
someone else?
Sometimes. But it's hard to disguise — there aren't a lot of six-foot-tall Asians
walking around out there.
