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Rosales goes wire-to-wire, wins SBS Open at Turtle Bay by two strokes

KAHUKU, Oahu, Hawaii, Feb. 26, 2005 - Jennifer Rosales started the 2005 LPGA Tour season the way every golfer dreams of, as she went wire-to-wire to win the $1 million SBS Open at Turtle Bay by two stokes over Cristie Kerr and 15-year-old amateur Michelle Wie.

Rosales took a two-shot lead into the final round and built her advantage to as many as four on two different occasions before surviving gusting winds in excess of 30 mph and a back-nine charge by Wie to claim her second-career win on the LPGA Tour.

"It feels really good because at the end of last year I was really close," said Rosales, who took the early lead and top spot on the ADT Official Money List as well as Rolex Player of the Year and Vare Trophy standings. "Last night, before I went to sleep I thought about what I needed to do today. I wanted to take it one shot at a time, not panic and keep breathing, and that is what I did today."

Rosales closed with a final-round 1-over-par 73, but her first-round 66 and second-round 69 were more than enough to help her win her first tournament since last year's Chick-fil-A Charity Championship hosted by Nancy Lopez.

Wie, who played in the second to last group, began the final round five shots off the pace and trailed by as many as eight after six holes. From there Wie made a final-round run a wily veteran would have been proud of. She birdied the eighth, bogeyed the ninth and then birdied 11, 12 and 18 to grab a share of second with Kerr, whose up and down day featured four birdies and four bogeys. A narrowly missed 30-foot putt on 10 and lip-out chip on 15 only made things more interesting for Wie.

"This is the best finish I have had, and it feels great to have it in my home state," said Wie, who bypassed $78,788 in potential earnings by playing as an amateur. "I am just happy with my second-place finish. I like having a carefree life right now, and not having to think about it."

Wie was attempting to become the youngest winner in LPGA history and the first amateur to win an LPGA event since 1969 when JoAnne Carner won the Burdine's Invitational. She would have been the fifth amateur to win an LPGA event. Her bid was partly foiled because of two costly three putts during the tournament, something she plans to have in place when she competes in next month's Safeway International Presented by Coca-Cola and the Kraft Nabisco Championship, the LPGA first major of the year.

"I tried to eliminate all my three putts, but that did not quite work out," said Wie, who was the only player to both shoot under par every round and play the par threes (-1), fours (-1) and fives (-4) collectively under par for the 54-hole tournament. "I have been working on my wedges and will work a lot on them the next two weeks before the Safeway and Kraft Nabisco. I just have to work on eliminating those stupid mistakes and making more birdies."
Rosales paired with Dorothy Delasin two weeks ago to lead the Philippines to a second-place finish at the inaugural Women's World Cup of Golf in South Africa, but before that she had played golf only once during a two month span. She thought both helped her to win the first official tournament on the 2005 LPGA schedule.

"I was a little rusty, but South Africa helped tune my game up a little bit. That course just woke me up," said Rosales, who pocketed $150,000 with the win. "(Before that) my body needed some rest and resting was really good for me. I feel really fresh. I hit the ball more pure and longer."

Reilley Rankin placed fourth at 212 (-4) to notch a career-best finish, while Hee-Won Han, Heather Bowie and Nicole Perrot tied for fifth at 213 (-3). It was also a career-best finish for Perrot.

Jennifer Rosales, 66-69-73=208 (-8)
Scorecard: Hole 3, 452-yard par 5: birdie - 5-wood into greenside bunker, sand wedge to 18 feet
Hole 6, 405-yard par 4: birdie - 50-degree wedge to eight feet
Hole 7, 394-yard par 4: double-bogey - yanked 8-iron into water
Hole 9, 511-yard par 5: birdie - chip to 10 feet
Hole 13, 175-yard par 3: bogey - 5-iron into bunker, did not get up and down
Hole 15, 162-yard par 3: bogey - 3-iron over green, ship to 25 feet, two-putt

Q: Jennifer, thanks for coming in. Congratulations on your second-career win. This is a pretty nice way to start the year. Is this what you had planned?
A: No, not at all. I was excited to start the year. It turned out a pretty good week to start.

Q: You played in the World Cup a couple of weeks ago in South Africa and played well there. Do you think playing that event helped you here?
A: Yeah, a little bit. That course just woke me up. It was a fun week, an incredible course and helped my game. When I got here I played to win and played great.

Q: How about that wind?
A: Wow, that course plays different everyday. At least the wind is the same for three days, it doesn't switch around, but the course is getting longer and some holes are getting shorter - I am sorry I am getting a lot of calls today.

Q: It happened at Chick-fil-A too, your cell phone went off.
A: I am so sorry, where was I?

Q: What do you like about this course?
A: First of all, Bermuda. I grew up in Bermuda, but the rough was tough today. I hit one bad drive and it cost me two shots, just hang in. I was talking to my caddy an just trying to get good thoughts in my head and just hang in there to the end.

Q: Your first win was such a different style.
A: Yeah, I was expecting my first win to be in the last group and people throwing champagne at me. I didn't get it that way. Today was my chance, I was in the last group, but didn't get any love. But wait until my family comes out and I will try to win for them again.

Q: Does this feel different in your mind? Do you feel you accomplished more because last time you were just sitting there waiting?
A: It is just a different feeling. It hasn't hit me yet. My first win was different because I had to wait for so long and just praying for 45 minutes, but it felt like a week. It turned out my way that week and this week too. I am pretty happy. I got my second win and it is just a good start for me this year.

Q: What were you thinking after the double at seven?
A: I was smooth the first six holes. I was hitting good and was sticking to my plan. Then at seven I pushed my driver to the right and got a crappy lie. I was thinking I should layup but got too greedy and I still tried to hit it out and paid for it. Thank goodness I had a four-stroke lead going into that hole. I made a double but just kept fighting. I said to myself there a lot more holes to go. Hang in there and keep making pars.

Q: Feel good to get a win after having the final-round lead?
A: It feels good. It feels really good because at the end of the year I was really close, the Open, the Tour Championship, just kills me every time I give it away. Last night, before I went to sleep I though about what I was going to do today and what my game plan was. I wanted to take it one shot at a time, don't panic, keep breathing and that is what I did today.

Q: Surprised you played so well, since you did not play so much in the off-season?
A: I am kind of surprised. My body needed some rest and resting was really good for me. I feel really fresh. It made me hit the ball more pure and longer actually.

Q: So the rest helped more -
A: Yeah, helped more. I was a little rusty, but South Africa helped tune my game up a little bit.

Q: Did it affect you when they put you on the clock?
A: It did, just kind of your timing and your routine gets messed up a little bit, but it helps us play a little bit faster. It makes it easier to finish, but it didn't bother me at all.

Q: Were you aware of where Michelle was?
A: No, I didn't look at the scores until the backside. I kept looking at it last year and it drove me crazy, so I told myself to stop looking and play my game.

Q: What do you expect when you go home to the Philippines?
A: I don't want to go. (laughter) They are pretty happy. I just talked to my mom and everybody knows that I won and they are really happy for me.

Michelle Wie, 70-70-70=210 (-6)
Scorecard: Hole 4, 204-yard par 3: bogey - 4-iron, chip to five feet, two-putt
Hole 8, 155-yard par 3: birdie - 7-iron to 35 feet
Hole 9, 511-yard par 5: bogey - three-putt from 60 feet, par putt was 10 feet
Hole 11, 396-yard par 4: birdie - 3-wood, 8-iron to 15 feet
Hole 12, 493-yard par 5: birdie - driver, 5-wood to 50 feet, two-putt
Hole 18, 539-yard par 5: birdie - 5-wood, lay-up 6-iron, sand wedge to four feet

Q: Michelle, thanks for coming in. You were the only player to score under par every round with your three 70s. I know you wanted to win, but in a way does this feel like a win?
A: Yeah, it kind of does. This is the best finish I have had and it feels great to have it in my home state. It feels good.

Q: Anything you would like to take back from the front nine?
A: Yeah, definitely the ninth hole. I think the 3-wood was the wrong choice and I wouldn't mind taking away all of my bogeys, I guess.

Q: What happened on nine?
A: Well I got a little bit greedy. I think I got too greedy. I should have just hit a 5-wood and get it up to the front on the green, but I saw the green and I hit a 3-wood and it just turned out bad.

Q: Were you in the water or a trap?
A: No, I was in the middle of the fairway, pulled it left and then just a little three-putt.

Q: What happened on the putts?
A: I think I got a little bit too excited. I think I was moving back and forth. I think my heartbeat was a little too fast, and I think I just rushed a little bit on that putt.

Q: You gathered yourself after that though.
A: Well after that three-putt I calmed down, refocused and I made those two great birdies. Those were really good and got things going. I wanted to go a little bit more under par, but the conditions were tough.

Q: Were you aware Jennifer and Cristie were struggling?
A: Well, not really because I saw she was 10-under.

Q: What did you think when you saw the scoreboard on 15?
A: I was really surprised I was in second place on the 15th hole. They came down but all before that, she was playing really good and I was thinking I had to make a lot of birdies. Then I saw on 15 that I was second place and I though, 'Wow, that feels pretty good.'

Q: What is your assessment of your game this week?
A: I thought I putted pretty ok this tournament. I practiced a lot during the practice round and before the round. I think that got a lot better. I think my game got a lot more consistent. I shot what I wanted to, consistently under par. I just have to work on eliminating those stupid mistakes and making a lot more birdies. Obviously that would be better.

Q: How do you make more birdies? Get the ball closer or putt better?
A: I think that would be a lit lot easier. I have been working on my wedges and will work a lot on them the next two weeks before Phoenix and Kraft Nabisco. I am just going to really focus on dialing it in.

Q: What was your goal coming into today?
A: Well, I was five behind and had to make a move. Then I woke up this morning and saw it was raining and blowing about 20 miles per hour. I thought I am not going to shoot 60 today. I thought shoot a couple under par and hopefully they will fall back a little and try to make any stupid mistakes. And I think I did that.

Q: On 18, were you thinking about going for it?
A: In the practice round the first time I played I hit a driver off the tee and then a 3-wood and then a 5-wood off the tee. I told myself if I was inside the 230-yard range then I would go for it because that is my 5-wood yardage. But then I see no point in going for it. Even if I do hit the green, it is probably going to roll into the back bunker and you just have a really tough bunker shot from there?

Q: How long was the putt on 10?
A: It was about 30 feet.

Q: You thought it was in?
A: Yeah, I thought 15 was going in too.

Q: You made some good long putts this week.
A: Yeah, I have worked on that a lot. I tried to eliminate all my three putts, but that did not quite work out. I tried to work on the feel of the putts and I think that got a lot better.

Q: How many three-putts did you have?
A: I think two. My mom says two.

Q: Do you know how much you would have made this week if you were a professional?
A: How much?

Q: About $79,000.
A: Huh, that is not too much. (laughter)

Q: What goes through your mind when you hear that?
A: Well I don't think, 'I should have turned pro, darn it.' I am just happy withy my second-place finish. I like having a pretty carefree life right now, and no having anything to think about. What happened if I missed the cut? That means I make no money. I don't have to calculate right now. I am just playing for the fun of it. It feels good.

Cristie Kerr, 70-68-72=210 (-6)
Scorecard: Hole 3, 452-yard par 5: birdie - 5-wood to 50 feet, two-putt
Hole 8, 155-yard par 3: birdie - 8-iron to 20 feet
Hole 10, 391-yard par 4: bogey - 5-iron into bunker, did not get up and down
Hole 11, 396-yard par 4: bogey - 3-wood into water, two-putt from 40 feet
Hole 13, 175-yard par 3: bogey - 4-iron over green, did not get up and down
Hole 14, 375-yard par 4: birdie - 8-iron to five feet
Hole 15, 162-yard par 3: bogey - pulled 4-iron, pitch 40 yards short, wedge to four feet
Hole 16, 365-yard par 4: birdie - pitching wedge to 18 inches

Q: Crisite, thanks for coming in. You haven't played in a couple months, so I imagine you are pretty pleased with your finish.
A: I am. I played pretty well considering the circumstances. I was even today and four-under yesterday anytime you are averaging 70 over three rounds in 35 to 40 mph winds I think you are doing pretty good. I definitely had some holes I would like to do over. Reilley got into trouble early in the round and then Jennifer got into trouble and then Reilley got into trouble, which put us out of position. I wish we had not been timed. Maybe it would have made a difference, but I played as well as I could under the conditions.

Q: Is it hard to make a move in these conditions?
A: It really didn't feel like it until we started to get timed because I had gotten within a shot of her. We were kind of running up to the third shot on the ninth hole. After that I never regained that little bubble that you go into when you are playing well, but I hung in there. I made some birdies coming in and I hung in there.

Q: Any shot you would take back on that back nine?
A: On that back nine. Any shot I would take over? Well, the one on 10, the one on 11, the one on 15 and the one on 18 into the green. (laughter)

Q: On 18, if you hit a good drive there, would you have gone for it?
A: No, as firm as that green is downwind, you couldn't hold that green anyway, so it really does not make sense. I had not hit driver there all week, so I really didn't know where the line was going to be off the tee, so it really didn't make sense for me.

Q: Did you hit driver?
A: No, I hit 3-wood. About a 100 times this week. This is a good course, really good course for the LPGA.

Q: What do you like about it?
A: I don't know. It is interesting, all the holes are different, and the course is in great condition. The grass is hard to maintain, but they have done a wonderful job at making the greens pretty fast. I just really like the golf course. You have to pay attention out there.

Q: I know you are paying attention to what you are doing out there, but on the back nine what was your sense of what Jennifer was going through?
A: Well, I never - I made a couple bogeys. I knew I had to stop making mistakes, because I knew I was going to make a couple of birdies coming in, but I just made too many mistakes whether it was being timed or whatever, but I still could have made those shots. I could have put a little more pressure on her on 15 had I hit the green maybe, that would have made it closer. Then I went on to birdie 16, so maybe if I played 15 a little differently, it would have turned out differently.

Q: She wasn't running away from anybody.
A: No, there was a lot of golf to play. I just had to make one or two less mistakes and I would have been right in there. This is her second win, but it would have been my fifth had I played better. Maybe using that experience that I have had would have helped, but she played great. I played with her two out of three rounds here and she didn't make that many mistakes. Maybe it was just her week.

Q: Did you notice Michelle coming up at all?
A: Not really. I kind of saw her on the leader board, but I was not really paying attention. She tied with me but she doesn't get any money, so it really doesn't affect me. It is good for her, she had a great tournament. She is a veteran at 15 if she can be called that. She has an amazing game and is a real sweet girl. She is doing well. She is going to be really, really good for our Tour. I just hope our Tour is read for her.