Fields Open in Hawaii
Ko Olina Golf Club
Kapolei, Hawaii
Feb. 25, 2006
Final-round interviews: Meena Lee | Seon Hwa Lee | Michelle Wie

Meena Lee outlasts Seon Hwa Lee in three-hole playoff, wins Fields Open in Hawaii

KAPOLEI, Hawaii, Feb. 25, 2006 – The inaugural Fields Open in Hawaii was theatre in the making. Meena Lee won a dramatic three-hole, sudden-death playoff against rookie Seon Hwa Lee and Michelle Wie made a Sunday surge to finish third and earn her first paycheck as a professional.

Meena Lee beat fellow South Korean Seon Hwa Lee with a birdie on the third hole of a sudden death playoff to win the first prize of $165,000, out of a total purse of $1.1 million. Wie, the 16-year-old golfing prodigy and hometown favorite, showed why she checked in at No. 3 in the first-ever Rolex Rankings, which were unveiled during the Fields Open in Hawaii.

Wie had the crowd's support, but the golfing Gods were on Meena Lee's side. Meena Lee was seven shots back to begin the day, but found herself in contention after the first two holes. A birdie at the first got things going and then she holed her 9-wood from 160 yards on the second hole to shave three strokes off the deficit.

“I never thought about winning today, because there was too much of a gap between the leader at the beginning of today,” said Meena Lee, who earned her second LPGA victory. “But after the eagle on the second hole and I had luck of playing well today, so I had a great day.”

Indeed. Meena Lee's scorecard was flawless, with five birdies and the eagle. She finished with a 65, the best round of the day. Her last birdie, a 10-footer on 18, put her at 14-under and ended Wie's hopes. It was then up to the other contenders to keep pace.

For awhile, it didn't seem like Seon Hwa Lee would. The third-round leader and LPGA rookie who was seeking her first tour win, meandered through a one-birdie, one-bogey front nine that helped bring the field closer to her. When she missed a key six-foot birdie putt on the 10 th hole, and bogeyed the 171-yard, par-3 12 th hole after pulling her tee shot and chunking her chip, it looked like she was on the verge of teetering off the lead. But Seon Hwa Lee steadied herself with birdies on the next two holes, both par-5s, to move back to 14-under. She could have won tournament outright on the 18 th hole but her birdie putt that would have broken the tie with Meena Lee slid by on the right side.

The other contenders also slid away. Lorena Ochoa, who lost a playoff in last week's SBS Open at Turtle Bay, squandered her chance on the 17 th hole when she drove into the rough and had to lay up. The bogey dropped her back to 12-under and in a tie for fourth. Natalie Gulbis never got anything started in an even-par round and also tied for fourth with Ochoa, Nicole Castrale and rookie Julieta Granada.

That left it up to the Lees. After recording par on the first two playoff holes and hitting the fairway on the 3 rd playoff hole, the 356-yard, par-4 17 th, Meena Lee hit her approach shot to within six feet while Seon Hwa left her's 12 feet away. After Seon Hwa's putt rolled below the hole, Meena rolled her putt into the center of the cup for the championship.

For Seon Hwa, losing to Meena in a playoff left a familiar feeling.

“I already had a playoff with Meena in Korea, but I lost, so today I lost again,” said Seon Hwa. “I'm a little disappointed but I'll keep trying.”

Wie, who began the final round six strokes behind Seon Hwa Lee, fired a 6-under-par 66 to finished third at 203 (-13), but fell just one stroke short of making the playoff. Wie had a solid opportunity to reach the 14-under par total that subsequently qualified both Meena Lee and Seon Hwa Lee for the playoff, but a downhill 12-foot birdie putt on the final hole slid by the left edge. That left Wie in sole possession of third place and earned her $73,227, her first paycheck as a professional.

“Starting from the first hole I felt awesome,” said Wie. “I'm hitting the ball very solid and I think that's the thing I was very proud of myself. I just kept on the shot. I didn't look ahead. I've been working on that a lot and I just felt very solid today. I felt very comfortable out there.”

Final-round interviews: Meena Lee | Seon Hwa Lee | Michelle Wie

Meena Lee, 69-68-65=202 (-14)
Scorecard: Hole 1, 509-yard par 5: birdie – 56-degree wedge to six feet
Hole 2, 395-yard par 4: eagle – holed a 9-wood from 160 yards
Hole 8, 146-yard par 3: birdie – 7-iron to six feet
Hole 13, 497-yard par 5: birdie – 56-degree wedge to eight feet
Hole 16, 195-yard par 3: birdie – 7-wood to 18 feet
Hole 18, 407-yard par 4: birdie – 9-wood to six feet

FIRST PLAYOFF HOLE: Hole 18, 407-yard par 4: par – 7-wood short right, 56-degree wedge to two feet
SECOND PLAYOFF HOLE: Hole 16, 195-yard par 3: par – 56-degree wedge to 10 feet
THIRD PLAYOFF HOLE: Hole 17, 356-yard par 4: birdie – pitching wedge to four feet

PAUL ROVNAK: Meena, congratulations. It's a wonderful victory in a 3‑hole playoff. You birdied the third playoff hole to win, your second career victory. Talk about that, what an exciting finish and the birdie putt to get the victory.
MEENA LEE: I never thought about I'll be winning today, because there was too much gap between the leader at the beginning of today. But after the eagle on the second hole and I had luck of playing well today, so I had a great day.

Q. Talk about the eagle on the second hole.
MEENA LEE: I hit a driver and then I had a 9‑wood lose, but the sun was in my eyes and I tried to hit it. And I hit it and I didn't see the ball go in. But the gallery was shouting and screaming, so I knew it went in.

PAUL ROVNAK: What was the yardage on that?
MEENA LEE: 160, but against the wind.

Q. When did you realize you were in first place?
MEENA LEE: I had been looking at the scoreboard all along.

PAUL ROVNAK: Do you remember a specific hole?
MEENA LEE: 160, so I made a birdie, and I looked and somehow made a birdie again and I knew I was one shot behind.

Q. How worried were you about Michelle Wie?
MEENA LEE: I was worried about all the players who are at the top of the leaderboard, not just Michelle.

Q. Michelle's group was in front of you guys and I'm sure you had a pretty hard time playing because you were behind Michelle group.
MEENA LEE: Because there were so many gallery following Michelle, Michelle's group, and we had to wait longer for the gallery to clear off for the second shot.

Q. What do you think about the other Lee? She is 20 years old, feisty, played solid yesterday and today. What do you know about her?
MEENA LEE: I know that she wasn't on Tour last year. I have played in Korea with her before and I have won a playoff with her before.

Q. Do you remember the name of the event?
MEENA LEE: 2002 SK Invitation. She doesn't have emotions coming out her face. She is calm. She is a very good player.

PAUL ROVNAK: Were you nervous during the playoff?
MEENA LEE: A little bit.

Q. You've been in a playoff before. Does that give you confidence?
MEENA LEE: It could be, and it might be just my luck, but I haven't lost a playoff. Every time I have a playoff. I haven't lost any of them.

Q. How many playoffs?
MEENA LEE: Four times, including this one.

Q. Were the other three on the KLPGA?
MEENA LEE: Yes.

Q. Is this one better or worse than your first? I guess your first was pretty special, too.
MEENA LEE: I think this win is more special because everybody thinks a rookie, a first‑time winner, it could happen, but many people think there will not be a second time, but I did it. I won this event for the second time, and I'm happy.

PAUL ROVNAK: Which one was harder, winning the first one or the second one?
MEENA LEE: The first time is always harder, so the Canadian Open was harder than this one.

Q. So many Korean players play well, including you.
MEENA LEE: There are a lot of good rookies that came in this year, and those players were known as a good player in Korea and has some pressure on it. There's just rivalry between a lot of Korean players.

Q. Joo Mi won last week in a playoff with a Korean, and you won in a playoff with a Korean player. What is it about the Korean players that are excelling at this point?
MEENA LEE: We play a lot, practice a lot, and then we came from our country, from Korea, and our parents are helping us, supporting us, and helping us play well. And I think that's why we're playing good.

Q. There are 32 Korean women now on the LPGA. And I think part of that is because golf is more popular now in Korea than a few years ago. Can you give me your thoughts on why it is more popular now?
MEENA LEE: I think because a lot of Tour players are coming from Korea to the LPGA and we're playing better and there are more coming, so everybody is getting to know about the game of golf.

Q. What's the best element of your game that allowed you to come back and win?
MEENA LEE: First of all, I didn't have any bogeys this round. And second of all, I started with a bogey and an eagle on the first and second hole. And from there I just took off.

Q. How are you going to celebrate?
MEENA LEE: I don't know about today, but I'm going to think about it when I go home.

Q. What will be your next tournament?
MEENA LEE: Mexico City.

Q. Do you think that the Korean men now will catch up to the Korean women? There are so many women on the LPGA. Will men become more successful on the PGA Tour?
MEENA LEE: I know there are a lot of Korean men that are trying to qualify for the PGA now and there will be more. But the PGA will be a lot harder than the LPGA, so it will take some time.

Seon Hwa Lee, 65-66-71=202 (-14)

Scorecard: Hole 4, 193-yard par 3: bogey – 4-rescue short and left, chip to six feet, two-putt
Hole 5, 489-yard par 5: birdie – 56-degree wedge to six feet
Hole 12, 171-yard par 3: bogey – 4-rescue short and left, 52-degree wedge fat to 25 feet, two-putt
Hole 13, 497-yard par 5: birdie – 52-degree wedge to five feet
Hole 14, 470-yard par 5: birdie – 5-wood to 35 feet, two-putt, tap-in birdie

FIRST PLAYOFF HOLE: Hole 18, 407-yard par 4: par – 4-iron to 12 feet, two-putt
SECOND PLAYOFF HOLE: Hole 16, 195-yard par 3: par – 4-rescue short and right, pitch over bunker to five feet
THIRD PLAYOFF HOLE: Hole 17, 356-yard par 4: par – 8-iron to 12 feet, two-putt

PAUL ROVNAK: Seon Hwa, thanks for coming in and speaking with us. It was a 3‑hole playoff. You played extremely well last week at the SBS Open, and you got into a playoff here this week. This is only your second tournament as an LPGA member. Although it didn't end up the way you wanted it to, this is a good way to start the year for you. Talk about that.
SEON HWA LEE: I wanted it to be a good start, so I worked hard with my coach, Mike Bender, so I practiced a lot.

PAUL ROVNAK: Can you talk about today? You had the lead going in. You played well today and then you got into the playoff. Can you talk about the last hole, maybe what you were thinking before the playoff?
SEON HWA LEE: I already had a playoff with Meena in Korea, but I lose, so today I lose again. I'm a little disappointed but I'll keep trying.

PAUL ROVNAK: You played in a playoff with Meena in Korea?
SEON HWA LEE: Yes.

PAUL ROVNAK: Who won that one?
SEON HWA LEE: Meena.

Q. Were there some holes there that you felt like if you could go back and do them over, they would have won the tournament for you in regulation?
PAUL ROVNAK: She's asking if there were any holes that maybe you would play over again and play differently and maybe the outcome would have ended up in your favor? Are there any specific holes you are thinking if only I could play that hole again? Like maybe No. 4 or No. 12? Is there anything you would do differently on those holes? That's what she's asking. Is there any shot today that you said, I wish I could hit that shot again or I'd like to hit that shot again? The chip shot on 12? Can you talk about the chip shot on No. 12? What happened there?
SEON HWA LEE: The grass is thicker so I wanted to see if I can hit the 52‑degree wedge, but I hit it fat.

PAUL ROVNAK: Do you feel you played well today?
SEON HWA LEE: Yes. I think I played well. Hopefully I will play well this year.

Q. At what point did you know you weren't in first place by yourself anymore?
PAUL ROVNAK: Did you ever see the leaderboard and see someone else was tied with you for first place?
SEON HWA LEE: Yes, I saw No. 16.

PAUL ROVNAK: What did you think then?
SEON HWA LEE: Just concentrate on my game, just hit the fairway, hit the green, make a 2‑putt. That's it.

PAUL ROVNAK: Were you nervous at all going into the playoff?
SEON HWA LEE: Not really, because we played a lot before in Korea before. Not really.

PAUL ROVNAK: Were you nervous at all playing 16, 17 or 18, when you knew that ‑‑
SEON HWA LEE: Yes, I was nervous on No. 17.

Q. On 18, the last putt in regulation, how long was that?
SEON HWA LEE: No. 18?

PAUL ROVNAK: Your last putt on 18 before the playoff.
SEON HWA LEE: 10 feet.

PAUL ROVNAK: Do you remember what club you hit there for your second shot?
SEON HWA LEE: 5‑iron.

Q. Can you talk about that putt? Did it do what you thought it was going to do?
SEON HWA LEE: I needed to hit it harder. I missed it on the right side.

Q. Who are your golf heroes?
PAUL ROVNAK: What golfers do you admire?
SEON HWA LEE: Annika, because she's the No. 1 player.

Q. Any Korean players?
SEON HWA LEE: Grace Park, yes.

Q. What were you thinking when Meena made the last putt on the playoff that won it? What was going through your head, before she hit the winning putt?
SEON HWA LEE: I think she make putt because she's a really good putter.

Q. You two played in Korea before, right?
SEON HWA LEE: Yes.

Q. What do you feel about this playoff, because it's your second playoff in the U.S.?
SEON HWA LEE: I had a little pressure because I want to win, but I keep trying to win. I'll have another chance, I think.

Michelle Wie, 67-70-66=203 (-13)

Scorecard: Hole 1, 509-yard par 5: birdie – chip with 9-iron to tap-in birdie
Hole 3, 366-yard par 4: birdie – sand wedge to 16 feet
Hole 5, 489-yard par 5: birdie – 6-iron to 20 feet, two-putt
Hole 6, 379-yard par 4: birdie – gap wedge to five feet
Hole 11, 357-yard par 4: birdie – sand wedge to 12 feet
Hole 13, 497-yard par 5: bogey – drive left, lay-up, wedge to 40 feet, three-putt, missed four-foot par putt
Hole 17, 356-yard par 4: birdie – 9-iron to 17 feet

PAUL ROVNAK: Michelle, thanks for coming in and speaking to us. Great tournament, you finished 13 under. You played very well today with a 66. Talk about your the tournament and your high finish.
MICHELLE WIE: I played awesome today. I felt I played very solid today, but unfortunately, not the way I wanted it to turn out. I'm happy with the way I played. I played solid and I know what to work on for the next tournament so I feel ready.

Q. How closely were you following what was going on at the end there with the leaderboard and the changes?
MICHELLE WIE: Not really that closely. Basically I was checking out what time it was. My watch is so cool. I was asking my caddie, "Do you know what time it is?" The scoreboard, I didn't pay that much attention to. Fortunately when I looked up at the scoreboard they didn't really show the score much. It was only showing like the 14th place score and that. Toward the end I saw the scoreboard and I was tied for the lead and I thought, Right on. I felt comfortable out there it was very nice.

Q. You talked a little bit about the crowd on TV. What was your sense that you were getting from them?
MICHELLE WIE: It was awesome. The positive energy I received from the crowd today was awesome. I felt like I basically knew half the people in the gallery. It was awesome. Just the people following me, rooting for me, especially walking down the 18th hole. It felt awesome.

Q. Was it on 16 you knew you were tied or somewhere else?
MICHELLE WIE: I think it was 16.

Q. And you saw that from the scoreboard?
MICHELLE WIE: Mm‑hm.

Q. How bad do you wish this was a 72‑hole event so you could have another crack at them? And second, how many times have you seen that putt on 18?
MICHELLE WIE: Well, really, right now sitting here I really wish it was a 72‑hole event. And that putt on 18, I basically hit that a lot. I mean, I play here, and I putted that putt a lot. So I felt comfortable over it. And then once I hit it it went in the completely opposite direction I wanted it to. It was supposed to go left to right almost straight, but that thing curved left. So I guess that wasn't meant to be.

Q. At what point today did you really feel you could make a serious run at it?
MICHELLE WIE: Starting from the first hole I felt awesome. Today I didn't put my 5‑wood to left, it went straight today. I'm hitting the ball very solid and I think that's the thing I was very proud of myself. I just kept on the shot. I didn't look ahead. And I've been working on that a lot and I just felt very solid today. I felt very comfortable out there.

Q. What would you do over if you could play the par 5 where you bogeyed? What would you change there?
MICHELLE WIE: I didn't hit one fairway on that hole the whole tournament. So if I had one more time I would probably want to hit the fairway, so I would have a chance to get on the green and 2 putt at it.

Q. How do you like what you did today? Of course a lot of people counted the strokes yesterday and said, I don't know if she's going to be able to do it tomorrow. Your showing today proved otherwise.
MICHELLE WIE: I felt awesome that I came back from a kind of so‑so round yesterday and my game was very solid today. I felt like I was nailing every putt, every shot and I think that's very important for the next tournament, the confidence that I have.

Q. What did Turner and Morgan say to you at the end of 18 when you guys all hugged and everything?
MICHELLE WIE: They said "good job" and "nice round" and stuff like that. They were very encouraging. It was very nice.

Q. Did you have fun playing with Morgan?
MICHELLE WIE: Yes, it was great. She is a nice girl. She played good. Carla struggled a bit at the end, but she's a very talented player. I think she'll do really well this year.

Q. After you guys both tapped in for birdies on the first hole, it looks like you were chatting a little bit walking up the second fairway. Do you feel like sharing that at all?
MICHELLE WIE: I don't really remember. I kind of feel a little flabbergasted right now. I don't know what happened on the second hole really.

Q. Your scores this week are so impressive, is it more reflective of how your game is maturing or your confidence on this course or both?
MICHELLE WIE: Both. It's how much I worked on my game, mentally and physically. And you know, I felt like my endurance was higher than other tournaments. I felt like I finished strong, and I've been working with Jim Loehr, my psychologist, and I have been working on trying to make me feel good and things like that, and he's been dog a good job. I've been working really hard day in and day out and I think it shows, and Ko Olina is almost my home course, basically, and I feel comfortable here. The gallery was great. Everything was awesome.

Q. Do you think that's a big part of it, the metal strategy? Now you're really starting to hone in on your game. Just what you do mentally, is that a big part for you?
MICHELLE WIE: Yes, I think so. The mental part of the game is very important in golf, especially because it's four and a half, five hours long and you have a lot of breaks in between the shots. And I think the mental part of the game was very ‑‑ was a very important part, and hopefully I can get better as I get older and have more experience under my belt.

Q. How far?
MICHELLE WIE: About 18 feet, give or take ‑‑ actually, it was longer than that. I don't know, somewhere around there.

Q. Your next event is the Nabisco, which is four or five weeks from now. Anything you'll work on between now and then? And how difficult is it to play well when you have such gaps in between?
MICHELLE WIE: Well, with this round I want to play next week because I feel I'm right on my game. I'll work on my driver, my short game, wedges, putting, I can improve on that. And I have a lot to work on. I'm looking forward to working on it for the Kraft.

Q. How nice would it have been to have won here and not have to listen to that anymore?
MICHELLE WIE: Well, I mean, there is a lot of what‑if, what‑if, would have been, it would be nice. I would have been awesome if I had won, but unfortunately it didn't happen this week, but hopefully it will happen in the next one.

Q. Was there a point when you and Morgan were going on and you thought this is what it's going to be like for the next 5, 10, 15 years?
MICHELLE WIE: That really never crossed my mind. I was focused on making birdies. I was focused on the present. It's hard to think about what's going to happen, 10, 15 years down the road.