CN Canadian Women's Open -- Second-round notes and interviews

Some of the LPGA’s most recognizable stars are atop the leader board after two rounds of play at the CN Canadian Women’s Open. Fan-favorite Michelle Wie leads the pack at 10-under-par 134, followed closely by Rolex Rankings No. 2 Jiyai Shin (-7), Rolex Rankings No. 3 and defending champion Suzann Pettersen (-6), and the youngest major championship winner in LPGA history, Morgan Pressel (-6).

Wie broke 70 for the second consecutive day on Friday, adding a 3-under-par 69 to Thursday’s 7-under-par 65 for a three shot lead over Shin. The 20-year-old Stanford University attendee recorded four birdies and one bogey, but may have underachieved on a windy, warm day at St. Charles Country Club. “You end every round thinking (it) could be better,” Wie said. “There's a shot here and there, but I went out there and I tried my hardest.”

Despite hitting just 10 of 28 fairways through two rounds, Wie has hit 30 of 36 greens in regulation. She will be paired with Shin during tomorrow’s third round.

The Cut. 73 players at 4-over-par 148 made the 36-hole cut at the CN Canadian Women’s Open.

How Wie Doin? Michelle Wie is leading after the second round for the fourth time at an LPGA Tour event. Her previous 54-hole leads include the 2010 Tres Marias Championship (finished third), 2009 SBS Open at Turtle Bay (second) and the 2006 Evian Masters (tied for second).

The will to win. Wie is searching for her second LPGA Tour victory this week. “It is frustrating when you don't win, but there's nothing you can do about it,” she said. “All you can do is look forward, just try and do your best every step of the way; and that's what I'm trying to do, just trying to go out there and try my hardest.”

Shin’s in the hunt, as usual. Don’t rule out Jiyai Shin, who turned at even-par for the day on Friday, but carded 31 on the back nine for a 67. The former Rolex Rankings No. 1 (now No. 2) is 7-under-par 67 on the week and within striking distance of her eighth career LPGA victory. Asked if she felt s

Shin on Wie. “This year we've played lots of times this year. We've played almost 10 times like already. So now we are very comfortable. And she hits so long, but I already knew that.”

Pettersen, Pressel paired up. Solheim Cup opponents Suzann Pettersen and Morgan Pressel will play alongside one another in the third round of the CN Canadian Women’s Open. Pettersen, who struggled on Friday until carding three consecutive birdies to close out her day, has recorded back-to-back 69’s to get to 6-under-par 138 on the week. Pressel jumped from a tie for 24th after 18 holes to a tie for third after 36 with a 6-under-par 66 on Friday. Her day included seven birdies and one bogey.

Top-5? Sure why not! Suzann Pettersen has eight top-5 finishes in 13 events played on the LPGA this season. The 29-year-old is looking to make that nine of 13 with a consistent finish this week.

The race for the Rolex Rankings No. 1 spot continues to hit up in windy Winnipeg, Canada going into the weekend. Current Rolex Rankings No. 1 Ai Miyazato played solid in Friday’s second-round to record a 2-under 70. Miyazato is tied for 17th as she looks to notch her fifth victory of 2010 LPGA season. Rolex Rankings No. 2 Cristie Kerr is at 2-over par for the tournament while Rolex Rankings No. 3 Suzann Pettersen is four behind leader Michelle Wie at six-under. Rolex Rankings No. 4 Jiyai Shin proved why she is one of the best in the world as she finds herself 7-under par going into the weekend after shooting a second-round 67.

Watch your back! Rolex Rankings No. 6 Na Yeon Choi is five back of second-round leader Michelle Wie, but don’t count her out. Choi, also known as NYC, has recorded three victories on the LPGA tour including her latest at the 2010 Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic Presented by Kroger. Choi currently ranks in the top five of the LPGA Tour in rounds under par, birdies, sand saves and putts per green. With her impressive stats and seemingly unblemished resume Choi has proven to be a force to be reckoned with heading into the weekend.

Birdies at the 18th hole mean more this week. For every birdie made on 18 during championship play, CN will make an additional contribution to the CN Miracle Match. With 15 birdies made through two rounds at $500 a piece, an additional $7,500 will be contributed to the CN Miracle Match.

MICHELLE WIE

THE MODERATOR: All right, Michelle. Thanks for coming in. You are the second-round leader at 10 under par, three stroke lead. If you would, just take us through today, not quite as good as yesterday, but still pretty decent.
MICHELLE WIE: Yeah, you know, I felt good out there today, a couple of putts. You know, I had a lot of putts coming back. I just need to get my speed a little bit more down. But just going out there and grinding and just trying my hardest every day.

Q. Do you feel you could have done better because you missed a few makeable putts?
MICHELLE WIE: Yeah, that's what I'm thinking, but you end every round thinking every round could be better. There's like a shot here and there, but I went out there and I tried my hardest. I played my hardest out there, I gave it my all. I'm happy with my round today and hopefully tomorrow I can make a lot more birdies.

Q. Winnepeggers have been accustomed to you getting hole in ones. You weren't able to deliver another one today.
MICHELLE WIE: Yeah. I tried. Didn't quite work out.

Q. What are some of the highlights from the round?
MICHELLE WIE: I don't know. I mean compared to yesterday nothing was that dramatic. I had a couple of good par 5s, a couple of good par 3s, but just went out there. There's not really a big highlight there, I guess.

Q. A couple times this year you've had a couple of good rounds, in the 60s to start off and then the third round hasn't quite been the same as the first two. Is your game getting to the point now where it's time to start stringing some rounds together?
MICHELLE WIE: I don't know if it's been a couple of times this year. I think it's just like sometimes you have bad weeks and sometimes you have good weeks, but I'm just going out there and I'm not thinking tomorrow's the third round or tomorrow's the final round. I'm just going out there and focusing on every shot and just playing my hardest.

Q. Could you talk, maybe everybody asks you this question, just about the different crowds and the reception you're getting?
MICHELLE WIE: The crowds are phenomenal. I went out there, they're very supportive, they're very respectful of the game. It was just really great that they're all out there, and I feel really grateful that they are.

Q. Michelle, are you keeping an eye on the people who are coming up behind you? Does that impact your game at all?
MICHELLE WIE: No, I really try not to. I just really tried to play my own game today, and as hard as that is, you do look at the scoreboard a lot, but I really try not to and I really try to focus on my own game.

Q. Does it help when you're playing a so so round, but when your fellow competitors in your group are making birdies, does that push you and get you more focused?
MICHELLE WIE: Yeah, when people are making birdies, that makes you wonder that you should be making birdies as well. But they played great today. But it was a fun round. I always like getting paired with them, and we had a lot of fun out there today.

Q. Michelle, what's different about this week than any other week? Is something coming together for you?
MICHELLE WIE: No. I mean I don't really like to think about it that way. You know, you work hard every week. Like I said, some weeks turn out good, some weeks turn out bad.
You know, this week I'm just trying to play my own game, not really doing anything more special or trying any harder, just going out there, having fun, trying to focus on every shot and try and make it happen.

Q. Talking about the crowd, do you think the hole in one yesterday had an impact on the crowd pulling for you today? Do you notice anything different?
MICHELLE WIE: I think they were very disappointed on 11 today when I made a bogey.
But you know, it's really great. You know, hole in ones are always awesome.

Q. Michelle, what's your status at Stanford University?
MICHELLE WIE: I'm attending. School starts after Arkansas, end of September and I'll be a senior. Or a red shirt senior, so I'll be there for another year.

Q. Michelle, could you give us maybe in a capsule how much work goes in behind the scenes to make it look so easy out there? I know sometimes it might not seem so easy for you, but from a spectator's point of view you do in a lot of ways make it look easy, but we don't see the time you spend on the practice greens and all that stuff.
MICHELLE WIE: Yeah. It's a lot of hours, a lot of grinding, a lot of travel, but you know, it's just what you have to do. Everyone does it, and it's a lot of hard work. Everyone works really hard out here.

Q. I may have missed it, but yesterday you seemed to be grabbing at your back a little more. I didn't see that as much today. Was it bothering you at all today?
MICHELLE WIE: Yeah. It's it's it's what it is.

Q. Michelle, you've had a period without victories since your last one. Does that get frustrating for you and do you think that a win here this weekend would really turn the corner on your career?
MICHELLE WIE: You know, it is frustrating when you don't win, but there's nothing you can do about it. All you can do is look forward, just try and do your best every step of the way; and that's what I'm trying to do, just trying to go out there and try my hardest.

JIYAI SHIN

THE MODERATOR: I'd like to welcome Jiyai Shin. Jiyai, good round today, 7 under for the tournament. Can you tell us about your round and how you feel going into the weekend?
JIYAI SHIN: Thank you for coming in. And yeah, I finished at 5 under par today. I feel it was really good because I didn't just a couple times I missed the fairway. And actually my putts was really good this week. So I have a really good speed on the greens.
And then fortunately we played in the morning, it was a really good thing because the last couple holes was very windy. So last couple played a little bit hard. But I was just happy to finish.

Q. Jiyai, do you like fast greens, and why?
JIYAI SHIN: Well, I really like fast greens because, well, sometimes just before the putt we just putt careful, like more focused for the chalk. So I think that is more help for my playing.
And sometimes we worry about speed, like we hit downhill, doesn't stop, but then we're more focused on the greens.

Q. Are you thinking about that battle for the Rolex Rankings No. 1 spot in the world this week at all, just the way some of the top ones are playing?
JIYAI SHIN: Well, the Rolex Rankings No. 1 is very important, but this time I just want to focus on this event, nothing else. So I am really waiting for win or victory or another win. I just focus on this week's tournament. To get the Rolex Rankings No. 1 spot I have a lot of time. We still have a lot of tournaments. We're still close, very close. So just take time.

Q. Considering you're three strokes back of Michelle and probably playing with her tomorrow again, for somebody who's been in contention and won a lot like yourself, do you kind of have her right where you want her sort of thing? How comfortable are you going into the weekend, even though you're three shots back trailing somebody who hasn't won as much as you?
JIYAI SHIN: Well, this year we've played lots of times this year. We've played almost 10 times like already. So now we are very comfortable. And then she hits so long, but I already knew that. And then I just contemplated my distance. That's all.
And then she speaks good English, and she speak good Korean, too, so we're talking all the time. So it makes it really comfortable.

Q. I'll just follow that up. How is she playing this year or now compared to before?
JIYAI SHIN: Well, I saw her the last three or four years. She came to swing a little bit. Her movement is better right now. She hits quite straight right now. Her putting and short game was really great. She is grinding out right now.

Q. What's been your reaction to the big crowds on the first two days here?
JIYAI SHIN: I really appreciate it, the whole gallery. This is my second time in Canada. And last year it also was a big crowd, and this year also. So I'm really happy with that, because when I hit just normal, not really good. But there's always crowd for me because then they're happy and they're more pushing for me like to gain.

Q. Jiyai, you are one of the world's top three or four players in the rankings, but until an hour ago did you feel like you were flying under the radar here at this tournament?
JIYAI SHIN: Well, I really felt that last year, but just a little people not know my name, they know just my face, but right now they know, "go Shin" and everybody know my name, so I'm really happy and appreciate it, too.

SUZANN PETTERSEN

THE MODERATOR: Suzann, you struggled a little bit today, but finished up with three straight birdies, 6 under par for the week, four behind the current leader. How do you feel?
SUZANN PETTERSEN: Well, I feel great now. It was a great way to finish. I still didn't know how to play this course from the rough. I didn't find the fairways too often today. It's just a wild guess what the ball is going to do when the fairways are firm and the greens are firm, I mean you're guessing on a lot of the shots, but finished strong, hang in there and feel good now.

Q. You didn't start that great last weekend, and this is a better start for you and kind of puts you in position for a nice weekend.
SUZANN PETTERSEN: For sure. I mean I love where I'm at. I like the chase down to the top, but we'll see. Like I said, my game actually feels pretty good. Just a little bit off early this morning, and found the key on the seventh tee box, so never too late.

Q. What's the key?
SUZANN PETTERSEN: Not going to tell you.

Q. You said you like the chase. Would you rather be here than be on top of the leaderboard?
SUZANN PETTERSEN: I'm playing my heart out, and I managed to scramble 6 under par, and like I said, I'm very happy with that, the way that I started today, and all I can do is keep making those putts.

Q. Suzann, you said you guessed or you played well from the rough today. So what's important when you get in the rough, to know where to miss it or tell us what goes through your mind when you're in the rough.
SUZANN PETTERSEN: First of all, after three or four times you figure out what it's going to do. First you have to see what the lie gives you. Sometimes you can't really fly it like much more farther than say 100 in the air. Then you have to figure out where is the best leave. Do I have space to run it up in the front, which you find a lot on these holes. You can usually run it up to the middle of the green.
But I mean I think every single time I've been in the rough it's been like a flier or it's jumping. You get a lot of top spin or it's going to release on you. And it's not really a guess anymore because you pretty much know it. I bet you the time you wouldn't play for a flier you wouldn't get a flier. It's just how the game has developed.

Q. It's been windy ever since Monday. Are you guys getting used to it by now?
SUZANN PETTERSEN: Yeah. This feels like Links golf course by now. It's really firm. The wind was the same as it was yesterday. I think it might be the easiest wind because it's mostly up and down. It's not much across.
But it's a very good challenge out there. I mean your tee shot's have to be spot on. But if the greens are good and you keep rolling good putts, they're going to drop.

Q. Can you give us your thoughts on the crowd, the size of the crowds and their response?
SUZANN PETTERSEN: They've always been fantastic in Canada. They're great, and what I love the most they just appreciate good golf shots. It doesn't matter who it is. They have really, really good golf knowledge and very supportive.

Q. Are you surprised to see this many on the first two days?
SUZANN PETTERSEN: No. It's always like this in Canada.

Q. Is there a better way to make a living than when the sun is shining and there's people out there encouraging you and you're shooting low? I get jealous when I see golfers out there. I know there's a lot of practice off the tee, but on days like today it looks like it's all fun.
SUZANN PETTERSEN: Well, I've never had another job, so I can't really compare it, so it's a damn good job. I can tell you that.

Q. I think we would all agree in here that it is a damn good job. You had a very difficult shot on the 18th hole, downhill lie. How did you learn to fly shots like that so well.
SUZANN PETTERSEN: Well, coming from southern Norway, you never had flat lie back home. A lot of awkward breaks today in the bunkers close to the lip, like on that side it's amazing that I actually spaced right on that downhill. And you know pretty much what it's going to do.
I got a little bit lucky, but I expected it to come up pretty much like that. That's what I'm saying, you never know what you get on this course.

Q. Based on the scoring the first two days, what do you think the winning score is going to be or what will be required?
SUZANN PETTERSEN: I don't know. It seems like Michelle is playing well. I mean you can even though it's windy, you can still score out here. Like I say, you never know what the weather is going to do. Two figures for sure, for sure.

MORGAN PRESSEL

THE MODERATOR: I'd like to welcome Morgan Pressel. Morgan, great round today; 6 under 66. Can you tell us about it?
MORGAN PRESSEL: Yeah. It was a solid day. I got off to a great start, birdied four of the first six holes and five holes on the front nine and lipped out others that were close that were opportunities. So I had a lot of chances, and I just played really well for about 13 holes, and then it kind of slipped away, but I managed to hold it together and finish at 66.

Q. Morgan, what were some highlights to the early birdies?
MORGAN PRESSEL: Well, I hit it close on 11, then made about a 10 footer there, and that's a tough par 3. And then on 12 I made a putt from kind of off the green on the right side down the ridge, and that was probably the highlight of the day. And then I hit the green in two on 13 or just short. 15, hit it to seven feet. And 17 hit it to about three feet. So I was hitting it well. And then on 16 and on 14 I lipped out. So I had a lot of opportunities. I was hitting it really well. I was hitting every fairway and every green for the first 13 holes. So I can take confidence from that and hopefully play like that for 18 holes tomorrow.

Q. Morgan, were you happy with your score yesterday, and what, if anything, did you alter or try to revive as far as your game plan?
MORGAN PRESSEL: Well, I grinded really hard yesterday. I kind of was hitting it like I was on the last few holes yesterday. You know, I battled back from 2 over par back to even twice.
And I mean it just was it was sloppy. And so to finish at even par and miss that short putt on the last hole and think that I shot under par as poorly as I played was pretty crazy. So it was just that much better today. Everything was a little bit more precise.
And out here when the wind blows it's not a tremendously difficult golf course, but the wind can swirl and can really confuse you. But I think that if you play really good position golf and keep it in the fairway and hit the ball right where you're looking, you can certainly score out here.

Q. Michelle is still playing well today. Talk about just the weekend and how people can just move and how confident you feel about just being in contention this weekend.
MORGAN PRESSEL: Well, it's nice to be back in contention, and I played well today to put myself there, and it looks like Michelle is very confident in her game right now, so it looks like I'm going to have to have two more days of golf like I had today and we'll see what happens.