LPGA Tour Championship Presented by Rolex
The Houstonian Golf and Country Club
Richmond, Texas
Nov. 19, 2009

First-round interviews: Lorena Ochoa | Reilley Rankin | Taylor Leon | Jiyai Shin | Michelle Wie

First-round notes

First-round play suspended at 5:25 p.m. CST due to darkness.  First-round play at the LPGA Tour Championship Presented by Rolex was suspended at 5:25 p.m. CST due to darkness.  Players were given the option of finishing the hole they were on.  Ten players will resume the second-round at 7 a.m. CST on Friday.   Third-round tee times will remain the same.

Ochoa takes first-round lead at season-ending Tour Championship.  World number one Lorena Ochoa put herself in position to take a fourth-consecutive Rolex Player of the Year award with a 6-under-par 66 (34-32) today at the LPGA Tour Championship Presented by Rolex.  Fresh off her second-annual Invitational in Guadalajara, Mexico, Ochoa carded eight birdies and two bogies to take a one-shot lead over Reilley Rankin at the 6,650-yard Houstonian Golf and Country Club.  Ochoa trails Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year Jiyai Shin by eight points in the race for Rolex Player of the Year.  If the tournament ended today, Ochoa would earn 30 points and claim the award.  Ochoa, Rankin (67, -5) and Texas native Taylor Leon (68, -4) all went low in the morning before the winds picked up and kept scores lower in the afternoon.

Vare Trophy race heats up.  Lorena Ochoa's 6-under-par 66 on Thursday boosted her chances of winning a fourth straight Vare Trophy for lowest scoring average.  The margin of victory for the 2009 award could be the smallest since 2003 when Grace Park (69.99) edged Lorena Ochoa (70.02) by .03 strokes.  Ochoa entered the week with a .05 stroke lead in the race for the Vare Trophy over Jiyai Shin (70, -2) and Cristie Kerr (72, E).  She and Shin are the only three-time winners on Tour this season. 

Vare Trophy race
Player                         Average entering this week             Round 1
Lorena Ochoa             70.2221                                               66
Jiyai Shin                     70.2724                                               70
Cristie Kerr                  70.2724                                               72
Ai Miyazato                 70.3421                                               73
Yani Tseng                  70.4626                                               69

Solid start for Rankin in round one.  In the opening round of the LPGA Tour Championship Presented by Rolex, sixth-year player Reilley Rankin turned in one of the best rounds of her season.  Rankin (34-33=67) posted a 5-under-par at the Houstonian Golf and Country Club, starting on the back with birdies on 10, 13, 18 and a bogey on 17.  Making the turn at 2-under, Rankin birdied one and two, her 10th and 11th of the day, five, eight and a bogey on nine, her 18th.  The South Carolina native has one top-10 finish in 17 starts this season, including the CVS/pharmacy LPGA Challenge, where she finished tied for ninth. 

Leon turns in best opening round of LPGA career.  Taylor Leon fired a 4-under-par 68 (35-33) on Thursday of the LPGA Tour Championship Presented by Rolex, which is the best round-one score of her two-year career.  The Dallas, Texas, native turned in six birdies and two bogeys at The Houstonian Golf and Country Club, which puts her two strokes back from leader and top-ranked Lorena Ochoa (32-34=66, -6).  Leon has two top-10 finishes in 2009, including the SBS Open at Turtle Bay (T10), and the P&G Beauty NW Arkansas Championship Presented by John Q. Hammons, where she recorded a career-best sixth place. 

WD.  Michelle Wie withdrew after the first round of the LPGA Tour Championship Presented by Rolex.  Natalie Gulbis and Birdie Kim did not start the event. 

First-round interviews: Lorena Ochoa | Reilley Rankin | Taylor Leon | Jiyai Shin | Michelle Wie

Lorena Ochoa, 34-32=66 (-6)
Hole 10, 388-yard par 4: birdie – 9-iron to 10 feet
Hole 12, 480-yard par 5: birdie – 4-iron short, 2-putt
Hole 17, 200-yard par 3: bogey – 7-wood right, chip short, chip to 2 feet
Hole 18, 416-yard par 4: birdie – 5-iron to 7 feet
Hole 2, 500-yard par 5: birdie – 7-iron to 20 feet, 2-putt
Hole 3, 409-yard par 4: birdie – 54 degree wedge to 15 feet
Hole 6, 349-yard par 4: birdie – 8-iron to 8 feet
Hole 7, 400-yard par 4: bogey – wedge to 20 feet, 2-putt
Hole 8, 192-yard par 3: birdie – 4-iron to 3 feet
Hole 9, 419-yard par 4: birdie – 7-iron to 15 feet

MIKE SCANLAN:  Lorena, thanks so much for coming in.  Nice way to start off the week in the wind there with a 66.  If you would, just talk about coming from your own tournament to here and how you were able to refocus and shoot a really nice round today.
LORENA OCHOA:  Uh-huh.  Well, I think, you know, what happened last week was a little bit, you know, tough in many different ways with all the things to do and all the pressure.

I think everything is a little bit easier, if you compare to last week.  I'm just very happy I could start the tournament.  It's very important to get a good start to give myself a good chance.  That's all I was trying to do.

So tomorrow is a new start, and I'm gonna play like I'm a few shots behind and continue being aggressive and to give myself chances to win on Sunday.

Q.  Talk about the playing conditions out there.  The wind seemed to pick up by the end of your round.
LORENA OCHOA:  I think we were lucky maybe getting six, seven holes with not much wind, you know, in the morning.  And then took advantage of the downwind holes and made few birdies there.

So it was like I said, a good day.  It's playing tough.  I think if you don't hit a lot of greens it could be tough, because the grass is not easy around the greens.

Q.  You talked about it a little bit, but could you go into it more specifically?  How different is it playing here without the pressure of hosting the tournament like you had last week?
LORENA OCHOA:  It's not easy this week either.  (Laughter.)  I'm trying to win a tournament.  It's just very different.  I think you always learn from tough situations.  They make a better player.

I learned from last week as much as I could, and this is a new week for me now.  So I'm trying just to concentrate on this week.

You know, every week is different and very unique.  I'm trying to get used to the conditions here, and, you know, put in my 100% for the week.

Q.  But is this week more straight golf, not as many commitments and you're not hosting friends and family?
LORENA OCHOA:  Every week is different.  I had yesterday more than one hour of interviews.  Tomorrow we have a dinner to attend.  It's always -- something is happening.

But besides everything, I'm trying to concentrate and play good golf.

Reilley Rankin, 34-33=67, -5

Q.  Reilley, nice round at 5-under-par.   Can you talk about your day?
REILLEY RANKIN:  Well, it was nothing spectacular.  I just tried to stay patient and not worry about how I hit it.  I just stay patient and play my golf.

Q.  Now the breeze has picked up.  It wasn't windy earlier this morning?
REILLEY RANKIN:  Well, the first two holes were pretty calm, and then it picked up.  I just think that you have to let the wind be your friend.  It played tough with the wind because it is so open.  So, I'm just giving myself chances and not getting too frustrated. 

Q.  Did you get in any major trouble out there?
REILLEY RANKIN:  No, I didn't, which is good.  I got luck on 17.  My ball kicked right, but I don't know how it stayed up.  I'm just playing golf like I know how to play golf.  I switched teachers, and now I am feeling pretty good.  I switched teachers and he taught me a lot.  I mean it's a complete package, and there's really no perfect way to play, as long as you play your own way.  So, he has really helped me get back on track.  The only thing I would change right now is that I wish it was March.  I can't control that.

Q.  How has it been not playing as well as you would have like the last few years?
REILLEY RANKIN:  The last couple of years haven't been what I expected.  If I dwell on that, I know I'm not going to perform, so each tournament and each day is a new opportunity.  I really feel like I'm on the right track.  I just have to keep having fun and keep making this a learning experience.  As long as I can learn something everyday, then that's what my goal is, to do my best. 

Q.  It's been 10 years since the injury.  Do people still bring it up?
REILLEY RANKIN:  Yes, I remember it like it was yesterday.  I guess parts of it doesn't seem like yesterday, but a lot of it does.  It will be with me the rest of my life, and I am fine with that.  I learned a lot.  I don't want to go through it again, but I wouldn't trade the opportunities and the experience I had from it.  It was funny, I got off the airplane and I was coming here and I passed Rankin Road.  I've never seen a Rankin Road.  Well, about two miles later, I passed Chimney Rock Road.  I called my sister.  On my way to the course, I passed this place, The Doghouse, and I went to Georgia.  So, I don't know what was going on. 

Q.  I know it changed you physically and mentally, but when it comes to your golf game, do you look back and wonder what it would have been?
REILLEY RANKIN:  No, I mean a lot of people do, but I just choose to look at it as it happened.  To me that kind of mindset doesn't make sense because that's no how it is.  I'm not going to make the most out of it by wondering if I didn't do it.  I believe it makes me stronger and better, it has taken me longer to have success out here.  I'm just going to stay patient like I had to through that process.  You know, there's no timeslot.  I mean, in ways there is a time clock.  I'm just going to keep believing in what I am doing and move forward.  I mean it could have gone either way.  It's easy now to say what if it wouldn't have happened, but I've never looked at it like that. 

Taylor Leon, 35-33=68 (-4)

Q.  Tough bogey at the last, but otherwise a great day.  Can you just tell us how you played.
TAYLOR LEON:  Yeah, I played pretty consistent.  I hit the ball pretty well and I putted really great, so that's probably where I saved the most shots.

Q.  Does that last hole make you want to go practice a little and get back out there?
TAYLOR LEON:  Yeah, it makes me want to cringe a little bit.  But it played really hard the last few holes, especially with all the wind that's coming in.

So I'm happy with my round either way.

Q.  How much would it mean to have a great finish here?
TAYLOR LEON:  It would be great.  I've started playing better the last few tournaments, and I would love to finish it with bang, especially in Texas.

Q.  Did the wind really pick up just as the day went on?  How did you adjust?
TAYLOR LEON:  Yeah, the front nine was pretty calm, and then once we made the turn, the back nine was pretty windy.

I just tried to keep the ball pretty low.  I grew up in Texas, so I'm kind of used to the wind, which is good, I guess.

Q.  Talk about your year.  You mentioned you really picked up the last three.  I mean, is this your second full year on tour?
TAYLOR LEON:  Yes.

Q.  Has it taken a while to get into the swing of things?
TAYLOR LEON:  Yeah, I had a rough start, but I really have started playing well.  I think I'm getting more comfortable every tournament I play, which I think makes a big difference out here.

But I've I just started to putt a lot better, which has really helped.

Q.  Houston is like four hours away from Dallas...
TAYLOR LEON:  Yes.

Q.  How nice is it to be back in your home state?
TAYLOR LEON:  Oh, it's the best.  I actually lived in Houston for about four years, so I always love being in Texas.  I'm glad we have a tournament here.

Jiyai Shin, 37-33=70 (-2)

Q.  Does the Rolex Player of the Year award factor into your play here this week?
JIYAI SHIN:  Yes of course because I have a chance for Player of the Year. I really want it right now.  I played 2-under today which was not bad in the wind, but Lorena, she played really good, a 66 today. But we still have three more rounds. I will just focus on my game and try my best for three more days.

The first nine holes I played with little wind, but after that there was a lot of strong winds which made it a totally different golf course. It played really tough.

I have already have won the Rookie of the Year award, because I have three wins already.  I am already happy with having the Rookie of the Year and those three wins. Now I have just one more chance to win the Player of the Year.

Michelle Wie, 72 (E) – Pre-WD quotes

MICHELLE WIE:  I held it in there.  But it was a tough day out there today.  There was some tough pins out there and such.  It was windy.

Q.  What happened on 17?
MICHELLE WIE:  I just hit a bad shot.  I just couldn't, you know, go to my left side, and I just kind of lost it a little bit.

But, you know, I kind of went -- I got the second shot up-and-down, so it was okay.

Q.  The ankle, just constant problem or it comes and goes?
MICHELLE WIE:  Yeah, yeah.  I'm still standing right now.  Just have to -- you know, definitely gonna ice it and stuff and assess what I can do tomorrow.

Q.  How's the ankle?
MICHELLE WIE:  You know, I don't know.  It's just -- it is what it is really.  You know, like I said, I'm just gonna go and ice it now and see what I can do tomorrow.

Q.  Did you aggravate it sometime during the round today?
MICHELLE WIE:  No.  I mean, I just -- it's just -- I don't know, it just happened.

Q.  Do you wish you would have been in the morning group?
MICHELLE WIE:  Well, you know, I heard there was no wind.  Like right now there's no wind really.

But I think the wind just likes us.  We always get the tee times with the wind.  It was a hard day out there today, but, you know,  I was proud of myself for just keeping it in play -- minus 17.  We really just fought through everything.

Q.  (Indiscernible.)
MICHELLE WIE:  Oh, yeah, it was great.  Since I saw my tee times, I was like, This is awesome.  Um, you know, it was a fun day out there today, and I can't wait for tomorrow.

Q.  It looked like Christina had a running commentary through the whole round.
MICHELLE WIE:  That's her for you.  You know, that's Christina for you.  But she, um, you know, fought through it and she kept playing.  It's good to see her, you know, keep fighting through it.

Q.  I saw you at the Oregon/Stanford game.  I was wondering, did you run onto the field with all the other students?
MICHELLE WIE:  Yeah, well, actually I was like standing up in front, so people -- like I almost died.  Stampede there.   But I kind of went with the crowd and I went on the field, but it was fun.  It was a great game.

Q.  Was it disappointing that you didn't win the big game on Saturday?
MICHELLE WIE:  Yeah, it's very disappointing.  You know, the only time I went was freshman year.  I'll be there for the Notre Dame game, so...

I'm really excited for that.

Q.  You just seem like you're so much more relaxed since the Solheim Cup, that you're really having fun and enjoying the camaraderie out here.  Is there a correlation?
MICHELLE WIE:  Yeah, just kind of from the beginning of this year, just kind of looked at myself kind of like a new year's resolution kind of thing, where, you know, I promised myself that I'm gonna be, you know, happy more, and relaxed.

This is how I am off the golf course, so I'm ready to put that side down.  Just being more myself really.

Q.  There's some mystery about what happened to the ankle.  Can you clear that up, just where it happened.
MICHELLE WIE:  Well, it's a whole saga, but basically stepped in a couple of holes here and there.

Q.  Do you think you can play tomorrow?
MICHELLE WIE:  You know, as of right now, it's too soon right now.  I just gotta see -- you know, gonna go to the trailer and get some ice on it and such.  But, you know, just gonna really assess it.

Q.  (Indiscernible.)
MICHELLE WIE:  Um, I think honestly, yes.  We'll have to see.

Q.  The forecast says there could be a lot of rain and a lot of delays.  Does that help you make your decision, or hurt you
MICHELLE WIE:  Yeah, we'll just have to see.  You you never know what the weather is gonna do.  We'll just have to see.

Q.  You are the top American player.  Your last tournament was your first LPGA win.  You feel like you have to be in this tournament, right?
MICHELLE WIE:  Yeah, um, I just want to play for myself.  Obviously it is a Tour Championship, which obviously it's a very important tournament.

So, you know, like I said, I just have to assess.  I really want to play, so....

STATEMENT FROM MICHELLE WIE AND IMG

Michelle Wie was forced to withdraw from the LPGA Tour Championship presented by Rolex following the first round today due to an injury to her left ankle. Wie shot an even-par 72 and was tied for 29th when first-round play was suspended this evening.

“This tournament, and the support shown from the fans in Houston, meant a lot to me and I wanted to do everything I could to fight through the injury. It bothered me last week in Mexico, but I was able to play through the pain. I realized today that I wouldn't be able to continue to play through it. I want to make sure that I'm being smart with it, so I will return home to have it looked at by my doctors and follow their advice for treatment.”