Wie Has Company atop U.S. Women's Open


Though she wasn't at her best in Saturday's third round, Michelle Wie was able to hang in and maintain her position as the leader at the U.S. Women's Open. The championship follows the men's U.S. Open at Pinehurst Resort's No. 2 Course in North Carolina's Sandhills. For the first time ever, the two majors are being played on the same course in back-to-back weeks.

After opening with two straight 2-under 68s to take a three-stroke lead into Saturday, the 24-year-old Wie posted a 2-over 72. Through 54 holes the Hawaii native is tied for the top spot at 2-under 208 with South Korean Amy Yang, who shot one of the day's few under-par rounds, a 2-under 68.

Wie got off to a rocky start, carding a bogey on the par-4 opener. But the three-time LPGA Tour winner settled down with two birdies to make the turn in 1-under 34. However, some loose drives on the back side led to two bogeys, a double on the par-4 11th and just one birdie for a 38 on the home half.

Wie missed a 10-foot birdie putt on the par-4 18th that would have given her the solo lead heading into Sunday, but she just missed. "It was good," Wie said during a TV interview about her round. "I just didn't drive it well on a few holes. I just kind of grinded out there."

After needing a mere 55 putts the first two days, Wie's work on the greens wasn't nearly as adept on the third as she had 34 putts. Still, Wie is pleased with her position heading into the last round, in which she'll be paired with Yang in the final group.

"I'm just so happy to be in contention. It's a lot of fun." Wie also noted there's some national pride at stake. "I'm just so grateful that I have a chance to win . . . I also feel like as an American I just feel very proud that I'm in contention. And I will play with pride tomorrow." (See below for Wie's full post-round interview.)

Yang opened with rounds of 71 and 69. On Saturday, the 24-year-old - whose only win came last October in her home country's LPGA KEB-Hanabank Championship - recorded six birdies and four bogeys. She and Wie are the only players under par through three rounds.

"I hit the ball really well and putted really well," Yang said during a TV interview. "Think I'm going to do pretty good," she predicted of the final round.

Yang later told reporters she's enjoying the challenge presented by the USGA at the classic Donald Ross-designed No. 2 course. "I really like it. It's tough around the greens, but I like tough conditions golfing. I think it's really a good course."

Four strokes behind the co-leaders are the amazing Juli Inkster - who shot the championship's low round, a 4-under 66, Northern Ireland's Stephanie Meadow (69), South Korean Na Yeon Choi (71) and Australian amateur Minjee Lee (72).

Playing in her 35th - and final - U.S. Women's Open, the 53-year-old Inkster was simply brilliant Saturday. Inkster, who turns 54 next Tuesday, posted five birdies and a bogey to rise up the leaderboard.

"I played really good," said Inkster, who has two U.S. Women's Open victories among her seven career majors. "I hit every green. I mean, really the only green I missed was four. And, you know, I was this far off, I putted it. I hit my irons really good. I had a lot of chances for birdies, especially on that front side.

"I was close. I managed my game on the back. A little trickier pins on the back. So really, the only bad shot I hit all day was my second shot on 16, I kind of drop-kicked it, but it ran up there. I played very smart and I played good."

The World Golf Hall of Fame member is looking forward to Sunday. "I'm going to be right in the mix," said the mother of two. "Let's just say I'm in a lot better shape today than I was yesterday. I knew I had to come out here, if I wanted to do anything, and have a good round and I was able to put it together today. So who knows tomorrow? I'm just going to enjoy it. It's a great golf course, so enjoy the walk."

Tied for seventh at 3-over 212 are Thailand's Pornanong Phatlum, who posted one of only eight under-par rounds Saturday, a 69, South Korean So Yeon Ryu (70), Australia's Karrie Webb (70), Japan's Sakura Yokomine (71) and American Lexi Thompson.

Playing in Saturday's last group with Wie, the 19-year-old Thompson carded a 74 that included four birdies, four bogeys and two straight doubles on the eighth and ninth holes, a par-4 and par-3, respectively. Thompson won the LPGA's first major, the Kraft Nabisco Championship, in April

Sharing 12th at 4-over 214 and still within eyeshot of Wie and Yang are South Korean Chella Choi (69) and Americans Paula Creamer (72) and Stacy Lewis (74).

Creamer won the 2010 U.S. Women's Open at Oakmont, and the No. 1-ranked Lewis has two major titles. Lewis, a two-time winner this year, said her work on the greens at Pinehurst No. 2 needs to get better for her to have any chance of overcoming the leaders. "I didn't play well," the 29-year-old said. "Didn't make many putts.

"Had a bunch of three-putts, and it wasn't a good day . . . I've got to make more putts, that's the thing. I'm hitting the ball good enough, I just need to make some more putts."

Defending Open champion Inbee Park has posted rounds of 76, 71 and 73 and is well back at 10-over 220.

For updated scores, visit http://www.usopen.com/women/en_US/scoring/index.html.

After signing for her 72, Wie met with reporters and talked about her day.

Q. What was the biggest difference today versus yesterday?

MICHELLE WIE: The front nine was great. I just didn't drive it well in a couple of holes on the back nine. It's hot out there, I think I need to maybe warn up a little less tomorrow, because I felt like I was really tired. But I made the turn and felt really tired out there. Felt hot for a while out there, I thought just because I was not hitting the fairways and whatnot. It felt great out there today.

It's definitely a grind, it's not an easy golf course. Still 2-over today, I still can't complain. Obviously there were a couple of shots I wanted back, and I felt I could do better, but at the same time I really grinded out there and I tried my best. I'm happy with that.

Q. One of the shots that you'd like back be on the 11th hole?

MICHELLE WIE: Yeah, probably. But all the shots really on the back nine.

Q. Just obviously you let a couple get by you, but you're still going out in the last group tomorrow. A lot of positives you feel going in?

MICHELLE WIE: Yeah, for sure, a lot of positives. I hit a lot of great shots today. I made a lot of good putts today, too. I hit every putt perfectly, with perfect speed, just misread a couple on the back nine. But I'm happy. And I'm happy that I have a chance. I'm happy that I'm in contention. I'm just really grateful for another opportunity to get a major championship.

Q. Now that Sunday is here, what's your attitude overnight and tomorrow morning and how do you approach that?

MICHELLE WIE: I'm going to try to sleep as much as I can. But, yeah, I'm just going to go out there. Just going to try as hard as I can. I think that I'm really grateful that I have another opportunity at this. I also feel like as an American I just feel very proud that I'm in contention. And I will play with pride tomorrow. And I'm going to have fun. It will be fun with Amy tomorrow. I played with her the first two days. I'm going to try my hardest. And who knows what will happen? But at the end of the day I'm going to go out there and try my hardest and see what I can do.

Q. It's not often that you fly under the radar, but with (11-year-old) Lucy (Li) getting so much attention the first two days, it almost seemed like you did the a little bit. Did you feel that and could you use that to your advantage?

MICHELLE WIE: I mean, you know, she's great. I saw her out there today watching most of 18 holes. And she's just so cute. And I watched a couple of holes yesterday on TV watching her play. She's really talented. She's got a really bright future ahead of her. I'm really excited for her that she gets the experience. I ran into her in the locker room and talked to her little bit. And I hope she comes out tomorrow and watch. It's great to see her out there.

Q. You talked about this being America's championship, it's been four years since an American won. How do you balance with not getting too emotional?

MICHELLE WIE: Like I said before, I'm very proud that as an American I have a chance tomorrow and I'm definitely going to play with pride. But at the same time I can't look forward. I'm going to focus on every single shot. Play like I did on the front nine, and duplicate it on the back nine tomorrow. I'm going to have fun tomorrow and see what happens.

Q. Amy Yang, talk a little bit about her game and what she's so good at.

MICHELLE WIE: Yeah, Amy and I, we're pretty good friends and we play with her a lot. And she's just so consistent. She barely misses a green, barely misses a fairway, is a great putter. She's overall a really sound golfer. I think she took some time off a little bit this year. I think she's fresh. I think she really wants it.

So I think tomorrow is going to be a great battle. I'm just going to go out and just try and play any own game and not focus so much on other players.

The transcript for the above interview is courtesy of ASAP Sports.