FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Saturday, April 1st, 2017

NOTABLE QUOTES: ANA INSPIRATION, SAT. 2ND ROUND CONCLUSION – THOMPSON LEADS WIE BY 1

Golf Channel Notable Quotes
ANA Inspiration
Saturday, April 1, 2017 (Conclusion of 2nd round: 10:30 a.m.-1 p.m. ET)
Mission Hills Country Club
Rancho Mirage, Calif. 

**Golf Channel will air live coverage of the third round tonight from 5-9 p.m. ET. Lexi Thompson currently leads after the conclusion of the second round this morning at 8-under par. Michelle Wie, Suzann Pettersen, So Yeon Ryu and Sung Hyun Park are one shot back at 7-under par.**

On the leaderboard following Saturday’s conclusion of the second round
Karen Stupples – “It is shaping up to be a fantastic weekend of golf. There are long hitters at the top of the leaderboard. It is ridiculous how good this leaderboard is.” 

On Lexi Thompson, leader after the second round at 8-under par
Stupples – “She put herself into a position that she likes. She wants to be in that spot and she knows how to get the job done here.”
Jerry Foltz – “I caught part of a conversation between Lexi and her caddie walking off the fourth green. What I gathered was Lexi was saying, ‘We are making this too tough. We are reading too much into these putts. Better off to keep it simple and go with it.’ We have thought to ourselves the same things watching Lexi and sometimes Michelle putt. Go with your instincts. We could all learn from watching Lucy Li putt.”
Foltz– “There is definitely some confidence building in her putting stroke.”
Stupples – “She is looking good. The changes that she’s made, she has really committed to getting more over the ball. Good to see.”

On Michelle Wie, T2 after the second round at 7-under par
Kay Cockerill – “She is playing shots around the green with a lot of confidence.”
Stupples – “It is a very different feel when we were watching Michelle Wie at 14-years of age compared to Lucy. Michelle, she was way above her years in terms of her ability. Lucy, she looks like she is just young girl, having a great time on the golf course, very unaffected by playing on this big stage.”
Cockerill – “She has been consistent with her putting stroke and it certainly is working.”
Tom Abbott – “She is a Stanford grad, and is kind of like a mad professor with her golf. She always is trying things. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. Right now, it is working.”
Abbott – “Really impressed with her short game over the last few weeks.” 

Michelle Wie speaking with Golf Channel’s Kay Cockerill following her second round
Michelle Wie – “I feel comfortable. I’m having a lot of fun out there. It was a lot of fun to see Lucy play and play well. Really impressed with how she carries herself out there and hit some great shots. Good short game, great putting. She is going to be a really good player.”
Wie – “I’m having a lot of fun. I’m really excited to play 18 more holes today and make some more birdies. Just happy where I positioned myself so far, so hopefully the next two rounds I can get it going.”

On 14-year old Lucy Li, 1-over par after the second round and making the cut (T51)
Stupples – “She is playing consistent all the way around.”
Mike Tirico – “This is so enjoyable to watch. As you get deeper in the round, there is no sign of pressure or anything changing. She is staying consistent with her swing and her performance as well.”
Tirico – “This young lady is inspiring a lot of kids this week.” 

On So Yeon Ryu, T2 at 7-under par after her second round
Abbott – “An incredibly consistent round for So Yeon Ryu today.” 

On Sung Hyun Park, T2 at 7-under par after her second round
Stupples – “She does feel nervous on the inside even though she is cool, calm and collected on the outside. She does enjoy those nerves. She likes feeling that way. She feels like she plays better when she is in that state. She enjoys it.”
Stupples – “Talk about a player who knows how to win. She won seven times on the KLPGA last year.” 

-NBC Sports Group-