FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, August 3rd, 2017

NOTABLE QUOTES – RICOH WOMEN’S BRITISH OPEN – MICHELLE WIE SHOOTS COURSE-RECORD 64 TO LEAD (6-8 AM ET COVERAGE)

Golf Channel Notable Quotes
RICOH Women’s British Open
First Round (6-8 a.m. ET – First two hours of coverage)
Thursday, Aug. 3, 2017
Kingsbarns Golf Links
St. Andrews, Scotland

**The below quotes are from today’s opening round coverage, from 6-8 a.m. ET**
**Live Coverage of the first round of the RICOH Women’s British Open continues on Golf Channel today until 1 p.m. ET**

VIDEO: Michelle Wie Speaks to Golf Channel’s Cara Robinson after her course-record opening round 64

On Michelle Wie, current leader at 8-under par (women’s course-record 64 on Thursday)
Tom Abbott – “Incredible performance from Michelle Wie, equaling her career-low round.”
Karen Stupples – “How impressive is she around this golf course. She hits very low shots and is able to keep the ball below the wind. She has a creativity to her that we don’t have a chance to see very much in America, and we are seeing this out of her this week.”
Jerry Foltz – “This course definitely brings out her creativity and gets her away from the day-to-day mechanics that she is so well-known for.”
Abbott – “She really lost her way last year, and has really turned it around this year.”
Stupples – “Her statistics right now are very similar to where they were back in ‘14. That is why we are seeing this good vain of form.”
Foltz – “She is not catching the sides of the hole today. The balls are going down the middle of the cup with perfect speed.”
Stupples – “Right now, everything is exactly where she needs it to be, her timing is really good and she is playing awesome.”

Michelle Wie speaking with Golf Channel’s Cara Robinson following her round
Michelle Wie – “It was amazing. The views here are spectacular. Especially when the weather is good like this. It almost feels like I am playing back home in Hawaii with the views. It was gorgeous out there and a lot of fun today.”
Wie – “I skulled a lob wedge on the second hole which was nice. Straight over the green to start off with a bogey. Kind of got me a little pissed for a little bit. But it was fun out there. I had a great group out there. I love playing with Brooke and Lydia. We had a great conversation. My caddie and I always have fun out there, so we had fun and it was great.”
Wie – “I was really happy I came over to Scotland a week early. I thought that by playing the Scottish Open, I learned a lot of great shots. Especially coming back from an injury, it was nice to come play for a week. I’m grateful to be out here playing and always excited to play a place like Kingsbarns and the British Open. It always is a great experience.”

On Mel Reid, 5-under par after Thursday’s opening round
Karen Stupples – “She is just finally finding her feet again after the tragedy with her mother. Nice to see her back and enjoying her golf again. She thanks her coach Kevin Craggs for that.”

Mel Reid speaking with Golf Channel’s Cara Robinson following her round
Mel Reid – “That is probably the best conditions you are going to get. The wind hasn’t really picked up yet. You aren’t going to get Kingsbarns much tamer than that, so it was important to take advantage of that this morning.”
Reid – “I feel like I have been striking it really well and have been rolling my putts well. Looking at my season, it doesn’t feel like it but I’m very, very close to doing something and I’m just very comfortable out there.”
Reid – “It was nice to post a score early, and you never know, hopefully this is my week to do something special. That would be nice.”

On Anna Nordqvist, 4-under par 68 in her opening round
Stupples – “Her irons have been spectacular this year. It is really impressive to see that she has been so sick the past few weeks that she is coming back with this kind of form.”

Anna Nordqvist speaking with Golf Channel’s Cara Robinson following her round
Anna Nordqvist – “I’m a little exhausted right now. Today was a pretty good day. I had a rough day yesterday so I didn’t do much practice. Didn’t play. But I was amazed at how well I was hitting the ball today. Gave myself a lot of opportunities. Seemed like a pretty easy 4-under today actually.”
Nordqvist – “We were lucky this morning that we didn’t get any rain. This is probably the easiest it is going to play this week. I’ll just try to take advantage of it. But I feel like I’m striking the ball well. Just couldn’t quite get the reads on the greens today but 4-under, not feeling great, I’m excited.”
Nordqvist – “I obviously want to play my way on the [European Solheim Cup] team. That has been my main goal. It definitely was a hard phone call to make to Annika to tell her that I was sick and had to pull out of the Scottish Open at the last minute. This was my first late withdrawal in nine years on Tour so it wasn’t something I was planning on, but I’ve been playing good this year and I’ll leave with that.”

Ally McDonald (4-under par 68 on Thursday) speaking with Golf Channel’s Cara Robinson following her round
Ally McDonald – “It was good. I made a stupid 3-putt on 16. I missed a really short putt. Kind of rushed myself I think but it was great to get a good finish and birdie 18.”
McDonald – “Even though the 4 a.m. alarm was very early, the conditions were perfect out there today. We didn’t see any wind until 11 or 12. So it was a really beautiful day, good start to the morning and was able to get a good, solid round in.”

-NBC Sports Group-