Michelle Wie stole the show from women’s world No.1 Tseng Ya-ni yesterday

Michelle Wie stole the show from women’s world No.1 Tseng Ya-ni yesterday at the HSBC Women’s Champions pre-event conference at the Botanic Gardens.

Often flashing her megawatt smile, the 22-year-old American with the model-like features fielded questions.

For example, she refused to attribute her so-so form last year to her need to juggle golfing with studies at Stanford University.

“I’ve had to play golf while I was completing my junior school, high school and, now, university,” she said. “So, it’s really not an excuse for me not to win last year.”

She also laughed off a question about her recent switch to a gluten-free diet, denying suggestions that she did so to emulate tennis world No.1 Novak Djokovic, who takes the same diet.

“I’m allergic to a lot of things and suffer indigestion frequently,” she said. “The diet helps me deal with those problems.

“But if it helps me become as fit as Novak, I wouldn’t mind!”

In contrast, Tseng, world No.3 Suzann Pettersen and defending champion Karrie Webb did not have to deal with such personal questions at the press conference.

Tseng – whose sheer dominance in the Tour led many to dub her as the “female Tiger Woods” – will enter this weekend’s tournament at Tanah Merah Country Club in red-hot form after winning last weekend’s LPGA Thailand tournament.

“Sure, there’s a lot of pressure from being No.1 and winning so many tournaments,” said the Taiwanese.

The 23-year-old came here to take part in amateur tournaments when she was just a budding teenage golfer almost a decade ago, which is why she has a soft spot for Singapore.

via asiaone.com