March 16, 2009
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - In between tournaments, sophomore Miki Ueoka sat down with SantaClaraBroncos.com to talk about golf, her plans for the future, and what she does off the green. Ueoka is coming off her second individual title of the season at the Fresno State Invitational and was named the West Coast Conference's Women's Golf Player of the Month for February. The Lihue, Hawaii native has four top-ten finishes this season.
SantaClaraBroncos.com: How long have you been playing golf for?
Miki Ueoka: I've been playing golf since I was seven years old. That's kind of the point where I actually started trying to play, instead of just going to range and hitting balls every now and then.
SCB: Who introduced you to the wonderful game of golf?
MU: Both of my parents and my brother were playing golf, so it was just kind of something to do with all of them.
SCB: Why did you decide to come to Santa Clara and play golf?
MU: I decided to come to Santa Clara because I felt like the athletic department was going to take care of me. I think they're very attentive to anything that I might need help in. Santa Clara also has a really good academic reputation, which is also really important to me.
SCB: Do you have to play a certain brand or number of golf ball?
MU: I play a Titleist Pro V1x. I usually like playing with 1's or 2's during competitive rounds. I'll almost never play with a 3 or 4, and I'm not really sure why.
SCB: Who is your favorite golfer and why?
MU: My dad because he got me started in golf; but obviously Tiger Woods and probably the Hawaii pros on tour, like Dean Wilson and Parker McLachlan.
SCB: Do you have a favorite club in your bag?
MU: I would have to say my putter. It's a Titleist Scotty Cameron. It has a custom plate on the bottom, my name is printed on the heel, and it has a custom grip.
SCB: Do you have a favorite memory or moment playing golf?
MU: Winning my last tournament, the Fresno State Lexus Golf Classic. On the last hole I was on the green and I had a long putt for birdie. I hit it about seven feet past the cup. Since I wasn't playing with the leaders group, I really wasn't too sure where I stood in relation to the other tournament leaders, so I knew that this was a really important putt. I made it, and I won by three shots. I got to play with Tiger Woods one time, so that was pretty cool too.
SCB: What is your favorite golf course? Why do you like it?
MU: I definitely like this course called Wailua in Kauai. It's always in nice shape and it has a really good layout for a municipal course.
SCB: What do you like to do when you're not playing golf?
MU: I like to go shopping and hang out with friends. When I'm back home I really like to go to the beach.
SCB: What are you majoring in?
MU: I'm in the process of declaring a bio-chemistry major, and a possible biology minor. I've always wanted to be a doctor and bio-chemistry just seems like the right path for me.
SCB: What do you want to do after you graduate from Santa Clara?
MU: Hopefully go to medical school, or maybe play competitively. We'll see what happens in the next two and half years that I'm here at Santa Clara.
SCB: What is your favorite TV show?
MU: Grey's Anatomy. But, Top Chef, SportsCenter and MXC are also pretty good.
SCB: What is your favorite movie?
MU: I'm obsessed with `Forgetting Sarah Marshall.' Tammy Surtees and I are roommates and we have probably seen that movie like 50 times over the past four weeks. It's such a funny movie.
SCB: If you were stranded on an island and could have three things, what would they be?
MU: I would bring food, my iPhone and probably some company. I don't want to be there by myself.
SCB: One last question. If you were a cartoon character, which one would you like to be?
MU: It would definitely be Mickey Mouse. Getting to spend your whole life in Disneyland would be amazing.
