'I'm just as good as Michelle Wie,' says Taiwanese teen star Ruby Tseng. The 15-year-old Tseng, who has been playing in the Faldo Series International Trophy at Hong Kong Golf Club, beat the Korean-American star from Hawaii one up in the final of the US Public Links Amateur Championships last June.
Asked how she compared with Wie, Tseng said: 'I am just as good as her. There is no real difference in ability. We are on the same level of play. I just depends on how you go on the day.'
Tseng, who beat Wie in the 36-hole final of the tournament, added: 'I was very happy to beat her. The win gave me an exemption to play in the qualifying rounds for the US Open this year.'
Did she hit the ball as far as the 15-year-old Wie, whose 250-yard-plus drives have thrilled the galleries on both the LPGA and US PGA tours? 'There is nothing in it,' said Tseng, a scratch handicap player. 'I hit the ball just as far as Michelle.'
Tseng underlined her considerable talent as one of the Series category winners, who played a round at Fanling with Nick Faldo yesterday. Although initially a touch nervous about playing along with a golfing great, Tseng drew gasps from spectators when she split the fairway with a number of big drives.
The youngster, who plays at Sunrise Country Club near Taipei and turns 16 next week, said she planned to join the paid ranks at 18.