U.S. WOMEN'S OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

June 20, 2014

Paula Creamer

Q. How do you feel about what you've been able to do out there today?
PAULA CREAMER: I definitely did not have my "A" game today. That's for sure. I couldn't figure out my irons out there. I struggled a little bit with that and just getting a good swing thought. I missed a lot of greens, which I normally don't do. But I scrambled really well. When I missed it, I missed it in the right parts. You can't be too upset about that. Obviously I'm a little heated about missing that par save on the last hole, but that's only going to motivate me more. I'm not taking it as a negative, I'm definitely taking it as a positive going into the weekend. Hopefully I'm not too far back going in on Saturday, but there's just so much golf left.

Q. You don't have your "A" game but didn't shoot yourself out of the tournament.
PAULA CREAMER: That's what I think to me is I give Colin and myself a big pat on our backs because we grinded. And even in the morning this golf course plays hard. I don't care what they say if it's softer greens or not, still, there's just so many numbers going on. After you finish, your brain is like, okay, let's go rest, that kind of thing. But that's a U.S. Open golf course and that's what I want and I feel like that's going to be a big positive in strength for me going into the weekend.

Q. How did the course play today compared to yesterday?
PAULA CREAMER: Yesterday it was fiery. It was kind of crazy near the end. We were landing balls way short of greens and things. It was five, six o'clock at night, so it never had water the whole day. But there's some good pins. I feel like everybody knows where the pins are, because of last week. You know where to still hit it and miss it, because they're only within a couple yards of the guys. But it is playing difficult. There's some birdies out there for sure, it's just, it's so hard when you have 8- and 9-irons in your hand and you're normally firing at flags and you're aiming 10 yards right of a pin just mentally that is tough to do. You feel like you got a scoring club in your hand and you're still not going for a pin.

Q. It seems like that all U.S. Opens are sort of a measure between aggressive and conservative, is this even more that way because of this course?
PAULA CREAMER: Yeah, I don't think that we have -- I'm a pretty aggressive player and I think that's the hard part for me is, like I said, when I am such a strong iron player that when we do have 8- and 9-irons in your hand and you're going right, I don't think we ever really had to do it too much. Oakmont you did. I think you had to kind of when we get in those Pennsylvania-type golf courses, with those small greens, you got to be so precise. But this, there's just so many runoffs and they're so firm around the edges that you have to be so precise, no matter what. Truly, where you miss the ball is everything.

Q. How did you play the third hole today, set up so short?
PAULA CREAMER: I hit 3-wood, but I pulled it a little bit and I hit it left of the bunker. So I had a pitch. I 2-putted. I made par. I just tried to kind of cut it around and hit it in the front bunker and it stayed pretty straight and I missed the bunker.

Q. Some holes the crowds were pretty big. Is this typical of a Women's Open on a Thursday or Friday?
PAULA CREAMER: Yes and no. I feel like we have had more, but I feel like the fans though, they're just so awesome, they make you feel like there's just so many of them out there. It is just so hot and I totally understand people kind of staying in the shady areas and it's a tough walk for the spectators. It's a tough walk for us inside the ropes, let alone outside the ropes in the sand and all those pine needles and things. But I have a good feeling that this weekend's going to be pretty rowdy. And I love playing in front of people and everybody here's just been so gracious and so nice and everybody needs to stay hydrated, that's for sure.

Q. I know golfers, it's a given, you have to get used to all conditions, but is it harder to concentrate when the heat is the way that it is? Does that make it more difficult?
PAULA CREAMER: Oh, yeah, for sure. Because last thing you do is you need to eat stuff and drink and everybody talks about water but it's also how much fuel you put in your body as well. And it's just constantly reminding yourself even when you're not hungry to keep eating. It's not for today, it's actually for Sunday. Just your preparation and that. And when you're standing out in those fairways and that brown, you're like standing in fire. It is hot. But it's right now -- on Saturday it will be the same for everybody, the morning, afternoon waves will be on equal playing fields. And this golf course still is in great shape, even though it is hot out here, I think the USGA's done a really good job of maintaining it. It's definitely not unplayable by any means. It's just a tough course.

Q. What have you seen in Michelle's game that's got her to the point where she can contend in both of the Majors this year?
PAULA CREAMER: I haven't played a whole lot with her this year. Actually I think I played with her at Kia, really the only time this year. She's just hitting a lot of fairways, hitting it straight, she's got control of her ball and she's making putts. If you do that, you're going to be doing pretty well at any golf course. That's what she's been doing these last couple of months.

Q. I wanted to ask you what you thought of No. 3 playing that short and how did you play it?
PAULA CREAMER: Didn't I answer that?

Q. I'm sorry?
PAULA CREAMER: No, I think it's an a great hole, 3. Short or long. Personally, I think it's -- you have to be able to place the ball -- I hit 3-wood, I tried to hit it in the left bunker or that front right bunker. Ideally that front right bunker for that pin, for sure. If it's a back left pin or something like it was yesterday, there's no way I would lay up anyways. But I hit it a little bit too far left. I missed the left bunker and I had a pitch that was kind of like 45 yards. Couldn't really do anything with it. So I kind of pitched it up there and 2-putted.

Q. Halfway in, do you feel like the USGA is accomplishing what they wanted for the women's game, especially?
PAULA CREAMER: Yeah, it's hard because Martin just played so awesome, 10-under, I mean, 8-under, 65, 65, Thursday, Friday. That's just golfing your ball around for sure. That's awesome. I feel like that they have definitely accomplished what that we can play, it's just so different than how they play it and how we play it. It's just, our shorts into greens, our ball flight, things like that, you can't compare it. I don't know if they're going for comparison or whatnot, but it shows that we can play the same courses, it's just how they're set up.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports