U.S. WOMEN'S OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

July 5, 2003

Angela Stanford

ANGELA STANFORD: I know today.

Q. How did you feel about your round today?

ANGELA STANFORD: Really good. There were more birdies out there. I think I was hitting the ball better today, so -- and there were some putts going in. The trouble that I got into, I got out of as fast as possible.

Q. It looked like at about 12 or 13 the full board just started falling off. Those back 6 or so holes really tough today?

ANGELA STANFORD: I think the pins are in positions where if you hit a good shot you could get it back there, you could get it to the pin. But if you don't hit a good shot you're going to have some work left. Because I hit -- I had the perfect shot in mind for No. 16 and I just fanned it off to the right, and then I was in trouble, because I was in the bunker, so I think maybe that's happening out there.

Q. Are you still having fun?

ANGELA STANFORD: Yeah, I'm having a lot of fun.

Q. Talk about your week. You go from a win to in contention at the U.S. Open?

ANGELA STANFORD: I've been floating. I've tried to get a lot of sleep. But that's the great thing about this game, if you can get rolling and hit the ball well and playing well, you just ride it. And it can be a lot of fun. When things aren't going well, it's not much fun, it's the other end of the spectrum.

Q. How does it feel to have a gallery behind you?

ANGELA STANFORD: It's nice because I realized -- I was walking up 18 and they were clapping, and I kind of looked over my shoulder and Juli was right there, and I looked at Jeremy, my caddy, and said, "I don't think they're clapping for me, they're clapping for her". Especially with Juli, I know they love her. And it's just funny, because I don't know if they're clapping for me or her. I just assume they're clapping for her, because I would.

Q. Last group, final round at the U.S. Open, is that something you go, "Wow, I'm in the last group" or, "Oh, my God, I'm in the last group."?

ANGELA STANFORD: I think right now it's, "Wow, I'm in the last group". You know, the thing is this course can bite you and you can go backwards real fast. So it doesn't really matter where you are, what group you're in, you've still got to play. And it's easy for me to say that right now standing here. Ask me again on the first tee tomorrow.

Q. Does your playing change at all, the fact that you're in the last group?

ANGELA STANFORD: No, because I think if I could have 18 pars tomorrow I would take it and run. I'm going to try to make pars, I'm not going to be afraid of bogey, but I'm going to be happy with par, and really stay aggressive. I'm still trying to make birdies, but I'm going to try to do it smartly or just -- try to be as smart as possible.

Q. How much do you pay attention to the leaderboard? I caught you kind of glancing over a few times today?

ANGELA STANFORD: You know, I think -- I don't know, I haven't done this enough to know if I'm a leaderboard watcher or not, but I think it's good to watch it, because you need to know what you need to do. Like last week I think I had a three-shot lead or four-shot lead, but more than one going up 18. I just hit a solid drive, just make a par. All you need is a par. So I think it's good to watch just to know what you have to do.

Q. So you use it as strategy?

ANGELA STANFORD: Right. Obviously if you need a birdie to tie or tomorrow if I need a birdie to tie, we're going to be doing everything we can to make birdie.

Q. Is being so freshly off a win, do you think it puts you in a better position to have nothing but good thoughts tomorrow, instead of thinking about things that can happen?

ANGELA STANFORD: I think so. I think I learned quite a bit last week. I think this would be extremely different if I didn't win last week. But getting to play the way I did last week, and getting to be in the last group, a golf tournament is a golf tournament, but it is the U.S. Open, and I've dreamed about it since I was this tall, of playing in the final group and having a chance to win the U.S. Open. That's a big deal. To say I'm not going to be thinking about it, I would be lying. But I'm going to feel more comfortable doing -- since I did win last week.

Q. With that in mind, can you imagine what it's like to be in Hilary's shoes, because she hasn't been there?

ANGELA STANFORD: Yeah, I think she's going to be nervous, I'm going to be nervous, but Hilary is, I think, -- that's the thing, we've played college golf, she's played college golf at the highest level, we both have. We both went and played the Curtis Cup together. I think just because you haven't seen our names consistently on the leaderboard, that doesn't mean that we haven't handled certain pressures. Again, this is a very different pressure, but I think Hilary mentally is very strong, so I think she's going to handle it the best she can.

Q. Do you know her very well?

ANGELA STANFORD: I mean I know her, I wouldn't say well, I guess. But I would consider her a friend.

Q. What are you going to do to relax?

ANGELA STANFORD: Last night I had fireworks to take my mind off of things. You know, we're probably going to watch a movie or something or just eat and just go to sleep. I won't have any problem sleeping. A lot of people think you lay there and think about it, but I'm so tired, I hit the pillow and I'm gone.

Q. What did you do last week?

ANGELA STANFORD: Last week I went to the casinos. Any casinos around?

Q. There are.

ANGELA STANFORD: There are?

Q. You even have some money to blow now.

ANGELA STANFORD: I do. I forgot, I do.

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