SHOPRITE LPGA CLASSIC PRESENTED BY ACER

June 7, 2023

Paula Creamer

Seaview, A Dolce Hotel

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: All right, I am here with Paula Creamer at the ShopRite LPGA Classic presented by Acer.

Welcome. Happy to have you here. Just get started into things. Back in Galloway, New Jersey. How special is it to be back here?

PAULA CREAMER: I have played this event so many times, and I love coming back. I love the atmosphere. I like the golf course.

You know, they've supported the LPGA, ShopRite has, for so many years, and it's great to come back and play. Now obviously a little different having a little one, so it's like kind of a rookie year for me so far.

But it is great to come back to a golf course that I know very well and feel very comfortable on.

THE MODERATOR: Six Top 10 finishes here over all the times you played here. What do you love about this golf course?

PAULA CREAMER: I think you have to be -- you have to use all the clubs in the bag, which is nice. Sometimes you play golf courses where you feel like you only hit the same club over and over again.

Here you have to really be good with the wind. You have to be good with your irons. You have to hit -- they're very small greens. There are lots of run-offs everywhere.

So putting the ball in the right place on the greens and giving yourself opportunities for birdie, and that's always been a strength of mine, is my iron game, so I feel like that has helped me play well here.

I think, like I said, I feel comfortable. I played it so many times in all different conditions, so there is kind of not many surprises to me when I do come out here.

THE MODERATOR: You mentioned about being a mom. What has it been like this past year as a learning curve having the little one with you?

PAULA CREAMER: It's hard. I would definitely -- I think that's the best word to describe it. I wouldn't want it any other way. I can't imagine her not being out here with me.

Like I said, I do feel a bit like a rookie trying to figure everything out, whether it's bringing her diapers to daycare or having enough milk for her, all those things that have never entered my mind before when I go to a golf course.

Our daycare and what Smuckers has done for the Tour moms is just truly -- it's amazing. It helps so many. I would say just the peace of mind knowing that she's with her friends and she's having a great time and these incredible women are looking out for our little ones.

It allows me to go and do my job.

Q. Everybody in women's golf is talking about what Rose did this past weekend. If you go back about I guess 19, 20 years here, you were a putt way from almost pulling off the same exact thing. When you watched this past weekend, did that -- any flashbacks, memories? Could you identify with her at all?

PAULA CREAMER: Oh, definitely. I remember being kind of just in that same situation that she was when I went with Kerr on the last hole here. It's great to see. Rose, I don't know her very well, but she carries herself with a presence and seems like just has a good head on her shoulders and it was great to see.

She handled herself well. To come out with that kind of pressure, too, and also in the mindset of, hey, it is what it is and just being able to pull it off was very fun.

Yes, I do remember being in the similar situation of that. It's fun. It's exciting. That's why you compete, for those moments.

Q. You and the world has had a lot going on the past couple years. Haven't really played a full schedule I think since 2019.

PAULA CREAMER: Uh-huh.

Q. How tough is it to come out here and compete at a high level when you're not out here on a regular basis?

PAULA CREAMER: To be honest, the play out here is strong. The girls are great. They're really good players, and you can't get away with the mistakes. You know, short game, they're really good. Making clutch putts here and there. I haven't had a full schedule yet, and for me, I've always been a player that likes to play a lot and has a scorecard in her hand constantly.

I'm still kind of getting back to that. It hasn't been a consistent year for me to be able to go through the ups and downs. Right now I'm just trying to figure out my place and figure out what makes me comfortable out on the golf course.

And I just need repetition and I need those types of things to kind of get back in my own little world. Right now I've never experienced anything like this before obviously having my daughter out here and schedules are different, practice regimen is different.

I'm learning what works best for me, and that's a whole 'nother challenge. Like I said, on top of that you add how good everybody is, and you just can't have the mistakes I've been having out on the golf course.

Q. How have you found becoming a mom has changed your competitiveness at all? I've heard some cases where people who become a mom ora dad, they become even more competitive.

PAULA CREAMER: I would say I feel like I'm more because I want to prove it more to her. I have to understand the reason why I'm out here, what I'm trying to do with my goals and everything, is kind of need to rein it back in a little bit and just be able to go out and play good golf.

But I'm definitely if not more competitive now than what, five, six years ago. To me that's hard to believe because I've always been so competitive and want things so badly.

But now I just have to figure out how to channel that energy and emotion and those goals kind of in a different way.

Q. And last one from me: Over the years of this tournament the fans here have kind of adopted players over the years and made them hometown favorites.

PAULA CREAMER: Uh-huh.

Q. I think you were one of those players. Do you feel that when you come here?

PAULA CREAMER: For sure.

Q. Maybe have a hometown advantage here a little bit?

PAULA CREAMER: Yes, I do. Even just with the will volunteers. They always come back to this week and are here for the LPGA. And I've been around a while, so I get to see and meet everybody.

I do. I do feel like I've always had kind of a one up with the fans here. They've always been incredibly supportive of me and my golf, especially in this area.

So, yes, I would say it is nice to come back to that.

Q. Thanks. Good luck this week.

PAULA CREAMER: Thank you.

Q. There was some minor news dropped yesterday in the world of golf with the PGA TOUR, DP World Tour, and PIF. How do you react when you saw the news?

PAULA CREAMER: I think like everybody, we're all very surprised with what happened. I mean, I only know what everybody else does, what was released. I can understand why some of the players, the quotes they have said -- and were disappointed with what happened.

But, I mean, it is what it is. I guess we'll just have to wait to see all the fine details of it.

Q. How do you see that merger and whatever details emerge impacting the future of the LPGA?

PAULA CREAMER: Oh, goodness. That's a loaded question. I have no idea. I honestly have not sat in on anything, meetings or whatnot, so I can't answer that question.

THE MODERATOR: One last question. After the past few tournaments this season, what are you looking forward to most this week and the start of the summer stretch?

PAULA CREAMER: Well, like I said, I know this golf course very well. You know, obviously I want to go out and play my best and do well.

For me, it's just a lot about confidence and taking what I've been working onto the golf course and mentally being able to handle that.

So for me, I have small goals right now. I just want to try to do my best to get to those small goals. You know, it's a long year. There is a lot of events coming up. I want to be able to be in the right headspace and be able to be in contention again, but I need to overcome a couple other things.

Hopefully this week with that comfortability of being on the golf course can help me surpass what I've been going through.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you so much, Paula.

PAULA CREAMER: Thank you.

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