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LPGA CORNING CLASSIC

May 26, 2007

Paula Creamer

CORNING, NEW YORK

PAM WARNER: Paula, thanks for joining us again today. You had a great round and finished it off with two birdies down the stretch to tie for the lead going into tomorrow's final round. Can you start by talking about how you played today, especially those last few holes?
PAULA CREAMER: I hit every fairway. I think I missed maybe three greens all day. You know, I gave myself plenty of opportunities to go low, and you know, I made some good putts.
I made a good save on 16, and other than that it was a pretty easy round.
PAM WARNER: Can we go over your scorecard?
PAULA CREAMER: Birdie on 2. Driver, 5-iron to about 8 feet and I 2-putted, so I missed my eagle chance.
Birdie on 5. Driver, 4-iron to about 35 -- about maybe 40 feet, kind of above it on the left, and I 2-putted.
Birdie on 7. I hit a little 6-iron to about 9 feet above the hole.
Birdie on 12. I went driver, 3-wood, and I had about 65 yards to about 10 feet.
And then birdie on 17. Driver, 63 yards and I hit it to about a foot.
And then 18 I had 120 yards. I hit a little 9-iron to about 10 feet.
PAM WARNER: On 17 what club did you use?
PAULA CREAMER: 58 degree wedge, and I used that on 12, too.
PAM WARNER: Questions for Paula?

Q. There is a three-way tie for the lead and you are playing in threesomes tomorrow. Is this the type of situation that you live for?
PAULA CREAMER: Yes, of course. I mean, this is great. A really good last three-hole finish. You know, keep my momentum up. I finished strong. It's going to be a good day tomorrow.
Hopefully it'll be windy and tough conditions, but if not we'll take it. But I think it's going to be a good finish. You're going to have to go low, but I guess it all depends on the weather.

Q. Beth and Young are looking for their first wins out here, but you have already done that. Do you think you have an advantage since you have won a few times.
PAULA CREAMER: I would think so, yes. Experience has a lot to do with coming down the stretch. You know, but when you're in a moment, I mean, you always have to have your first time to win. They say that's your hardest.
I think it's important to get off to a good start, especially at Front 9. Then you have some holes in the Back 9 that are pars for a good score, and you have the finishing holes. Anything can happen on the last four our five holes.

Q. A day or two ago you said you didn't mind the weather. It could be bad tomorrow. Are you looking forward to roughing it out with the weather tomorrow?
PAULA CREAMER: I am. I love that. You know, I first won on the LPGA tour it was in the rain so I think I'm used to it. You have to be able to play in all weather conditions. You have to.
If you don't, that's not in your repertoire, that's not very good. I think it's just going to be a matter of perseverance out there. It's going to be tough for everybody. You never know.
It might be nice tomorrow. Just have to wake up and see how it's like.

Q. First two days you were sort of bobbing and weaving around, feeling each other out. And then today down the stretch you just sort of pressed the issue driving on a couple holes, be aggressive.
PAULA CREAMER: Uh-huh.

Q. What changed that?
PAULA CREAMER: Well, I kind of stuck to the same game plan every day. You know, I think I kind of went through a little lull maybe it was on the 14/15, in there, and I had to make a good save on 16.
After that putt I was just like, Okay, two more holes. I wanted to make birdie. I wanted to get it around 5 or 6-under today and I thought that would put me in contention and I did that. Tomorrow I'm going to have to go out and play my game.

Q. Were you consciously trying to get into the last group?
PAULA CREAMER: Last group really wasn't in my mind. Just being in-- the leaders had -- I mean, there was a pretty big gap between the leaders and myself there for a while.
I just wanted if finish strong. Like I said, I told myself, You get 5 or 6-under par today and you'll be in good shape.

Q. Yesterday you talked about your drive not cooperating. Was that the key today?
PAULA CREAMER: Yeah. I hit every fairway. I hit the ball a lot better and more confident-wise. I left some errant wedges up there on a couple holes and poor shot on 15 which is a birdie hole also, that Par 3.
But I felt good. I think that giving myself as many opportunities as I can is the biggest thing out on this golf course.

Q. Did you do any scoreboard watching during this round and see that the leaders weren't making a big move today?
PAULA CREAMER: Not really. I tried to. I try to just stay with within my game. The first time I looked at the scoreboard was on 12, the Par 5, and then I looked at it again on 17.
So I knew that on those two holes where I stood. But you can't really watch it too much. You can't get obsessive about what's happening. You can only control your own game.

Q. Looks like your grandfather, mother, maybe some family member were out there today; is that correct?
PAULA CREAMER: Yes.

Q. Were they out here the last couple days?
PAULA CREAMER: No, today was the first day.

Q. Did that just kind of help you make it easier, make it more relaxed? How does that, if at all, affect your game?
PAULA CREAMER: Having my family here is great. I love being able to play in front of them. They've supported me so much. They're my family, and I want to make them proud as well.
It's nice that they're out here cheering for me. I know it's a good shot when I can hear them, and that's a positive thing for me. But it's great to have my grandpa out here. He always watches me on the first tee shot and he's always there on the last green. I just love to have them here. I wish that they could come to more events.

Q. About how many events do they usually make it out to?
PAULA CREAMER: I say three or four. They go to Wegmans and Kingsmill and this one, and sometimes some of them go to Bulle Rock (McDonalds LPGA Championship).

Q. Who else besides your grandfather?
PAULA CREAMER: My aunts my uncles and my cousins.

Q. Couple aunts and uncles?
PAULA CREAMER: My aunt, my uncle, and I think I had maybe three cousins out here today. I believe three.

Q. And they will obviously be out there tomorrow?
PAULA CREAMER: Yes.

Q. World ranking-wise you're not far ahead of any of the challengers. Is this the first time is it safe to say you're expected to win?
PAULA CREAMER: I guess so. But you can't really think of it like that. You know, you can't put that -- that's extra pressure that you put on yourself. I already put so much pressure on myself, but to think of it like that I don't think it's the positive way to look at it.
I know I need to go out and play golf and I know that I can. I know that I've won before. But I know what it feels like to want to win, to get that first win.
I think they're going to be out there. Not only them, but there are so many people that are so close. I can't just watch them play their game, it's everybody.
You just have to go out and play the course and go low.

Q. Even though you won a few times, do you still think you'll feel butterflies, get nervous on the first tee?
PAULA CREAMER: Of course. I guess nervous every day I play golf. That's just that way that it is. The day that that doesn't happen, the day that I stand on the first tee where I'm not nervous I'm going to have to rethink some things.
I just always have been like that, especially tomorrow. It's a big day. You want to win. It would be nice to have another win under my belt this year.

Q. You kind of alluded to that everyone will focus on the Top 3 and a there are a number of people within striking distance. Are there any certain golfers out there that maybe they're two or three strokes behind that you know that's are people that may make a big push tomorrow?
PAULA CREAMER: I think anybody within 5 shots of the leader is within contention. You can go out and start off really good on the Front 9 and play good.
I think it always depends at weather, too. If it's difficult and windy it's nice to be in the lead position instead of fighting out there.
But I don't think there's just one person. I think there's going to be a bunch of people that are pushing.

Q. Do you have a personal history or relationship with either of your co-leaders?
PAULA CREAMER: Just playing golf, yeah.

Q. When you're in a situation like tomorrow where you may be racing the bad weather, does that put subliminal pressure on you to fight things a little bit, and do you have to fight that urge?
PAULA CREAMER: Not really, no. You can only go as fast as the group in front of you. You can't -- other than that I think you just have to go out and play. You can't really rely on worry on the weather. It is what it is. Just go out and play your game.

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