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ADT CHAMPIONSHIP

November 19, 2008

Paula Creamer

WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA

JASON TAYLOR: Welcome back to the ADT Championship. You've had a nice year. Four wins and a bunch of Top 10s. Can you just talk about your year being back here in West Palm?
PAULA CREAMER: Yeah, it's nice to finish out the year here. It's a beautiful place. I've played well on this golf course, so it's a good way to go out of 2008.
But so far this year, you know, I can't complain. I've had four wins, and I felt like I should have won many more. You know, I've learned a lot just about myself out on the golf course.
You know, I hit the ball well all year, worked on a lot of swing thoughts and changing that. What I'll do in the off-season is kind of the same thing I did last year. We'll see what happens. But I can't complain with the way that I've played this year.

Q. The money list title is still in play for you this week if you finish first and Lorena doesn't finish second. Wonder if you can talk about that and if you're aware of how damn long it's been since an American led the money list? It's been a really, really long time.
PAULA CREAMER: I am aware of that very much so. However, you can't win the tournament on Thursday, you can't win it on Friday. You can win it on Sunday. You know, this format is very.

Q. Especially this tournament.
PAULA CREAMER: Especially this one. You have to go out and play each day as its own day. Then you start over, start back again. So for me just to go out and put, hopefully, four good rounds of golf and give myself a chance on Sunday is all I can really ask for.

Q. Nice to see an American back atop the money list given that this is an American tour and it's been a good long walk?
PAULA CREAMER: That would be very nice, definitely. I would like to be that American, I can tell you that.

Q. We were in here earlier announcing the schedule and a few tournaments for next year are gone, including Tulsa, which I'm sure you're disappointed. Can you just talk a little about the economy? Do you pay attention? Do you watch CNN or are you paying attention to your money or are you just kind of closing your eyes and hoping it gets better?
PAULA CREAMER: Both, both (smiling). I am very aware, however I am closing my eyes and hoping also (laughing).

Q. Kind of a follow-up to that. The commissioner was in here talking about the economy and the reduction in tournaments next year, and the average prize money is what it was, but total prize money is down. What is your reaction to that? What do you think the future of the tour is in relation to the economy?
PAULA CREAMER: Obviously, the economy has a huge impact on that. However, seeing us lose events, that's hard. You know, it's hard for me to see, especially, hopefully not this tournament, but just in general.
I like to play in a lot of events and it's sad that we are losing events. But hopefully in the next couple of years once the economy does get back to where it was at, we can have more events, bigger events, things like that.

Q. The commissioner talked about moving this event to the beginning of the year in 2010. What are your thoughts on that? Do you have any qualms with starting the year off with a million dollars if it's not you?
PAULA CREAMER: To me, the ADT Championship is what it is right now. It's the last tournament of the year. I think it's a big goal for everybody to make it to this event. And to have it at the beginning of the year, I don't think it would have -- well, it's not -- I don't necessarily know how they would have the tournament. But the same effect could be different.
You work so hard all year to get into this event. I'm not sure what -- how the format would be or whatnot in the beginning of the year.
To come out off an off-season and go for a million dollars would be interesting as your first event back.

Q. What would the mentality be like trailing someone who has a million dollars after the first tournament?
PAULA CREAMER: You know, gosh, I haven't even given that much thought. But it's a huge, it's a valid point. You know, you play one week and you're already a million dollars behind.
I'm not sure exactly. I can't really give you an answer to that.

Q. Morgan Pressel's hometown is here. Is it easier or harder to win a hometown tournament? And isn't Longs Drugs a hometown for you? What's it like?
PAULA CREAMER: Yes. Well, when I go to Longs at Blackhawk, it feels like a U.S. Open. It feels like a lot of, not pressure in itself, but you play in front of all the people that have supported you and gotten you to where you are today, just being part of your team. My family, and people I've grown up with, it is, it's a different situation.
This year I had Samsung, which was an hour from my house, and then Longs back-to-back. I've never experienced that before. That was just a different situation. Being around so many people, there's a lot more demands that week. More just media, local channels and things like that.
But it's hard. You know, this is my fourth year on tour, and I struggle every time at that event at Longs. I play the golf course well, it's just kind of maintaining myself and not putting too much pressure on myself.

End of FastScripts

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