Q. How would you describe your play today and your putting, is this the best putting of the week for you so far?
PAULA CREAMER: I would say so yes. I think I was really in it mentally because I knew I had to play well and I think that helped me a lot just knowing that I had to do well. My putting was very good. I mean I only had maybe 2 putts out there.
MR. PAUL CREAMER: You hit it close.
PAULA CREAMER: Yes, I gave my putter a chance really and I think that's what did it.
Q. Have you ever played Erica in Match Play?
PAULA CREAMER: No, I haven't.
Q. You haven't met her for a while since at the Junior's Tournament, I guess?
PAULA CREAMER: I think the last time I played with her was at Cannon Cup, right dad?
Q. So were you very surprised to be 5-up?
PAULA CREAMER: Yes, definitely. Especially in the quarter finals. 5-up in the tournament, I think anybody would take that. You know, things happen, and it was just my match out there really. She is a great player but it really wasn't, I don't think, her day to play well that time.
Q. You played a lot of high profile events this summer, you played The Open and LPGA events, do you think that's intimidating for your opponents?
PAULA CREAMER: I don't really think because I played in those tournaments it's intimidating. I think maybe the way I play and how I got there or how I played at those tournaments. But I wouldn't say just because I played in them that that's intimidating.
Q. The amount of experience you have got this summer, you've obviously gotten a lot?
PAULA CREAMER: I have.
Q. How does that help you particularly now that you are in the semifinals?
PAULA CREAMER: You know I hit a lot of golf balls this summer, and I think that's helped. I have been under different circumstances out on the golf course. And I learned a lot from that, and I think there is just little bits and pieces out there that I take and I use them out here.
Having my dad caddy for me is definitely a help and a plus, even though we do get in little arguments out there.
Q. What's your dad's first name?
PAULA CREAMER: Paul. Paul and Paula.
Q. Are you guys a lot alike?
PAULA CREAMER: Yes, too much alike.
MR. PAUL CREAMER: Stubborn.
PAULA CREAMER: He is never wrong in his mind. It's funny, the one bunker shot against Annie Thurman, I have probably heard about that bunker shots 45 minutes while we were waiting because he told me to hit a certain club. He said, "never doubt me."
MR. PAUL CREAMER: I was kidding because if it is ever wrong I hear about it for three weeks, so I wanted credit if something comes out good at least once.
Q. Does that make you feel a lot more comfortable having your dad on the bag?
PAULA CREAMER: Yes, it is. He helps me control my emotions with my golf game. Besides, I think he knows my golf game better than anybody.
Q. You stayed calm today, do you sometimes have a bit of a temper on the golf course?
PAULA CREAMER: No, I mean it's not like I'm just oh, that's okay. I do get mad at myself but I don't like slam dunk clubs or anything. If I did that my dad would probably take me off the golf course.
MR. PAUL CREAMER: She did once when she was 10 and a half. We walked straight to the house. I just picked up her clubs and walked. I said I'm not playing golf with you if you throw clubs.
PAULA CREAMER: I didn't throw it.
MR. PAUL CREAMER: To me you flicked it at the bag and that was good enough. That was 10 and a half and it's never occurred since.
Q. Is it hard for you to keep an even keel out there, to keep your emotions in check?
MR. PAUL CREAMER: Yes. I'm more tuned into her. My emotions are really irrelevant the way I look at it. It's her, you know. Whether things are going your way or not, I think you want to just keep an even keel. I have seen matches where somebody is playing great and they let it slip away and the opponents starts to believe and that's why I kept telling Paula today, keep the pressure on. Keep the pressure on. And fortunately Paula is 205 yards long so there is constant pressure in that game, so she was hitting greater irons all day. Erica hit good shots and Paula was able to hit it inside of her. It could be a whole different situation.
Q. Did you see anything different in her swing. She was leaking it to the right more in the morning, did you see anything different in her swing in the afternoon?
MR. PAUL CREAMER: We talked about ball position and finishing the swing. She gets trapped behind her.
PAULA CREAMER: I played awful. She would chunk it and I would chunk it on top of her.
MR. PAUL CREAMER: It was maybe the last four or five or 6 holes. The front 9 you guys didn't. There were lots of birdies.
PAULA CREAMER: I think we had 2 birdies that hole time. Mine was on one.
Q. Are you tired, how is your foot?
PAULA CREAMER: It's fine. It's pretty much all better. I would wear my air cuffs, when I get in a bunker, it's really restricting, so I can't move my ankle that much. I'm not letting any of that bother me or hold me back. I put this thing on.
Q. How physically demanding is the course?
PAULA CREAMER: It's very tiresome. It's very hilly. It's hot and humid and muggy and gross. You got to drink lots of water. It's great golf course. It's definitely a good test of golf. The putting greens out there, they are amazing. You never really have a flat putt.
Q. You have been gone for a while now, a long stretch, was this best ball striking of the stretch, you think, better than any of the junior?
PAULA CREAMER: The junior? Let's see. I hit the ball well at the junior. I did. It's hard to say just in one match, let alone the whole summer. I played this whole summer pretty consistent and I think that's what you have to do. You can't have your highs and lows. I can't really say.
Q. You just got the putts to fall today?
PAULA CREAMER: Yes. If my putting was like this every day I would love that. I think anybody would.
Q. What do you do for the rest of the day today, any practice?
PAULA CREAMER: Probably not, probably go back, maybe shopping. Maybe, we'll see, dad?
MR. PAUL CREAMER: You got your nails done, that's out of the way.
PAULA CREAMER: I get my nails done a lot.
Q. When did you do that?
PAULA CREAMER: I did that. My mom and I went and did laundry and we went and got our nails done. When was that?
MR. PAUL CREAMER: Last day of stroke play. Wednesday.
PAULA CREAMER: I only had 5 holes. I had the rest of the day. It was like 9:30, we were done.
Q. What's your lucky ball marker?
PAULA CREAMER: I have a quarter, a 1965. I'm trying to find a '58 but I have been looking.
Q. What's significant about 65?
PAULA CREAMER: 65, that's a good score.
Q. Nothing happened in '65?
MR. PAUL CREAMER: It's the oldest one we found. She wanted a 58.
PAULA CREAMER: How did you know about my ball marker?
Q. You wrote it on your bio sheet, superstitions.
PAULA CREAMER: My pink tee is on there, isn't it?
Q. It was in the last tournament. You use the same quarter for a long time?
PAULA CREAMER: Yes, yes, I have used this for the whole summer. If I lose it we are in big trouble.
MR. PAUL CREAMER: I have been accused of losing it and fortunately we found it. I said put it back in the bag, it will still be there.
Q. Heaven forbid you run out of pink tees?
PAULA CREAMER: We have a big old bag. Some courses have pink tees. I don't know how they have them. I just kind of take them all.
BETH MURRISON: Thank you.
PAULA CREAMER: Thanks.
End of FastScripts....
