Flash Area interview with:
ANGELA STANFORD
Q. You didn't know you were second yesterday, do you know now?
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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