Paula Creamer took one look at the wind and rain battering the Royal Liverpool links and liked what she saw.
Creamer will play alongside defending champion Yani Tseng of Taiwan and Ai Miyazato of Japan for the first two rounds of the Women's British Open, the season's fourth and final major starting today at Hoylake.
"This course sets up incredibly well for me," Creamer said. "I hope it stays this windy and this hard. I like that. I truly like the challenge."
Creamer experienced the challenge of longest playoff between two players in LPGA Tour history, losing to Jiyai Shin on the ninth extra hole Monday at the Kingsmill Championship.
With heavy wind and rain affecting Wednesday's prac-tice and more bad weather forecast for the next few days, the 36th staging of the tournament could become a war of attrition for the world's best women golfers.
The conditions were much different when the American played Hoylake for the first time on a private visit this summer.
"When I played, I was in shorts and short-sleeved shirt," she said. "I actually played it twice. The first time there was no wind and the second day it was like today, when it died down a little bit.
"Wind like this, conditions like this, a lot of it you can't control. But I think it was smart coming to have a look when we did. I know where to avoid and where not to go."
Creamer is a global ambassador for tournament sponsor Ricoh, which announced an extension of its commitment to the event for another three years until 2016
Tseng, winner at Carnoustie last year and Royal Birkdale in 2010, was full of praise for the Royal Liverpool Golf Club. It has hosted 11 men's British Opens and many top amateur and professional events in its history, but is staging the women's championship for the first time.
"I just love the course, the British Open with its history and tradition," said Tseng, who will be bidding for her sixth major championship since her first victory as a 19-year-old at the 2008 LPGA Championship. "I think you have to have so much imagination out there. You really need to work the ball.
"I've struggled a little in the last couple of months, but it's a good time to be back here and I think it's my turn to start playing well again. I love playing with Ai and Paula. It's a good draw and I'm very excited. It should be fun."
