Stanford eager to tee it up, help U.S. win Solheim Cup

Beth Daniel, mild-mannered coach of the 2009 Solheim Cup team, right?

That's how most people view the Hall of Famer who will lead the U.S. team in August at Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove.

Angela Stanford has a little different view of her captain-to-be, even after knowing her for years now.

"I don't know if I ever told her this, but she used to intimidate me; I used to be scared to death of her," Stanford said with a laugh from her home in Fort Worth, Texas. "And I'm still a little scared of her."

But in a good way.

"I think it's going to be awesome," she said of the prospect of Daniel leading the Americans. "She tells it like it is. She's not going to beat around the bush with you. What you see is what you get. I love those kind of people because you know where you stand."

Stanford's standing pretty tall these days after continuing her red-hot play from the end of 2008 by taking the 2009 season opener, the SBS Open in Hawaii, by 3 strokes over Michelle Wie.

In her last seven starts, Stanford has finished no worse than sixth.

"I've just been having so much fun hitting the golf ball. I haven't really focused on the results," the 31-year-old said. "I'm just having a great time playing the game and everything else seems to be taking care of itself."

And suddenly it's not just Paula Creamer's name that comes to mind when people talk of the top Americans on the LPGA Tour.

"That's what everyone shoots for," Stanford said. "I have a lot of respect for Paula, Christie (Kerr) ... all the great American players we have on the Tour right now. I'm happy to be a part of it.

"Obviously, you always want the Americans to play well, particularly leading up to the Solheim. I'd like to think I can be the best player, but we'll see how it goes."

Is she ready for the spotlight, though?

"We'll have to see," Stanford said. "I felt like I was on that stage through college (TCU). Obviously, that was a little different. I pay attention to Paula and how she handles it and Lorena (Ochoa) and Annika (Sorenstam). I watch how they handle it and I'm trying to learn because I'd like to be in that position."

And to think it wasn't that long ago that Stanford was on the bubble, just hoping to make the Solheim Cup team.

"I really let it get to me in 2005," she admitted. "For those players who are there now, I would tell them to just put their heads down and play. I was caught up in 'How many points do I have? Where am I? Could I be a captain's pick?' You just have to play. Stop worrying about all that and play."

Stanford has no such worries this year as she prepares for her third Cup, one that promises to be even more special.

"If I make it, it'll be the first time I get to play on American soil," she said. "Everybody knows I love the Solheim Cup. I grew up playing on teams and played four years in college. I love the team concept."

Winning the Cup in August might just be the capper to what promises to be a breakout year for Stanford, who admits she is aiming sky high.

"I want to be in contention at the majors," she said. "Winning is fun, but everyone knows you've got to win a major. And winning a Solheim Cup in America ... if I could look back on this year and say I did that, I think that would be enough."

<div class="infoBox"> <h1>More Coverage</h1> <div class="infoBoxContent"> <div class="infoArea"> <h2>Stories</h2> <ul class="links"> <li><a href="/story/?id=274130">Stanford shares her thoughts on LPGA </a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div>