Kerr was calm under pressure

Cristie Kerr didn't look at the leaderboard, didn't ask her caddie who was ahead, didn't wonder about who was behind her.

Standing on the 18th green, with a chance to win the ShopRite LPGA Classic in Galloway Township, N.J., she tried to focus on the 8-foot putt in front of her.

"I knew that I was close," Kerr said yesterday. "I said to myself, `It doesn't mean anything unless you can execute the shot.' So that's what I did."

With playing partner Paula Creamer and Giulia Sergas sharing the lead with her at 10 under par, Kerr needed to pick up a stroke. She made the birdie putt for the victory.

"The putt was just an amazing, amazing under-pressure stroke that I made. I got a good read on it and it was perfect," she said.

"It's the stuff you dream about."

With the 17-year-old amateur Creamer already done, all Kerr had to worry about was Sergas, who was playing in a twosome behind her.

The victory, which came with a $195,000 check, meant more than money.

"This was a little bit of a mental breakthrough for me, this round and this tournament, because I came from behind to win. I handled the adversity well," said Kerr.

Kerr shot 66-68-68 for a three-day total of 11-under 202 to win her third LPGA title, finishing on a breezy Seaview Marriott Resort course.

Creamer (69) and Sergas (71) finished one shot back at 203, followed by Juli Inkster (67) and Mi Hyun Kim (69) at 204.

Denise Killeen, who held a two-shot lead going into the final round and was hoping to win her first LPGA event since joining the Tour 12 years ago, shot an 8-over 79 yesterday and finished seven shots from the top.

Creamer, vying to become the first amateur to win an LPGA title since Joanne Carner in 1969, used a hot putter to shoot 7 under Saturday. She started yesterday four shots back.

But she missed birdie putt after birdie putt, including the clincher on the 508-yard 18th hole.

Nationwide -- D.A. Points two-putted for par on the first playoff hole to beat Chestnut Hill's James Driscoll in the Northeast Pennsylvania Classic in Moosic, Pa. Points shot a 4-under 67 to get to 14-under 270 and then waited as Driscoll rolled in a 25-foot birdie putt on the final hole to cap off a 66 that tied Points. In the playoff, Driscoll ran into trouble when his tee shot on the 385-yard 18th hole found a fairway bunker.

European -- Philippe Lima shot a 5-under 66 to win the Aa Saint Omer Open in France by one shot over Alessandro Tadini. Lima finished at 5-under 279.