Elite eight to tee off for $1m

Paula Creamer walked to the 18th tee knowing par would, at worst, get her into a playoff for the last spot in the ADT Championship's final round at West Palm Beach, Fla.

Making birdie, however, eliminated any need for drama.

Creamer's 4-foot putt on yesterday's last hole ensured she'd be one of eight players competing for a record $1 million first-prize check at the LPGA Tour's season-ending event. But Creamer said she didn't spend her day fixating on the prize money.

"Today was more about getting yourself there," Creamer said. "And once you get yourself there, then you can think about it."

Il Mi Chung (65) was at 9 under par, one shot better than Julieta Granada (69) and Mi Hyun Kim (65). Ai Miyazato was 7 under through three rounds, and Karrie Webb was alone in fifth at 6 under. Creamer, Natalie Gulbis, and Lorena Ochoa were all 4 under, completing the eight-woman final-round field.

Today, all those scores get wiped away, and the eight survivors tee off all tied at even par, playing an 18-hole shootout for the biggest winners' share in LPGA history.

Asian -- Tiger Woods birdied the final hole for a 2-over 72 and was tied with Ireland's Padraig Harrington at 6-under 204 after a rain-drenched third round at the Dunlop Phoenix in Miyazaki, Japan.

Woods hit a 5-wood from 247 yards, then sank an 18-foot birdie putt to finish an otherwise forgettable day on a high note in miserable rain at the Phoenix Country Club.

European -- Spain's Jose Manuel Lara shot a 4-under 66 to retain a five-stroke lead at 14-under 196 after the third round of the Hong Kong Open.

Champions -- Mike San Filippo of Concord fired a 73 for a four-round total of even-par 288 at the Tour's qualifying tournament at Coral Springs, Fla. He finished in the top 30 to earn a spot in weekly qualifiers for all open events on the Champions Tour in 2007.