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Paula Creamer, who lost in a playoff last week, has a winning smile this week. (Hunter Martin/Getty Images) |
Golf Roundup
Creamer makes amends
She beats Inkster on 2d playoff hole
After losing a two-shot lead on the final hole, Paula Creamer held off a spirited bid from Juli Inkster by making an 8-foot birdie putt on the second playoff hole yesterday to win the SemGroup Championship in Broken Arrow, Okla. It was her second win of the year and put a stop to Lorena Ochoa's bid for a record-tying fifth straight LPGA Tour victory.
"I was not going to lose this week," said Creamer, who lost in a playoff last Sunday to Annika Sorenstam in the Stanford International Pro-Am. "I was going to win. This was my turn this time."
She just didn't expect to work so hard for it.
Creamer had a two-shot lead and was in the 18th fairway at Cedar Ridge when it all turned around. She hit 5-iron over the green and under the TV tower, chipping to 10 feet and missing the par putt. Inkster, a 47-year-old trying to become the tour's oldest champion, stuffed her 8-iron into 18 feet and watched the putt fall for birdie on the final turn, finishing with a 70.
The 21-year-old Creamer closed with a 1-over-par 72, the first time in her six career victories she won with a final round over par. She finished at 2-under 282 and earned $270,000.
Lost in the terrific duel was the end of Ochoa's winning streak. Going for a record-tying fifth straight victory, Ochoa never got on track, even in a final round absent of much wind. She closed with a 2-under 69 to tie for fifth, five shots behind.
"It's done," Ochoa said. "I tried really hard and it didn't work. Hopefully, I'll start a new streak next week."
PGA - In a near flawless performance, 22-year-old Anthony Kim became the youngest winner on tour in six years after firing a 3-under 69 to cruise to a five-shot win over Ben Curtis (65) in the
The former NCAA freshman of the year at Oklahoma won't turn 23 until next month. But he dominated a star-studded field by finishing with a 16-under 272 total, three shots better than the previous tournament record held by Tiger Woods.
Kim earned $1,134,000 and became the youngest winner since Sergio Garcia won the 2002 Mercedes Championship.
Kim birdied the first and fifth holes to pull away from playing partner Heath Slocum (73).
Champions - Denis Watson birdied the final hole to win the
Watson closed with a 3-under 69 to finish at 10 under. Nick Price (75) tied for second with Scott Hoch (69) and Tim Simpson (70).
European - Peter Lawrie shot a 5-under 67 then made par on the second playoff hole to win the Spanish Open in Seville after Ignacio Garrido's approach shot rolled into the water. Garrido (72) forced the playoff with a birdie on the 18th hole to finish at 15-under 273.
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