Creamer makes it three for 2008
BY Bruce Young | LPGA Tour | 2008 Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic | Round Four | 14 Jul 2008
Paula Creamer has won her third tournament of the LPGA Tour season by converting a brilliant first round of 11 under par 60 into victory at the Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic Presented by Kroger in Toledo. What had been a six shot lead at the halfway mark of the tournament was eventually reduced to just two but she was never headed at any stage after her opening day heroics.
Creamer will now challenge the current number three in the Rolex World Rankings Suzann Pettersen for that position although Pettersen was a winner this week also at the Irish Open on the Ladies European Tour.
Nicole Castrale’s last round of 64 moved her from 15th to outright second. A bogey at the opening hole gave little evidence of what was to come but a closing nine of 31 would give the seven year LPGA Tour veteran her best finish since defeating Lorena Ochoa in a playoff at last year’s Ginn Tribute.
Eun Hee Ji continued a good year when she finished alone in third just ahead of Shanshan Feng.
The 18-year-old Chinese golfer, Feng, has been the story of the week to a large extent. She challenged the leader during the final round but faltered over the closing stages with three late bogeys. Feng is in her first season on the LPGA Tour after qualifying at Tour School late last year. This is her standout performance to date and she obviously has a game that will lead to success in the US in the future. If and when she does, the female game in China will be boosted even further.
Karrie Webb was the best of the Australians finishing in 5th place, her third round of 62 setting up her fourth top five of the season. Webb recorded another six birdies on day four but there were five bogeys in her round of 70. She will however be pleased that her game, especially her putting, is in good shape for the big events coming up at the Evian Masters and the Women’s British Open at Sunningdale.
Katherine Hull produced a final round of 66 to finish alone in 7th, Rachel Hetherington let an opportunity to continue her good record in this event slip with a final round of 78 to finish 22nd, Sarah Jane Kenyon was 52nd and Michelle Ellis and Wendy Doolan were 59th.
The LPGA Tour move to Illinois for this week’s State Farm Classic.
