Creamer wins US Women’s Open

Paula Creamer flinched in pain as shot after shot punished a left thumb that hurts so badly she couldn’t play for four months. Somehow, the worse she felt, the better she played.

Creamer shed the title of being the best women’s golfer to not win a major, never wavering during a four-shot victory Sunday in the U.S. Women’s Open and putting away a field that couldn’t match her confidence or steadiness.

Creamer made it look easy after beginning the final round with a three-stroke lead that never dipped below two shots, finishing the tournament with a 3-under 281. Na Yeon Choi of South Korea shot a 5-under 66 to tie Suzann Pettersen of Norway for second place at 1-over 285.

It wasn’t easy. Not even close.

Limited to 40 practice shots before each round by a still-healing hyperextended left thumb that required surgery in February, the 23-year-old Creamer found the best possible way to limit the pounding on her hand: take as few strokes as possible.

Creamer, known as the Pink Panther for all-pink attire, ended with a 2-under 69, far better than the 75 she averaged during previous Women’s Open final rounds. She faded badly near the finish the last two years, and she missed the cut at last week’s Jamie Farr Classic won by Choi. But this time she was as strong as her thumb is weak.

It had to be; she punished that thumb by playing 52 holes during the final two days, 23 on Sunday, because of Friday’s rain suspension.

“I was in pain, but I was trying to do everything to not think about it,” Creamer said.

Lifting the silver trophy that goes to the winner? That was easy, too.

Source: AP News

Creamer Takes Momentum Into Final Round

On Sunday morning, Paula Creamer put the finishing touches on her second consecutive round of 70 and will take a three-stroke lead into the final 18 holes of the United States Women’s Open at Oakmont Country Club.

Creamer, who is one-under par through 54 holes, made a four-foot birdie putt at No. 18 to give her momentum moving forward. She will tee off at 12:20 p.m, in the final group along with Amy Yang of South Korea and Wendy Ward, who also carded a one-under 70 in the third round.

Ward and Creamer are among seven Americans in the top 12. The others are Christina Kim, Alexis Thompson, Natalie Gulbis, Brittany Lang and Cristie Kerr. Kerr, ranked No. 1 in the world, made par on the last five holes of her third round on Sunday morning for a four-over 75.

It’s hard to overstate how huge the birdie putt at No. 18 was given that Creamer had missed putts from a similar distance on the previous two holes.

“It was a great birdie and a good finish,” said Creamer, who three putted from 20 feet on the par-3 16th and missed a five-footer for birdie on the par-4 17th after driving the green.

Source: The New York Times Golf Blog