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Creamer Hangs On To Win Farr By 2 Strokes

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The Associated Press

Published: July 14, 2008

SYLVANIA, Ohio - Paula Creamer shot a 2-over 73 Sunday and did just enough to make a big lead stand, going wire-to-wire to win the Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic by two strokes.

Creamer, who captured her seventh career win and her third this season, had worse scores every day after breaking the tournament record with an 11-under 60 in the first round. She followed that with a 65 and a 70 to finish at 16-under 268, two shots better than Nicole Castrale who closed fast with a 64.

"I learned you have to stay in your own world," Creamer said. "It doesn't matter what other people do until you're walking down the 18th fairway."

The 21-year-old Californian saw her lead drop to a shot when rookie Shanshan Feng - the first exempt player from China to play on the LPGA Tour - pushed her with five birdies through the first 11 holes. But Feng fell back with three straight bogeys down the stretch.

South Korea's Eun-Hee Ji, second to Creamer after each of the first three rounds, shot a 72 and was third at 271. Feng had a 69 for a total of 272, followed by Karrie Webb who shot a 70 and was at 273.

After the lead fell to one stroke, Creamer recovered with her only birdie of the round at the 13th hole - around the time Feng began her string of bogeys. After Creamer missed a 3-foot par putt at the 16th hole, she had safe, two-putt pars on the final two holes to clinch the victory.

Creamer, with earlier wins in Hawaii and Tulsa this season, had 21 birdies and three bogeys the first 54 holes - and one birdie and the same number of bogeys in the final round.

Surging Perry Wins John Deere Classic
SILVIS, Ill. - Kenny Perry beat Brad Adamonis and Jay Williamson in a playoff to win the John Deere Classic and escape with his third victory in five starts after bogeying the 18th hole.

Perry had a one-stroke lead at 17-under through 17 only to lose it thanks to some poor shots from the fringe on the final hole of regulation. He and Williamson then watched as Adamonis, the PGA Tour's oldest rookie at 35, missed an 18-foot putt for birdie that would have won it in regulation and given him his first victory.

The ball stopped 3 feet short and Adamonis was at 16-under 268 with the others.

While Adamonis and Williamson hit approach shots into the pond on No. 18, Perry tapped in from 1 feet, 4 inches for par and the victory after his 24-footer stopped just short.

Despite falling in the playoff, Williamson earned an invitation to the British Open.

SCOTTISH OPEN: At Luss, Scotland, Graeme McDowell won the Scottish Open with three straight birdies on the back nine for a 3-under 68 and a two-stroke victory.

Phil Mickelson had a 73 and finished 11 shots off the lead in a tie for 38th.

McDowell trailed Simon Khan by two shots until Khan double bogeyed the 12th. McDowell then birdied the next three holes to move ahead and went on to win with a total of 13-under 271 at Loch Lomond.

James Kingston (66) finished second. Richard Green and Miguel-Angel Jimenez shot 69s to tie for third at 274. Khan had a 72 to finish fifth, another stroke back, but secured a spot for the British Open that starts Thursday at Royal Birkdale.

Ernie Els (69) tied for ninth.

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