Creamer rises to top at US Open
Source: Agencies |
July 13, 2010, Tuesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
PAULA Creamer turned adversity into triumph on Sunday, fulfilling her considerable promise by winning the US Women's Open in only her fourth tournament back since having thumb surgery.
Silencing critics who pointed to her lack of major titles among eight LPGA Tour wins, the 23-year-old executed a disciplined game-plan despite the pain in her taped left thumb.
"I think I'm about 60 (percent)," she told reporters about how much her thumb bothered her. "It just shows how much the mental side of golf can really take over.
"You know, I believed I could do this. I believed I could do this when I had a cast on my hand. That's what I just kept thinking about was Oakmont, Oakmont, Oakmont.
"It's amazing how, when you put a plan together how sometimes it works out. It's the greatest feeling."
Creamer, sporting her trademark pink attire on the course, admitted she had dark days after learning she needed surgery to repair ligament damage.
"There was a time before my surgery where I thought, 'Oh my gosh, I may never play golf again' or if the surgery goes wrong ... but it was what I had to do, and here we are with a US Open championship next to me."
Creamer had to rein herself in as far as practice time to go easy on her thumb and temper her aggressive nature on the course to overcome the challenge of Oakmont, with its 210 bunkers, thick rough and fast, sloping greens.
"I have more discipline, knowing that it puts a little more premium on hitting the fairways and not the rough as much," said the American.
Creamer went into the final round with a three-shot lead that never dwindled below two shots. She played 23 holes on the final day with a sore left thumb, including the final five holes of the weather-delayed third round.
Her final-round, 2-under 69 gave her a 3-under 281 for the tournament. Choi Na-yeon of South Korea and Suzann Pettersen of Norway tied for second at 1-over 285.
Brittany Lang, the first-round leader with a 69, was within two shots before bogeys on the 15th and 16th dropped her six back at 287 despite her final-round 69. Lang, Yang and former world No. 1 Shin Jiyai tied for fifth at 286, one behind Kim In-kyung of South Korea.
Wendy Ward, in second place when the final round began, took a triple-bogey 7 on No. 1 and was gone from contention.
Cristie Kerr, the world's No. 1-ranked player, tried to charge with consecutive birdies on No. 2 and No. 3, but fell back with four bogeys in the next six holes. She tied for 17th.
Silencing critics who pointed to her lack of major titles among eight LPGA Tour wins, the 23-year-old executed a disciplined game-plan despite the pain in her taped left thumb.
"I think I'm about 60 (percent)," she told reporters about how much her thumb bothered her. "It just shows how much the mental side of golf can really take over.
"You know, I believed I could do this. I believed I could do this when I had a cast on my hand. That's what I just kept thinking about was Oakmont, Oakmont, Oakmont.
"It's amazing how, when you put a plan together how sometimes it works out. It's the greatest feeling."
Creamer, sporting her trademark pink attire on the course, admitted she had dark days after learning she needed surgery to repair ligament damage.
"There was a time before my surgery where I thought, 'Oh my gosh, I may never play golf again' or if the surgery goes wrong ... but it was what I had to do, and here we are with a US Open championship next to me."
Creamer had to rein herself in as far as practice time to go easy on her thumb and temper her aggressive nature on the course to overcome the challenge of Oakmont, with its 210 bunkers, thick rough and fast, sloping greens.
"I have more discipline, knowing that it puts a little more premium on hitting the fairways and not the rough as much," said the American.
Creamer went into the final round with a three-shot lead that never dwindled below two shots. She played 23 holes on the final day with a sore left thumb, including the final five holes of the weather-delayed third round.
Her final-round, 2-under 69 gave her a 3-under 281 for the tournament. Choi Na-yeon of South Korea and Suzann Pettersen of Norway tied for second at 1-over 285.
Brittany Lang, the first-round leader with a 69, was within two shots before bogeys on the 15th and 16th dropped her six back at 287 despite her final-round 69. Lang, Yang and former world No. 1 Shin Jiyai tied for fifth at 286, one behind Kim In-kyung of South Korea.
Wendy Ward, in second place when the final round began, took a triple-bogey 7 on No. 1 and was gone from contention.
Cristie Kerr, the world's No. 1-ranked player, tried to charge with consecutive birdies on No. 2 and No. 3, but fell back with four bogeys in the next six holes. She tied for 17th.
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