Paula Creamer fired a one-under 70 on Saturday to keep her lead at four strokes after three rounds of the LPGA Jamie Farr Classic, even as Australian and Asian rivals moved into contention.
The 21-year-old American began the round with a six-stroke lead and finished 54 holes on 18-under 195, with South Korea’s Ji Eun-hee second on 199 after a 68 and Aussie Rachel Hetherington third on 202 after a 67.
“Obviously I wasn’t very pleased with the way I played,” Creamer said. “I only shot one-under, but at the same time, I have a pretty significant lead and it’s only 18 holes.”
PHOTO: AP
Aussie Karrie Webb fired a 62 to grab a share of fourth on 203 with China’s Feng Shanshan, who shot 64 on Saturday. Webb has not won an LPGA event since 2006, but she fired her low round of the year with nine birdies in a bogey-free day.
“I made up some ground and have a chance to have a really good tournament,” Webb said. “I feel really good with the way I struck the ball. I played my best ball-striking round of the year and I made the putts to go with it.”
Creamer, who fired a course record 11-under 60 on Thursday and followed with a 65 on Friday, sank three birdies and a pair of bogeys in the third round at the US$1.3 million event.
PHOTO: AP
Creamer has won four titles in the eight prior times she has taken leads into the final round.
“Hopefully, tomorrow I can go out and hit 18 greens and give myself as many chances as I can,” Creamer said. “I’m just going to go out and play my own game and try to do what I’ve been doing the last couple of days.”
Creamer answered a bogey at the third with a birdie at the eighth and after a bogey at the 11th responded with a birdie at 13.
A birdie on the penultimate hole allowed her to be under-par for the day and put her four ahead of Ji, 21, who claimed her first LPGA crown last month.
Creamer is seeking her third title of the year, which would match retiring Swedish legend Annika Sorenstam for the second highest number of wins on tour this year behind Lorena Ochoa, the world No. 1 who has claimed six crowns. Ochoa and Sorenstam are taking the week off.
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