Creamer Inks a Win

[Bag Chatter]

By Tim Schoch

Paula “Pink Panther” Creamer, 21, beat her good buddy, 47-year-old Juli Inkster, on the second playoff hole to win the SemGroup Championship at the Cedar Ridge Country Club, Broken Arrow, OK.

Sunday’s putting for the Pink Panther wasn’t purrfect, but when it really counted, she pounced and pawed the pink pill down for the prize.

All week, Paula was one of the only LPGA contestants under par. She spent Sunday's final round with the only other player under par, Juli. At 18th tee, Paula had -3 and Juli -1. On the green, Paula missed a seven-footer for a bogey and Juli birded. At the end of regulation they were tied at -2. They headed toward the 18th tee to begin their playoff showdown.

After great drives, Juli landed left on the green and barely missed her putt. Paula’s pink ball came to rest nine feet from the pin on the same line on which she’d missed a putt for the win 15 minutes earlier. She missed this putt, as well.

They moved on to the 10th hole, the second of their playoff. Each screamed a drive down the middle. Paula’s approach landed seven feet from the hole, Juli’s landed 50-some feet away and she missed her putt by a mere inch. Paula sank her putt for the joyous win.

For Hall-of-Famer Juli, it’s déjà vu. Last year, she sank a birdie putt on 18 to tie, then lost the playoff to Mi Hyun Kim. This year, she relived the defeat with Paula in the leading role. Still, she and Paula are great friends and they exchanged two heartfelt hugs before Juli left empty-handed and Paula gathered up the large trophy.

“I have to have a talk with my putter,” Paula said afterward, smiling and obviously greatly relieved not to have lost two playoffs in as many weeks.

Lorena? She finished tied for 5th at +3, unable to rally a miracle comeback, ending her winning streak at four.

 

 

 

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