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Paula Creamer

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Paula Creamer
Personal Information
Paula Creamer at 2007 U.S. Open
Birth (1986-08-05) August 5, 1986 (age 38)
Mountain View, California U.S.
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Nationality  United States
Residence Windermere, Florida, U.S.
College None
Career
Turned Professional 2005
Current tour LPGA Tour (joined 2005)
Professional wins 7 (LPGA Tour: 5, other: 2)
Best Results in Major Championships
Kraft Nabisco T15: 2007
LPGA Championship T3: 2005
U.S. Women's Open T13: 2004
Women's British Open T7: 2007
Awards
American Junior Golf
Association (AJGA)
Player of the Year 		2003
Golf Digest
Junior of the Year 		2003
Golf Digest
Amateur of the Year 		2004
LPGA Rookie of the Year 2005

Paula Creamer (born August 5, 1986) is an American professional golfer playing on the LPGA Tour. She was named LPGA Rookie of the Year in 2005 and currently has five wins on the LPGA Tour, with seven total professional wins.

Nicknamed the "Pink Panther" for the color she enjoys wearing,[1] Creamer finished second on the LPGA money list in 2005 and third in 2007. In the Women's World Golf Rankings she has been as high as number two,[2] and is in the top five as of March 2008.[3]

Amateur career

Creamer started playing golf when she was 10 years old.[4] At the age of 12, she won 13 consecutive regional junior events in Northern California.[4]

She won a total of 19 amateur national titles, including 11 American Junior Golf Association tournaments.[4][5] She was a semi-finalist in the 2003 U.S. Women's Amateur Championship at the age of 16 and reached the same stage in 2004.[6] In the same year she placed second in the ShopRite LPGA Classic, tied for 13th in the U.S. Women's Open, and represented the United States in the Curtis Cup.[7] She won the 2004 LPGA Tour Final Qualifying Tournament by five shots, thus gaining membership on the tour for 2005.[8] She turned professional immediately afterwards.[7]

Amateur victories and honours

  • 19 national titles, including 11 American Junior Golf Association tournaments.
  • 2002: Member of winning U.S. Junior Solheim Cup team.
  • 2003: American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) Player of the Year. Golfweek's and Golf Digest's Junior of the Year. Member of U.S. Junior Solheim Cup team.
  • 2004: Named Amateur of the Year by both Golfweek and Golf Digest. Member of winning Curtis Cup team. Winner of the LPGA Tour Qualifying School.

Professional career

Upon joining the LPGA Tour in 2005, Creamer quickly became a top player. On May 22, she holed a 17—foot birdie putt on the final hole of the Sybase Classic in New Rochelle, New York to win by one stroke.[9] Creamer was 18 years, 9 months and 17 days old at the time, making her the second-youngest first time winner of an LPGA tournament (Marlene Hagge was 18 years and 14 days old when she won the Sarasota Open in 1952).[10][11] On July 23, she cruised to an eight–shot win in the Evian Masters tournament in France, a tournament co-sanctioned with the Ladies European Tour and recognized as a major by the LET.[12] She became the youngest and quickest player to reach $1 million in LPGA career earnings.[13] In August Creamer won the NEC Open on the Japan LPGA tour,[14] and she added a victory at the Masters GC Ladies tournament two months later.[15] Creamer earned a spot on the U.S. Solheim Cup Team, becoming the youngest player to do so.[16] She led the U.S. team with 3 1/2 points as the Americans won the cup.[7] Creamer won Rookie of the Year honors for her season,[10] in which she earned over $1.5 million, second on the money list behind Annika Sörenstam, and recorded eight top–three finishes.[17]

After her rookie success, Creamer's form took a step backward in 2006. She failed to win a tournament, and was hampered by wrist and foot injuries during the season.[18] Despite this, Creamer earned over $1 million and made the cut in all 27 LPGA tournaments she played in, compiling 14 top–10s. Her best finish of the season was a tie for second at The Mitchell Company Tournament of Champions.[19]

Creamer rebounded with two LPGA Tour titles in 2007. On February 17, she won her third career LPGA title at the SBS Open at Turtle Bay, making a 40—foot birdie putt on the 17th hole of the final round to defeat Julieta Granada by one shot.[20] Nine months later, Creamer won The Mitchell Company Tournament of Champions with ease, defeating Birdie Kim by eight strokes.[21] In 2007 she also made her second Solheim Cup team. She led both sides in points earned, going unbeaten in five matches as the U.S. team retained the cup.[22] For the season, she posted 13 top–10 finishes and earned over $1.3 million, third on the money list.[23]

In February 2008, she earned her fifth LPGA title at the Fields Open in Hawaii, coming back from a late two–shot deficit in the last round with birdies on the final three holes.[24]

Creamer currently has endorsement deals with Taylor Made, Adidas, RBS, NEC, Kraft, Sundog Eyewear, CDW, Aldila, and Citizen Watch.[7][25][26][27] She also appeared in the EA Sports video game Tiger Woods PGA Tour 08.[28]

Professional wins (7)

LPGA Tour (5)

Other (2)

Results in LPGA majors

Tournament 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
Kraft Nabisco Championship DNP T45 T19 T24 T15
LPGA Championship DNP DNP T3 T49 T6
U.S. Women's Open CUT T13 TLA T19 T16 T16
Women's British Open DNP DNP T15 T22 T7

LA = Low Amateur
DNP = did not play
CUT = missed the half-way cut
WD = withdrew
"T" = tied
Green background for a win. Yellow background for a top-10 finish.

LPGA Tour career summary

Year # of
events		 Cuts
made		 Wins 2nd 3rd Top
10s		 Earnings ($) Rank Scoring average
2003 3 2 0 0 0 0 N/A N/A 74.80
2004 7 7 0 1 0 1 N/A N/A 71.42
2005 25 24 2 4 2 11 1,531,780 2 70.98
2006 27 27 0 1 2 14 1,076,163 11 70.62
2007 24 22 2 2 2 13 1,384,798 3 70.50
2008* 4 4 1 0 1 2 351,049 3 69.86

*Current as of March 31, 2008.

Team appearances

Amateur

Professional

Solheim Cup Record

Year Total Matches Total W-L-H Singles W-L-H Foursomes W-L-H Fourballs W-L-H Points Won Points %
Career 10 5-1-4 2-0-0 2-0-2 1-1-2 7 70%
2005 5 3-1-1 1-0-0 def. L. Davies 7&5 1-0-1 halved w/ B. Daniel, won w/ J. Inkster 3&2 1-1-0 lost w/ J. Inkster 4&3, won w/ C. Kerr 1up 3.5 70%
2007 5 2-0-3 1-0-0 def. M. Hjorth 2&1 1-0-1 won w/ J. Inkster 2&1, halved w/ J. Inkster 0-0-2 halved w/ M. Pressel, halved w/ B. Lincicome 3.5 70%

Personal life

Creamer was born in Mountain View, California and grew up in Pleasanton,[6][29] where she attended Foothill High School. In 2000 she moved to Bradenton, Florida to attend the IMG Golf Academy, where she graduated from Pendleton High School the week after her first LPGA victory.[30] As of 2007 she lives in Isleworth, a gated community in Windermere, Florida, in the Orlando suburbs.[18]

Association with color pink

Due to her fondness for wearing pink, Creamer's friend Casey Wittenberg nicknamed her as the "Pink Panther".[31] The sobriquet has followed her on tour ever since. Creamer's golf clubs have pink grips, and her golf bag is pink (complete with Pink Panther head cover for her driver).[32] She uses a pink golf ball during the last round of every tournament provided by Precept Golf, one of her sponsors.[33][34]

References

  1. ^ Junga, Steve (2005-07-07). "Think pink: 18-year-old Creamer sets her sights high". The Toledo Blade. Retrieved 2008-04-02.
  2. ^ Spousta, Tom (2006-02-21). "Annika leads as Creamer, Wie give chase in world rankings". USA Today. Retrieved 2008-04-02.
  3. ^ "Women's World Golf Rankings". Ladies' Golf Union. Retrieved 2008-04-02.
  4. ^ a b c Herrington, Ryan. "She's One Pink Panther". Golf World. Retrieved 2008-03-08.
  5. ^ "AJGA Girls Record Book". American Junior Golf Association. Retrieved 2008-03-09.
  6. ^ a b "Player Biography: Paula Creamer". United States Golf Association. Retrieved 2008-04-02.
  7. ^ a b c d "Paula Creamer Full Career Bio" (PDF). LPGA Tour. Retrieved 2008-04-02.
  8. ^ "Creamer Medalist at LPGA Q-School". The Golf Channel. 2004-12-05. Retrieved 2008-04-02.
  9. ^ "Creamer becomes 2nd-youngest LPGA winner". NBC Sports. 2005-05-23. Retrieved 2008-04-02.
  10. ^ a b "Creamer clinches 2005 Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year award". LPGA Tour. 2005. Retrieved 2007-08-20.
  11. ^ "Marlene Hagge Biography". golf.about.com. Retrieved 2007-08-20.
  12. ^ "Creamer cruises to French title". BBC Sport. 2005-07-23. Retrieved 2008-04-02.
  13. ^ "All Time Records" (PDF). LPGA Tour. Retrieved 2007-08-20.
  14. ^ "Creamer tops home favorite at NEC Karuizawa". ESPN.com. 2005-08-14. Retrieved 2008-04-02.
  15. ^ "Creamer captures event on Japan tour". ESPN.com. 2005-08-23. Retrieved 2008-04-02.
  16. ^ Bethan Cutler (2005-08-28). "Lopez announces 2005 U.S. Solheim Cup Team". LET (Ladies European Tour). Retrieved 2007-08-20.
  17. ^ "2005 Player Performance Record". LPGA Tour. Retrieved 2008-04-03.
  18. ^ a b Baldry, Beth Ann (2007-02-08). "Rust remover: Creamer makes Hooters Tour stint to prepare for LPGA season". Golfweek. Retrieved 2008-04-03.
  19. ^ "2006 Player Performance Record". LPGA Tour. Retrieved 2008-04-03.
  20. ^ "Creamer wins SBS Open for third career tour victory". ESPN.com. 2007-02-18. Retrieved 2008-04-02.
  21. ^ "Creamer cruises to victory at LPGA's Tournament of Champions". Golf Magazine. 2007-11-11. Retrieved 2008-04-02.
  22. ^ "2007 Solheim Cup: Overall Player Records". LPGA Tour. Retrieved 2008-04-03.
  23. ^ "2007 Player Performance Record". LPGA Tour. Retrieved 2008-04-03.
  24. ^ "Paula Creamer wins Fields Open with late rally". CBSSports.com. 2008-02-23. Retrieved 2008-04-02.
  25. ^ "RBS and Golf". Royal Bank of Scotland. Retrieved 2007-08-20.
  26. ^ "SUNDOG EYEWEAR ANNOUNCES THE Paula Creamer Collection". Sundog Eyewear. Retrieved 2007-08-20.
  27. ^ DiMeglio, Steve (2008-02-13). "Bubbly Creamer leads U.S. renaissance on LPGA tour". USA Today. Retrieved 2008-04-03.
  28. ^ Thomas, Aaron (2007-08-29). "Tiger Woods PGA Tour 08 for PlayStation 3 Review". GameSpot. Retrieved 2008-04-03.
  29. ^ Kroichick, Ron (2007-10-03). "Creamer, Gulbis on top of game". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2008-04-02.
  30. ^ Yen, Yi-Wyn (2005-05-30). "Working Girl". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 2008-04-02.
  31. ^ Ginella, Matthew. "American Idol". Golf Digest. Retrieved 2008-03-08.
  32. ^ Braswell, Tommy (2007-05-28). "Creamer enjoying early success on LPGA". The Post and Courier. Retrieved 2008-03-27.
  33. ^ "Paula Creamer switches to Precept ball". iseekgolf.com. 2006-01-17. Retrieved 2007-03-17.
  34. ^ "Paula Creamer with pink golf ball". The Washington Post. 2006-05-11. Retrieved 2007-08-20.

Template:Top ten female golfers

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