Consistent Creamer stretches her lead to six in Alabama

Paula Creamer chipped in for her third birdie at the 18th hole in as many rounds and a four-under par 68 on Saturday that stretched her lead to six shots at the LPGA Tournament of Champions.

The 21-year-old American, seeking her fourth career LPGA triumph and her first since this year's opener in February at Hawaii, stood on 16-under par 200 after 54 holes, six strokes ahead of second-place compatriot Pat Hurst.

Creamer, who led by five strokes when the day began, has gone 45 holes since making a bogey, that coming on the ninth hole on Thursday. She birdied the fifth and 12th on Saturday as well as the 15th and 18th for the third day in a row.

"I didn't hit the ball as well as I did the other days. I was pulling some shots here and there," Creamer said. "I'm pretty pleased with the way that I played overall."

"It's difficult when you go out there, and you have such a big lead and everyone is gunning for you. It's just difficult. But you've got to keep that momentum going," she said.

Creamer the green with a wedge from 105 yards but chipped in to deny her rivals even a bit of a falter at the finish.

"I thought it was definitely makeable. I felt like I was either going to make it or it was going to be very close," Creamer said. "It was one of those things that you hit just an awful wedge then you chip in and it's like, `What's going on here?'"

The tournament record of 21-under par, set by world No. 1 Lorena Ochoa of Mexico last year, is within reach for Creamer, who is 14-under on the back nine so far but just two-under before the turn for the week.

"I know I can make a lot of birdies out here. It's just hitting fairways and greens, and kind of making them chase you at the same time. I want to go as low as I can tomorrow," she said.

"Six shots is a lot. It's one of those things that you just have to keep moving forward one hole at a time and try to make as many birdies as you can but stay your own mindset," Creamer said.

"I really feel that I've played good this week. I just need to close it out with one more round," she said.

Hurst fired a 68 to move into second, one stroke ahead of South Korean 24-year-old rookie Jin Joo-hong and two ahead of South Korean Birdie Kim, Norway's Suzann Pettersen and Sweden's Annika Sorenstam at the US$1 million event.

"We have to go low and she has to be where she is, but you never know in golf," said Pettersen, who squandered a big lead before winning in Bangkok last month.

"I was seven ahead in Thailand and I made it quite exciting for the rest of the field. You're not done before you're done. Looks like she's playing well. It's just for us to go out there, stay aggressive and try to fire right at her," Pettersen said.

Hurst four holes in a row starting at the 13th to move into second but knows she will need another superb round to overtake Creamer.