Paula Creamer kept her game together as others were losing theirs on a grueling day at the US Women’s Open on Saturday, taking a three-shot lead into the final round as she chases her first major victory.
Creamer, who has eight top-10 finishes in majors at age 23 but no wins, is playing in only her fourth tournament since sitting out four months to surgically repair a hyperextended thumb joint. The injury is so painful she limits her practice shots because she can’t stand the constant pounding of her golf club striking the ground.
PHOTO: AFP
Maybe that was the best way to prepare for the demanding Oakmont Country Club, whose stray shot-grabbing bunkers and tricky-to-read greens doomed the hopes of contender after contender on a day when play began at dawn and extended to sundown.
Creamer, who played 29 holes on Saturday, is one-under for the tournament with five holes remaining in the third round. Second-placed Wendy Ward has only No. 18 to play. Suzann Pettersen is four back with four holes to go, while 15-year-old Alexis Thompson, Amy Yang and Brittany Lang are five back. Only Thompson completed the third round.
Taiwan’s Yani Tseng shot a 73 for a three-round total of 222, nine-over, while compatriot Candie Kung carded a 79 for a 14-over 227. Teresa Lu missed the cut after carding 157 for her first two rounds.
Creamer, sixth in the last two US Women’s Opens, played all but two holes of her one-under 70 in the morning — the only below-par score among those completing the second round on Saturday. She followed that by getting three birdies and two bogeys during the third round, with the second bogey coming on 13 just as the horn sounded to halt playt.
The only other 70 of the day was by Thompson, who is playing in her fourth Women’s Open despite not yet being 16, but only her second tournament as a professional. She is at four-over 217.
Thompson found herself outplaying two former world No. 1s, LPGA Tour money leader Ai Miyazato and Shin Ji-yai.
“I never thought of that. I’m just watching their games and how good they are,” she said. “How good they putt is amazing.”
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY STAFF WRITER
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