SportsMay 23, 2005
Paula Creamer gave herself quite a graduation gift. The 18-year-old made a 17-foot birdie putt on the final hole Sunday to win the Sybase Classic by one stroke and become the second-youngest first-time winner ever on the LPGA Tour. Creamer won't be able to win two weeks in a row, though, as she has to return to Bradenton, Fla. for her high school graduation on Thursday...

Paula Creamer gave herself quite a graduation gift.

The 18-year-old made a 17-foot birdie putt on the final hole Sunday to win the Sybase Classic by one stroke and become the second-youngest first-time winner ever on the LPGA Tour.

Creamer won't be able to win two weeks in a row, though, as she has to return to Bradenton, Fla. for her high school graduation on Thursday.

"It's going to be fun going home for graduation, that's for sure," she said. "I can't even speak let alone think right now. It's awesome. I have so much energy right now."

The former amateur star closed with a 1-under 71 on the Wykagyl Country Club course in New Rochelle, N.Y, including three birdies in her last five holes. She had tap-in birdies on the par-4 14th and par-5 15th and the clincher came on the par-5 18th after she was just short of the green in two. She finished with a 6-under 278.

Marlene Hagge won the Sarasota Open in 1952, just 14 days after her 18th birthday. She won the Bakersfield Open two months later. Both of those tournaments were just 18-hole events.

Creamer is the youngest winner of a true LPGA tournament since Amy Alcott was one day past her 19th birthday, when she won the Orange Blossom Classic in 1975.

"They told me about that when I was signing my scorecard," Creamer said of being the second-youngest winner. "That's awesome. That's great."

Creamer, who finished second in the ShopRite Classic last year as an amateur, is 18 years and 8 months old. Her previous best finish this year was a tie for third in the Takefuji Classic.

Jeong Jang (67) and 2002 Sybase champion Gloria Park (71) tied for second at 279, one shot in front of Christina Kim (73), who led or shared the lead after each of the first three rounds.

PGA Tour

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Kenny Perry matched his Colonial record of 19 under par Sunday, shooting a 1-under 69 to win by seven strokes over Billy Mayfair in Fort Worth, Texas.

Perry double bogeyed No. 17, but still managed the best 72-hole total on the PGA Tour this year, and the largest margin of victory. Phil Mickelson twice won by five strokes this season.

Mayfair shot a 69 to finish at 12 under. David Toms (66), Joe Durant (66) and Peter Lonard (69) finished tied for third.

Champions Tour

D.A. Weibring shot a 3-under 69 for a two-stroke victory over Tom Jenkins and Tom Kite at the Bruno's Memorial Classic in Hoover, Ala., surviving a scare on the 18th hole when his ball appeared to move before his final putt.

Weibring's celebration was put on hold until Champions Tour officials ruled that his putter didn't touch the ground before the ball moved. That violation would have cost him a two-stroke penalty and forced a three-way playoff.

Weibring finished at 15-under 201 for his third Champions Tour victory and first of the year. Jenkins shot a final-round 66, tying Kite at 203.

Kite, who tied the tournament record with a 63 on Saturday, finished with a 70.

European PGA Tour

Stephen Dodd birdied the first extra hole to win the Irish Open in Maynooth, Ireland, handing David Howell his second straight defeat in a playoff.

Dodd, who shot a 68 to force sudden death at 9-under 279, reached the par-5 18th in two and then two-putted from 30 feet for the birdie.

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