Date: November 11, 2007
Author:

Creamer on course for victory

Paula Creamer continued her fine form with a four-under par round of 68 to hold a six stroke lead going into the final round of the Mitchell Company LPGA Tournament of Champions in Alabama. Creamer&aposs round of 68 included four birdies and was bogey-free for the second time in succession. She has now gone an amazing 45 holes since posting a bogey. Pat Hurst shot an impressive five birdies on the back nine for a four-under par round of 68 to leave her in second place overall, but still six shots of the leader. Jin Joo Hong is a further shot back in outright third after a round of 70 put her at nine-under par for the tournament. Birdie Kim fired the best round of the tournament so far, a six-under par 66 to put her in a tie for fourth place with Suzann Petterson and Annika Sorenstam. Kim&aposs bogey-free round included four birdies and an eagle on the par five 13th. Sorenstam failed to recapture the form she showed in the previous round, but still managed a two-under par round of 70. Australian Wendy Doolan shot her best round for the tournament, a one-over par 73, but still remains in a tie for 32nd place overall. Defending champion Lorena Ochoa birdied five of the last seven holes on her way to an impressive four-under par round of 68, but has little chance of hauling in the leader as she is 11 strokes off the pace. Creamer has 11 top ten finishes so far his season and it looks certain to add to her one victory this season when she takes to the course to complete her final round on Sunday (US time). Mitchell Company LPGA Tournament of Champions After Round 3 -16: Paula Creamer 67 65 68 -10: Pat Hurst 69 69 68 -9: Jin Joo Hong 70 67 70 -8: Birdie Kim 72 70 66, Suzann Pettersen 69 71 68, Annika Sorenstam 71 67 70 -6: Seon Hwa Lee 69 74 67, Natalie Gulbis 69 74 67 -5: Lorena Ochoa 74 69 70, Wendy Ward 73 69 69 -3: Karen Stupples 72 67 74 -2: Nicole Castrale 76 71 67, Julieta Granada 74 72 68 -1: Jimin Kang 71 76 68, Hee-Won Han 71 74 70 E: Christina Kim 77 69 70, Liselotte Neumann 72 73 71 +1: Juli Inkster 74 72 71, Hi Hyun Kim 69 76 72 +2: Heather Young 71 76 71, Carin Koch 72 70 76 Also: +10: Wendy Doolan (Australia) 77 76 73