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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Sunday, November 19, 2006

LPGA's final eight take shot at $1 million

Associated Press

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Paula Creamer walked to the 18th tee knowing par would, at worst, get her into a playoff for the last spot in the ADT Championship's final round.

Making birdie, however, eliminated any need for drama.

Creamer's 4-foot putt on yesterday's last hole ensured she'd be one of eight players competing for a record $1 million first-prize check at the LPGA Tour's season-ending event. But Creamer said she didn't spend her day fixating on the chance to play for the money.

"Today was more about getting yourself there," Creamer said. "And once you get yourself there, then you can think about it."

Il Mi Chung (65) was at 9-under, one shot better than Julieta Granada (69) and Mi Hyun Kim (65). Ai Miyazato (72) was 7-under through three rounds, and Karrie Webb (70) was alone in fifth at 6-under. Creamer, Natalie Gulbis and player of the year Lorena Ochoa were all 4-under, completing the eight-woman final-round field.

Today all those scores get wiped away, and the eight survivors from the original field of 32 tee off at Trump International all tied at even-par, playing an 18-hole shootout for the biggest winners' share in LPGA history.

"It's going to be an exciting Sunday," Creamer said.

Only 32 players qualified for the event, and of those, 16 reached the pressure-filled third round.

Yesterday, the field got cut in half once again. Jeong Jang (70) fell short of the final round by one shot, finishing at 3-under. Diana D'Alessio, Juli Inkster and Cristie Kerr — who took double-bogey on the par-3 17th to fall out of contention — were at 1-under. Hee-Won Han and Se Ri Pak were 1-over after the third round, Morgan Pressel was 4-over and Wendy Ward shot 83 to miss the third-round cut by 12 shots.

With Kerr not reaching the final round, that means only two players — Ochoa and Webb — remain in contention for the tour's money title. Both would claim it with a win; if neither emerges victorious today, Ochoa takes the crown.

DUNLOP PHOENIX

MIYAZAKI, Japan — Tiger Woods birdied the final hole for a 2-over 72 yesterday and was tied with Ireland's Padraig Harrington (71) at 6-under 204 after a rain-drenched third round at the Dunlop Phoenix.

Woods, who started the day with a one-stroke lead over Harrington sank an 18-foot birdie putt to finish an otherwise forgettable day in miserable rain at the Phoenix Country Club.