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SYLVANIA, Ohio : American Paula Creamer followed up her opening-round course record 60 with a final round two-over 73 to hang on and capture the LPGA Jamie Farr Classic on Sunday.
The 21-year-old American finished with a 16-under 268 total to beat Nicole Castrale by two strokes at the 1.3 million dollar tournament.
"It's always difficult to lead from start to finish. There is so much pressure," said Creamer, after picking up her third title of the season and the seventh of her four year LPGA Tour career. "But I'm just pleased that I got the job done."
Creamer went into the final round with a four-stroke lead and had to hold off late challenges from Castrale, who fired a eight-under 64 in the final round, and Chinese rookie Feng Shanshan.
Castrale finished with a flourish, rolling in six birdies on the final eight holes.
Creamer made three bogeys and had one birdie Sunday at the Highland Meadows Golf Club.
Creamer had 18 birdies over the first two rounds when she posted scores of 60-65, but she managed only four over her final 36 holes.
South Korea's Ji Eun-hee finished third with a 72, three shots back of Creamer.
Feng shot a two-under 69 to grab sole possession of fourth with a 12-under 272 total.
Feng also made a charge on Sunday with five birdies through the first 11 holes but then stumbled on the back nine by making three consecutive bogeys beginning on hole No. 14.
It marked her first top 10 finish on the LPGA in 14 tournament starts this year. She picked up over 65,000 dollars for finishing fourth -- more than three times her total earnings in 2008 heading into the tournament.
Castrale opened with a bogey, but then picked up a shot at the seventh and made three birdies in a row starting at the 11th and three more in a row starting at the 15th in a back nine of 31.
"I knew I was going to have to shoot a good number and with the wind being as much as it was today," Castrale said. "If there was a way to catch her it was going to be today with it being windy. So I may come up a few short but I gave it my all."
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