Creamer in the pink

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SYLVANIA, Ohio » Just like the last two weeks, Paula Creamer didn't play well in the final round of a tournament.

This time, she didn't have to.

Creamer shot a 2-over 73 yesterday and did just enough to make a big lead stand, going wire-to-wire to win the Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic by two strokes.

"I learned you have to stay in your own world," Creamer said after capturing her seventh career win and third this year. "It doesn't matter what other people do until you're walking down the 18th fairway."

Two weeks ago, while near the top of the leaderboard at the U.S. Women's Open, she sagged to a 78 to finish in a tie for sixth. Last week at the tour stop in Arkansas, she had a 74 to fall out of contention.

Asked what she was thinking as she approached the final green to a huge ovation, she said, "It's over!"

Creamer had worse scores every day after breaking the tournament record with an 11-under 60 in the first round. She followed that with a 65 and a 70 to finish at 16-under 268, two shots better than Nicole Castrale who closed fast with a 64.

Creamer represents the tournament's title sponsor, which features a pink panther in its advertising. Creamer, who felt she let Owens Corning down when she missed the cut at the Farr in 2007, is known for her pink clothing ensembles, not to mention using pink golf balls, pink grips on her clubs, a pink golf bag and a pink panther club-head cover.

While laying claim to that color, she didn't put many red numbers on the leaderboard in the final round.

Ahead by four shots at the start, Creamer saw her lead drop to a shot when rookie Shanshan Feng - the first exempt player from China to play on the LPGA Tour - pushed her with five birdies through her first 11 holes.

Feng fell back with three straight bogeys down the stretch, although she had her best finish of the year (fourth, 272).

South Korea's Eun-Hee Ji shot a 72 and was a shot back of Castrale at 271.

Honolulu's Michelle Wie closed with two birdies on her final four holes for a 72, tying for 46th at 285 and earning $4,831.

"It was a struggle," Creamer said. "I learned a lot about perseverance and staying in the moment and forgetting what happened in the past."

Then she packed up her stuff and headed for a week of vacation, putting a pink bow on any lingering doubts.

Price earns playoff victory, card

BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. » Rick Price defeated Chris Anderson on the second playoff hole of the Nationwide Tour Players Cup and earned his PGA Tour card for next season.

The 40-year-old Price collected $180,000, the richest paycheck in the Nationwide Tour's 19-year history and, guaranteed himself a spot among the top-25 money winners on the circuit who will earn PGA Tour cards for 2009.

"This means a lot. It means I get an opportunity to play on the best tour in the world with the best players," said Price, who has been to PGA Q-school 19 times since turning pro in 1987.

Price squandered a one-shot lead on the final hole, making bogey to close out regulation play at the Pete Dye Golf Club. His even-par 72 left him with a score of 15-under 273.

Anderson made a par putt from 7 feet on the 72nd hole to join Price in the first playoff of the tournament's five-year history.

When Anderson missed his bogey attempt on the second playoff hole, Price had earned his second career title.

McDowell birdies way to win

LUSS, Scotland » Graeme McDowell won the Scottish Open with three straight birdies on the back nine for a 3-under 68 and a two-stroke victory.

Phil Mickelson had a 73 and finished 11 shots off the lead in a tie for 38th.

McDowell trailed Simon Khan by two shots until Khan double bogeyed the 12th. McDowell then birdied the next three holes to move ahead and went on to win with a total of 13-under 271 at Loch Lomond.