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**truebluefan** · 03-28-2008, 11:59 AM

Aventura, FL

**truebluefan** · 04-24-2008, 08:00 PM

Red-hot Lorena Ochoa will be absent but 2008 winners Annika Sorenstam and Paula Creamer will tee off at the LPGA Stanford International Pro-Am which begins here Thursday.

Chances are no one is going to complain about Ochoa missing the inaugural event at Fairmont Turnberry Isle Resort and Club because it opens the door for the rest of the field.

Ochoa has won five of the six events she has played this season, including last week's Ginn Open. Her combined margin of victory this year is 37 shots and she has 10 victories in her last 15 starts.

After four consecutive wins in as many weeks, tying a tour record, Ochoa decided she needed a break and decided to skip this two million dollar event.

The Stanford International Pro-Am is the first professional-amateur tournament on the LPGA schedule since the 2001 Office Depot at Doral Golf Resort and Spa in Miami, which was won by Grace Park.

Park is in the field this week, as are Sorenstam (SBS Open in Hawaii), Creamer (Fields Open in Hawaii) and Louise Friberg, all of whom have won this season.

Sorenstam and Creamer won in Hawaii when Ochoa was not in the field. Friberg won the MasterCard Classic in Mexico and is the only player to win an event with Ochoa in the field.

Suzann Pettersen, Cristie Kerr and Morgan Pressel are also in the field this week. Pettersen won five times in 2007 but is still searching for her first win of 2008.

She won't have many better chances than this week, thanks to Ochoa.

**truebluefan** · 04-24-2008, 08:02 PM

Paula Creamer and Momoko Ueda tied with a 68

**truebluefan** · 04-26-2008, 07:16 PM

Beth Bader missed the cut at this week's Stanford International Pro-Am, meaning she should have been long gone by Saturday morning.

Instead, she was on the course at 7:40 a.m., beginning another 18 holes - and, as her teary eyes showed, for a very good reason.

Bader's partner in the Pro-Am was Aaron Theobald, a 23-year-old bartender from Bloomington, Ill., whom she'd never met before this week's play began.

They were a perfect pairing. He's a leukemia survivor. She raises money for cancer research, after losing her mother to the disease in 2004. Earlier this year, Bader organized the first Susan L. Bader Golf Classic, raising $50,000.

So for Bader, there couldn't have been a better reason to play Saturday, even though she wasn't making a cent.

"Hearing Aaron's story, how he's battled what he's battled at such a young age, it obviously touched me and it still touches me," Bader said, crying softly as she spoke minutes after Theobald tapped in for birdie on their final hole. "It was a pleasure playing with him. ... Today was about Aaron and we came through. It was a great day."

A really great day, as it turned out.

The Bader-Theobald team shot a 64 on Saturday in the best-ball handicap format, finishing the tournament 25 under - and winning by three shots. For their efforts, they received a slew of gifts including a Waterford Crystal trophy, watches, airline tickets and a resort stay.

"He played spectacular," Bader said.

Complete article

**truebluefan** · 04-26-2008, 07:17 PM

Annika Sorenstam has made no secret that she wasn't thrilled about the course setup this week at the Stanford International Pro-Am.

That doesn't mean she doesn't enjoy — and thrive on — demanding courses.

Sorenstam shot a 4-under 67 on the Soffer course Friday, drawing her within one shot of Young Kim at the midway point of the inaugural event, being contested at Turnberry Isle. Kim also shot a 67, matching her first-round score on Turnberry's Miller track. They'll enter the third round with a solid cushion over Paula Creamer (71) and Angela Stanford (70), both of whom were 2 under.

SCORES: Stanford International Pro-Am

"So far, so good," Sorenstam said. "We have a long ways to go."

**truebluefan** · 04-28-2008, 11:21 AM

Annika Sorenstam made a par on the first playoff hole Sunday, good enough to beat Paula Creamer in the Stanford International Pro-Am.

It was Sorenstam's 71st career victory on the LPGA Tour, and came after Creamer wasted a great chance down the stretch.

Both laid up at the par-5 18th in the playoff, with Creamer facing a tricky downhill birdie putt from just off the fringe, and Sorenstam leaving herself a birdie try from almost the same spot where she missed the potential winner in regulation.

Sorenstam missed the birdie putt yet again, but Creamer's 6-foot comebacker for par stopped short and gave the Swede the victory, plus the $300,000 winner's check.

"I'm very relieved and happy and excited at the same time," Sorenstam said. "I thought it was a good day today. I thought I played very well and so did Paula. She played excellent. It took 19 holes to separate us. ... Fortunately, this time, it was my turn and I'm going to cherish this moment."

With considerable help from Creamer, Sorenstam (70) erased a one-hole deficit in the final two holes of regulation. They finished at 8 under.

Creamer missed the green at the short par-3 17th, then hit a bad chip and made bogey. On the par-5 18th, Creamer (69) hit driver off the tee, but elected to lay up anyway and hit a poor pitch from just inside of 100 yards, eventually settling for par.

Sorenstam nearly ended it right there.

Complete article