BY GRAHAM ELLIOTT, GOLFWEEKHilton Head Island, S.C… Paula Creamer made history Feb. 2 while Sean Moore took the time to savor golf history on the famous Harbour Town Golf Links.
Creamer of Pleasanton, Calif., finished at 2-under 141 to take the girls division title at the Junior Heritage while Moore of Marshville, N.C., ended at 1-under 142 to win the boys division.
With the victory, Creamer, No. 1 in the Golfweek/Titleist Performance Index, won her sixth consecutive ranked event since last August. The 16-year-old has been flawless this season, with a perfect 4-0 record, a feat that had never been accomplished before in the history of the Golfweek/Titleist Performance Index.
“I can’t really explain it, right now I am just determined,” said Creamer, who picked up her second Junior Heritage title (her first in 2000). “My goal is to be undefeated. I want to win every single tournament that I play in and I know that it might not happen all the time but that is my goal.”
Creamer shot 74 on the difficult Harbour Town course, which featured the same Sunday pins the PGA Tour uses at The Heritage.
“Paula is a great player and she played well,” said In-Bee Park of Eustis, Fla., who finished one-shot back at 142.
The reigning U.S. Girls’ Junior champion and 2002 Golfweek Junior of the Year made it exciting after she knocked her final shot on No. 18 (which was No. 9 for the girls) to 3 feet. She went on to make birdie, forcing Creamer to make a 2-footer for par and the title.“I am very proud of the way I played and I will be back next year to try to win,” said Park, who carded a final-round 73.
Julieta Granada from Bradenton, Fla., finished alone in third for the second consecutive year, and Morgan Pressel of Boca Raton, Fla., finished fourth at 147.
For Moore, golf is something very serious and playing the final round of a major junior tournament on his favorite course was a dream come true. Moore has worn knickers every time he has played since the age of five. So for the 16th-ranked junior, standing on the 18th hole, which has been considered one of golf’s greatest finishing holes, was golf heaven.
“I was standing on the tee box just looking over the water out there and I said ‘wow, I am standing in the same spot that Payne (Stewart) and all the greats have like Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer who all won here,’” said Moore, who earned an invitation to the Players Amateur and Azalea Amateur with his victory.
“It was just an amazing feeling to be able to step up there and be in pretty much the same situation, it’s not as big of a tournament but pretty much the same situation.”
Moore shot 74 to finish two shots better than Nicholas Smith of Ocala, Fla., and Cale Barr of Versailles, Ky.
“I am happy I got second. I thought it was going to be 10th or something pretty high, but I am very glad with second,” said Smith, who also closed with a 74.
Barr shot a final-round 72, which tied the low round of the day with Josh Esler of Wauconda, Ill., and Kenny Kim of Cerritos, Calif. Elliott Wainwright of Hillsborough, Calif., finished alone in fourth at 145.