Paula Creamer

Started playing golf at age 10 and credits Larry O'Leary, the late Ernie Barbour, David Kern, Jonathon Hughes, Ian Segneri and especially David Whelan and her mother and father as the individuals most influencing her career. Was the top-ranked amateur in 2003 and 2004 and was named the 2003 American Junior Golf Association player of the year.
In 2003 and 2004, Creamer was a semifinalist at both the U.S. Women's Amateur Championship and the U.S. Girls' Junior Championship. Won a total of 11 AJGA tournaments, including the 2003 AJGA Polo Golf Junior Classic. Creamer was a member of the victorious 2004 U.S. Curtis Cup Team and represented the United States at the 2002 and 2003 PING Junior Solheim Cup matches. As an amateur, she played in 10 LPGA events from 2003-04 and posted five top-20 finishes. She posted her top LPGA finish of the year at the 2004 ShopRite LPGA Classic, where she finished one shot behind champion Cristie Kerr.
Creamer placed T-13th at the 2004 U.S. Women's Open, which granted her a tie for low amateur honors. Finished 13th at the Wegmans Rochester LPGA Presented by Lincoln Mercury, tied for 18th at the BMO Financial Group Canadian Women's Open, and 18th at the Wendy's Championship for Children.
In 2004, as an amateur, won the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament by five shots to earn exempt status for the 2005 LPGA Tour season. She turned professional immediately following the final round.
In 2005, just four days before graduating from high school, she made a 17-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole to win the Sybase Classic presented by Lincoln Mercury and become the youngest winner of a multi-round event in LPGA history at the age of 18 years, 9 months and 17 days. Two months later, she won the Evian Masters by eight shots to become the youngest (18 years, 11 months and 18 days) and fastest (4 months, 27 days) player to reach $1 million in career earnings. Became the first LPGA Tour rookie and youngest player ever to qualify for the Solheim Cup, finishing eighth in the U.S. point standings after only one season in which to earn points, went 3-1-1, earning the most points for the victorious U.S. Team. In her singles match against Laura Davies, she won, 7 and 5, set the record for most birdies, with seven, and carded best front-nine score (30).
With her T-2nd at the Wendy's Championship for Children, one of four runner-up finishes, she clinched Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year honors, even with four events remaining in which to earn points. Finished the rookie race 664 points ahead of Meena Lee, her closest competitor. Set an LPGA record for most money earned by a rookie at $1,531,780, breaking Karrie Webb's 1996 mark of $1,002,000, though Creamer's record was broken by Julieta Granada in 2006. Carded a career-low 64 during the final round of the Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic, finished the season tied for first in putts per greens in regulation with 1.75. Won the NEC Karuizawa and the Masters GC Ladies, events on the LPGA of Japan.
In 2006, recorded 14 top-10 finishes, including a season-best T-2nd at The Mitchell Company LPGA Tournament of Champions presented by Kathy Ireland Worldwide, where she tied her career-low 64 in the opening round. Crossed the $2 million mark in career earnings at the HSBC Women's World Match Play Championship, moved past the $1 million mark in season earnings for the second consecutive season to set an LPGA record for the most money earned in a season without a victory with $1,076,163.
In 2007, recorded two wins at the SBS Open at Turtle Bay and The Mitchell Company LPGA Tournament of Champions, where she carded a season-low 65 in the second round by finishing with seven consecutive birdies. Crossed the $3 million mark in career earnings at the Michelob ULTRA Open at Kingsmill, becoming the fastest player in LPGA history to reach that milestone at 2 years, 2 months, 19 days. Also turned in 11 top-10 finishes. Was one of four players at the 2007 Solheim Cup to compete in all five matches, where she posted a 2-0-3 record to earn the most points for the victorious U.S. Team.
In 2008, Creamer won the Fields Open in Hawaii, SemGroup Championship presented by John Q. Hammons, Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic Presented by Kroger, and the Samsung World Championship. Is the fastest player in LPGA history to cross both the $4 million mark in career earnings at the SBS� Open at Turtle Bay (77 events; 2 years, 11 months, 22 days), where she tied for 12th, and the $5 million mark in career earnings at the U.S. Women's Open (90 events; 3 years, 4 months, 22 days), where she tied for sixth. Carded 10 additional top-10 finishes.
In 2009, qualified for her third U.S. Solheim Cup Team, finishing first in the points race, posted a 3-1-0 record for the victorious squad and remains undefeated in singles competition at 3-0-0. Recorded 10 top-10 finishes, including runner-up finishes at the LPGA Corning Classic and Lorena Ochoa Invitational Presented by Banamex and Corona Light. Crossed the $6 million in career earnings ($6,039,735) at the HSBC Women's Champions (105 events, 4 years, 14 days), where she T-3rd. Crossed the $1 million mark in season earnings for the fifth year in a row at the Samsung World Championship, where she T-4th. Finished the season first in percentage of greens hit (.747), and in the top-10 in four other statistical categories.
In 2010, won her first major championship at the U.S. Women's Open, the ninth victory of her LPGA career, and was the only player under par in the championship, shooting 72-70-70-69 to finish at 3-under and defeat Na Yeon Choi and Suzann Pettersen by four strokes. Tied for fourth at the LPGA Hana Bank Championship and the Lorena Ochoa Invitational and Corona Light. Finished seventh at the ShopRite LPGA Classic and played in just 14 events due to left thumb surgery that kept her out nearly four months. Crossed the $7 million mark in career earnings at the ShopRite LPGA Classic, finished the season No. 11 on the Rolex Rankings.
In 2011, recorded 10 top-10 finishes including: T-2nd at the RR Donnelley LPGA Founders Cup and CME Group Titleholders, T-3rd at the Wegmans LPGA Championship and the State Farm Classic, 4th at the Safeway Classic, 5th at the Honda LPGA Thailand, T-5th at the Sybase Match Play Championship, T-8th at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship, T-9th at the Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia and Lorena Ochoa Invitational. Competed on her fourth U.S. Solheim Cup Team with a record of 3-1-1. Has been on the Solheim Cup team in 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011.
In 2012, played in 22 events, making 22 cuts and earning $815,574 (15th on the Tour money list). Had seven top-10 finishes and three top-five finishes. Narrowly missed notching her 10th LPGA Tour victory after losing in a nine-hole playoff to Jiyai Shin at the Kingsmill Championship.
2013 Notes: Played in 23 events and made every cut. Had six top-10s and four top-five finishes; season-best was second at the Marathon Classic. Earned $831,918 and she placed 11th on the Tour money list. Competed on her fifth U.S. Solheim Cup Team, posting a 1-3-0 record
2014 Notes: She was 22nd on the money list and 31st in CME points with 21 cuts made in 23 starts. She had one win and four top-10 finishes. It was the first time in her career that she failed to finish in the top 20 on the money list. After finishing T-3rd at the Pure Silk Bahamas Classic and again at the Handa Women's Australian Open, Creamer won for the first time since 2010 at the HSBC Women's Champions. She made a 75-foot eagle putt on the second playoff hole against Azahara Munoz for the victory. She missed the cut at Kingsmill, her first missed cut since the 2010 Safeway Classic. She also missed the cut at the Wegmans LPGA Championship, ending her streak of 41 straight cuts made at majors in which she played (including two as an amateur), going back to her missed cut at the 2003 U.S. Women's Open. Prior to the LPGA KEB HanaBank Championship in Korea, Creamer spent time with the Army's 2nd Infantry Division along the fortified Demilitarized Zone that divides the two Korea nations. She toured several camps, spent time with soldiers and their families, and learned the proper way to throw a hand grenade. In December she got married to Derek Heath, a major in the Air Force Reserve. Paula's father, Paul Creamer met Clark Heath in 1976 as naval aviators at Moffett Field. For 10-15 years, they saw each other every day in Sunnyvale, Calif. They moved from active duty to the reserves together and later worked as commercial pilots.
2015 Notes: She finished a career-worst 47th on the money list and 40th in CME points. She made 19 cuts in 25 starts and had four top-10s with a best of T-5th at Kingsmill. She was named by Juli Inkster as a captain's pick on the U.S. Solheim Cup team, and played in her sixth Matches in Germany. Creamer was 2-2 in the U.S. comeback victory, including a 4-and-3 win over Sandra Gal in the final singles match.
2016 Notes: Over the holidays she left coach David Whelan and started working with Gary Gilchrist. Started her year with a T-5th at the Pure Silk-Bahamas, then had a T-4th at the Founders Cup. At the Swinging Skirts ran into a streak of missing four straight cuts before making her first one at the Meijer LPGA Classic, finishing T-43rd. For the rest of the year, she had just one top-10, T-9th at the Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia. For the year, she played in 24 LPGA events and made the cut in 17. Had her career-worst 66th finish on the money list with $281,264 and 67th in CME points. After the season she split amicably with long-time caddie Colin Cann. Cann left Creamer after 12 years to work with Sung Hyun Park.
2017 Notes: She had a wrist injury and played in 19 events making 10 cuts. She only had one top-10, T-7th at the ShopRite Classic. She was named to the U.S. Solheim Cup team for the seventh time, being added to the team as an injury replacement for Jessica Korda. Creamer went 3-1-0 in the U.S. victory, including a 1-up singles win over Georgia Hall. She tried to play in the Evian Championship and the New Zealand Women's Open but withdrew during both tournaments with a sore left wrist. She tried to play in the Evian Championship and the New Zealand Women's Open but also couldn't play because of her sore left wrist. Went home and was diagnosed with intersection syndrome, an inflammation of the tendons in her left wrist and had surgery in October. Her year was ended with her finished 89th on the money list.
2018 Notes: Played in 17 LPGA Tour events making 17 cuts. She returned to the LPGA at the Bank of America Founders Cup, missing the cut. Her best finish was 12th in her last event of the year, the Buick LPGA Shanghai. Earned $71,185 which ranked 113th her career worst.
2019 Notes: Best finish T-32nd LPGA Lotte Championship.
When Paula's not playing golf, she enjoys fashion, shopping, watching movies and listening to music. In 2009, was named co-chair of The First Tee's Young Ambassador Council and hosts an annual event, Paula 4 Kids, which benefits The First Tee of Sarasota/Manatee, Florida. Creamer travels with her dog, Studley, who is a Coton de Tulear.