Defending champion Paula Creamer will return to the scene of the defining moment of her 2014 tour in a fortnight’s time, confident that she has the ability to repeat the heroics of last year, when the 2015 HSBC Women’s Champions returns to the glorious surroundings of Sentosa Golf Club from 5 – 8 March.
Victory in the 2014 edition marked a long over-due return to the winners circle for Creamer. Despite numerous top ten finishes and a number of near-misses in recent years, it was at the 2010 US Women’s Open that she last won on the LPGA Tour, prior to being crowned ‘Champion of Champions’.
Speaking to the media about her title defence at Singapore’s premier golf tournament, last year’s win clearly meant a great deal to the 28 year old: “It was such a monumental move for me, my confidence and everything that I’ve worked for, and you know – I do really feel that it pushed me and it made me taste that winning sensation and there’s nothing better than that.”
Commenting on the putt that won her the LPGA fan vote for the Kia Most Compelling Performance of the year, she added, “It was fun, it was exciting, it puts a broad smile on your face. You know, it just makes me realise that I played a good game. Here you are with a 75 eagle-putt, determined you’ll make it – [it] puts everything into perspective. And, yeah, I’m glad I didn’t have to do it again. But you know those moments in sport – that’s what brings me back and that’s what keeps everybody involved.”
Creamer finished in an impressive third place in 2013 before last year’s win and obviously feels at ease on The Serapong and in the Lion City. Asked if the love affair with Singapore could continue, she said, “I have so many wonderful memories of Sentosa and that’s what’s exciting for me as I know I played great there and I just have to go out and do it again.
“The golf course is just awesome. It’s a great test of golf, it tests every ability, off the tee, your irons, your putting, your short game, every part of it. Everything is so beautiful. It’s a great week and HSBC does such a good job of hosting us in another country. They do a great job making us feel welcome.”
Asked about her approach to HSBC Women’s Champions 2015, she added, “I feel like I am relaxed, I feel good. You know, defending your title is a different feeling. It’s a little bit of added pressure but I’ve always played very good at this golf course and I feel like I can do that again and just be in a good mind-set and only good things can happen when you are in that situation.”
A highly talented player in her amateur days and a formidable contender on the LPGA Tour since her rookie year in 2005, Creamer has put her name to ten LPGA Tour titles (plus a further two LPGA of Japan titles), represented the USA on five occasions in the Solheim Cup, surpassed US$ 11 million in career earnings and broken a number of records along the way.
Speaking about her motivation to keep going, Creamer said, «My number one goal is to be the number one player in the world and to stay there. I know I have a lot of work to do, but that drive and the ambition for that is just so high that nothing else can compare to it. And if I can inspire one, two or ten girls, whether it’s the colour pink or the fact that I wear a skirt – something, it doesn’t matter. It’s my ambition to grow the game of golf and continue what we have.”
One area that will be unchartered territory for the player affectionately known as the Pink Panther when she arrives in Singapore, however, will be that of being a wife. Creamer tied the knot with fiancée Derek Heath in December before jetting off to enjoy a honeymoon in tropical paradise.
Speaking about married life, Creamer added, “I married my best friend and I feel great. He knows exactly my goal and what I want to achieve. Just because I’m married, doesn’t necessarily mean I’m going to stop working for any of this. I still want to do a lot for myself. It was great to be able to spend time with my husband and get away. Everything happens for a reason and I feel so refreshed – it’s a new feeling. When I got back to practice after my honeymoon, I was so motivated, I was so excited to get a club back in my hand.”
Paula Creamer joins a star-studded field that includes the world’s top ten ranked golfers, when the eighth edition of the HSBC Women’s Champions returns to Sentosa Golf Club from 5 – 8 March. The international festival of golf will see the world’s top players go head to head for their share of the $1.4 million prize purse in the tournament frequently referred to as Asia’s Major.
