Creamer comfortably ahead in Alabama

American Paula Creamer retained a firm grip on the Mitchell Company Tournament of Champions as she stretched her lead to six shots with a round to play in Mobile, Alabama.

The 21-year-old chipped in from 20 feet at the last for a flawless four- under-par 68 – she has not made a bogey since the ninth hole in round one – and was comfortably ahead of her US Solheim Cup colleague, Pat Hurst.

Hurst made six birdies, including four in a row from the 13th, in a 68 for 10 under par, with South Korea’s Jin Joo Hong in third place on nine under after a 70.

Former world number one Annika Sorenstam had a 70 and edged into fourth place on eight under alongside Suzann Pettersen (68) and former US Women’s Open Champion, Birdie Kim (66).

England’s Karen Stupples, playing in only her eighth tournament since giving birth to son Logan in April, was in fifth place at halfway, but slipped back to just outside the top 10 on three under after a 74.

“But I really feel my game is coming together again this week,” said the 34-year-old former Women’s British Open Champion. “I’ve been having to adapt to travelling with Logan this year, but it’s nice to be scoring better again.”

Creamer started the round with a five-shot lead and made birdies from short range at the fifth, 12th and 15th before the chip-in at the last. “There is still a lot of golf to be played, but it would be great to win this week,” said the player who won in Hawaii at the start of the year.

Lorena Ochoa, who won by 10 shots from Creamer last year, birdied five of the last seven holes for a 68 and eased closer to the top on five under par, while Scotland’s Catriona Matthew, the second British player in the field, had a third successive 73 and was on three over par.