Creamer fires course-record 60

Paula Creamer knew she was playing well. She was surprised just how well.

Creamer birdied nine of the last 11 holes, including the final three, for a course-record 60 on the par-71 Highland Meadows layout Thursday. She held a five-stroke lead after the opening round of the LPGA’s Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic at Sylvania, Ohio.

Only after she finished did she realize how close she came to golf’s magic number of 59.

“I didn’t know it was a par 71,” Creamer said with a laugh. “I thought it was a par 72. If I would have known that, who knows?”

Creamer would have had to hole out a 137-yard, seven-iron from the fairway to shoot 59. She rolled in a 20-foot birdie putt for her 60 -- her best round on tour by four strokes.

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Phil Mickelson and Ernie Els failed to break par in the first round of the Scottish Open, while Alexander Noren and Thongchai Jaidee shared the lead with seven-under 64s at Luss, Scotland.

Angel Cabrera, the 2007 U.S. Open champion, was third with a 65. Mickelson and Els both returned from three-week layoffs. Mickelson had a 71 and Els was at one-over 72.

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Kenny Perry continued his best run in more than two decades on the PGA Tour, firing a six-under 65 in the first round of the John Deere Classic that put him one stroke off the lead at Silvis, Ill.

Perry, who has won twice this year, was right behind Ken Duke and Charlie Wi in a tie for third. Woody Austin was in a group at five under.