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NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. – Paula Creamer gave herself quite a graduation gift.

The 18-year-old made a 17-foot birdie putt on the final hole Sunday to win the Sybase Classic by one stroke and become the second-youngest first-time winner ever on the LPGA Tour.

Creamer won’t be able to win two weeks in a row, though, as she has to return to Bradenton, Fla. for her high school graduation on Thursday.

“It’s going to be fun going home for graduation, that’s for sure,” she said. “I can’t even speak let alone think right now. It’s awesome. I have so much energy right now.”

The former amateur star closed with a 1-under 71 on the Wykagyl Country Club course, including three birdies in her last five holes. She had tap-in birdies on the par-4 14th and par-5 15th and the clincher came on the par-5 18th. She finished with a 6-under 278.

Two par-saving putts on Nos. 12 and 13 were just as big as the birdies in keeping her in position for win No. 1.

“Those putts, that’s when I got momentum,” she said. “That was a big swing moment.”

Marlene Hagge won the Sarasota Open in 1952, just 14 days after her 18th birthday. She won the Bakersfield Open two months later. Both of those tournaments were just 18-hole events.

Creamer is the youngest winner of a true LPGA tournament since Amy Alcott was one day past her 19th birthday, when she won the Orange Blossom Classic in 1975.

“They told me about that when I was signing my scorecard,” Creamer said of being the second-youngest winner. “That’s awesome. That’s great.”

The final round started in intermittent rain, but the final 2 hours were played in a steady rain and the temperature never broke 60 degrees.

“It was tough out there,” said Creamer, a native of Northern California who likes playing in the rain. “The scoreboard showed how tough it was. At one point, the lead was 3 under.”

Creamer, who finished second in the ShopRite Classic last year as an amateur, is 18 years and 8 months old.

Her previous best finish this year was a tie for third in the Takefuji Classic.

The $187,500 winner’s share from the $1.2 million purse is almost $20,000 more than Creamer won in her eight starts this year and will move her from 19th to fourth place on the money list.

Hagge won a total of $575 for her two wins in the LPGA’s third year of existence.

Jeong Jang (67) and 2002 Sybase champion Gloria Park (71) tied for second at 279, one shot in front of Christina Kim (73), who led or shared the lead after each of the first three rounds.

Heather Bowie (72) and Joo Mi Kim (73) finished another shot back at 281.

Defending champion Sherri Steinhauer, who also won here in 1999, closed with a 70 for a 5-over 289.

Tracy Hanson, from Rathdrum, Idaho, shot 4-over par, 75, to finish at 9-over, 293.