KARRIE WEBB WINS THIRD AUSSIE OPEN
TITLE BY IMPRESSIVE SIX STROKES
Australian Karrie Webb outclassed the international field to win the MFS Women's Australian Open by six strokes at Royal Sydney Golf Club. It was her third victory in the event and easily her most impressive.
Last year the Queensland player won five times, including a seventh major. Now the World No.3 has begun her 2007 campaign in perfect fashion, closing the tournament with an even-par 72 to finish on 10 under par and add to her 2000 and 2002 triumphs in the tournament at Yarra Yarra in Melbourne.
"It feels great, obviously a good start to the year, and it feels great to win on such a tough golf course," said Karrie, pictured above.
"You can never get sick of that (walking down the 18th knowing the win is secure), it was a great crowd out there today and playing in front of my home fans was great."
Webb began with a four-stroke cushion and her playing partner and only challenger Yun-Jye Wei of Chinese Taipei didn't get any closer than three shots at any stage, and on both the occasions that was the case it was for no more than two holes.
Players made the most of ideal conditions on the final day, with the sun shining and the breeze lighter than it had been on the previous two days, and Australian Katherine Hull cashed in most with the round of the tournament, a 65.
With Webb leading the way atop the leaderboard on 10-under and Wei two clear in second place on four-under after signing for a 74, third place was shared on minus two by Spaniard Paula Marti and Finn Minea Blomqvist, who both shot 69.
American Brittany Lincicome and Korean Ji Yai Shin both also carded 69s to tie for fifth on one-under, 2006 HSBC Women's World Match Play Championship winner Lincicome grabbing seven birdies and only undoing her fine work with two double bogeys.
German Bettina Hauert (70) and Korean Sun Ju Ahn (72) finished all square with the card in equal seventh place, while Hull's seven-under round saw her vault to plus one and outright ninth place.
Defending champion Laura Davies birdied the first two holes but a bogey at 12, a quadruple bogey at 13 and a double bogey at 15 left her with her second 77 of the week and a 13-over-par final total.
Monifieth's Kathryn Imrie had a sad final round of 82 for a total of 312 and a joint 75th finish of the 77 players who beat the halfway cut.
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4 x 72)
278 K Webb (Aus) 67 71 68 72.
284 Yun-Jye Wei (Tai) 68 71 71 74.
286 P Marti (Spa) 74 69 74 69, M Blomqvist (Fin) 71 72 74 69.
287 B Lincicome (US) 70 73 75 69, Ji Yai Shin (SKor) 72 73 73 69.
288 B Hauert (Ger) 70 75 73 70, Sun Ju Ahn (Tai) 70 72 74 72.
Other scores:
292 B Brewerton (Wal) 71 77 72 72 (jt 17th).
301 L Davies (Eng) 73 77 74 77 (jt 44th).
302 E Pilgrim (Wal) 71 77 74 780, ~G Simpson (Eng0 75 77 76 74 (jt 48th).
304 L Fairclough (Eng) 73 79 76 76 (jt 55th).
306 D Masters (Eng) 70 82 79 75, R Coakley (Ir) 73 77 80 76 (jt 62nd).
312 K Imrie (Sco) 76 76 78 82 (jt 75th).
Last year the Queensland player won five times, including a seventh major. Now the World No.3 has begun her 2007 campaign in perfect fashion, closing the tournament with an even-par 72 to finish on 10 under par and add to her 2000 and 2002 triumphs in the tournament at Yarra Yarra in Melbourne.
"It feels great, obviously a good start to the year, and it feels great to win on such a tough golf course," said Karrie, pictured above.
"You can never get sick of that (walking down the 18th knowing the win is secure), it was a great crowd out there today and playing in front of my home fans was great."
Webb began with a four-stroke cushion and her playing partner and only challenger Yun-Jye Wei of Chinese Taipei didn't get any closer than three shots at any stage, and on both the occasions that was the case it was for no more than two holes.
Players made the most of ideal conditions on the final day, with the sun shining and the breeze lighter than it had been on the previous two days, and Australian Katherine Hull cashed in most with the round of the tournament, a 65.
With Webb leading the way atop the leaderboard on 10-under and Wei two clear in second place on four-under after signing for a 74, third place was shared on minus two by Spaniard Paula Marti and Finn Minea Blomqvist, who both shot 69.
American Brittany Lincicome and Korean Ji Yai Shin both also carded 69s to tie for fifth on one-under, 2006 HSBC Women's World Match Play Championship winner Lincicome grabbing seven birdies and only undoing her fine work with two double bogeys.
German Bettina Hauert (70) and Korean Sun Ju Ahn (72) finished all square with the card in equal seventh place, while Hull's seven-under round saw her vault to plus one and outright ninth place.
Defending champion Laura Davies birdied the first two holes but a bogey at 12, a quadruple bogey at 13 and a double bogey at 15 left her with her second 77 of the week and a 13-over-par final total.
Monifieth's Kathryn Imrie had a sad final round of 82 for a total of 312 and a joint 75th finish of the 77 players who beat the halfway cut.
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4 x 72)
278 K Webb (Aus) 67 71 68 72.
284 Yun-Jye Wei (Tai) 68 71 71 74.
286 P Marti (Spa) 74 69 74 69, M Blomqvist (Fin) 71 72 74 69.
287 B Lincicome (US) 70 73 75 69, Ji Yai Shin (SKor) 72 73 73 69.
288 B Hauert (Ger) 70 75 73 70, Sun Ju Ahn (Tai) 70 72 74 72.
Other scores:
292 B Brewerton (Wal) 71 77 72 72 (jt 17th).
301 L Davies (Eng) 73 77 74 77 (jt 44th).
302 E Pilgrim (Wal) 71 77 74 780, ~G Simpson (Eng0 75 77 76 74 (jt 48th).
304 L Fairclough (Eng) 73 79 76 76 (jt 55th).
306 D Masters (Eng) 70 82 79 75, R Coakley (Ir) 73 77 80 76 (jt 62nd).
312 K Imrie (Sco) 76 76 78 82 (jt 75th).
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | 9:10:00 am
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