PHILIPPINES BIRDIE LAST

FOUR HOLES TO WIN

WOMEN'S WORLD CUP

FROM THE LADIES' EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE:

The Philippines outplayed 19 other teams today to earn a two-stroke victory at the Women’s World Cup of Golf.

Playing together in the tournament for the third time, Dorothy Delasin and Jennifer Rosales (pictured left with trophy) fired a 65 in the first round of better-ball on the Gary Player Course at Sun City in South Africa. They shot 68 in the foursomes and sealed their victory with another seven-under-par 65 in the final better-ball matches for a total of 18-under-par 198.

They played their final nine holes in six-under-par 30, and Delasin birdied each of the last four holes, capping a phenomenal week of team play.

“I had some adrenaline pumping, it was so cool,” said the 27-year-old Delasin, a four-time winner on the LPGA Tour. “Like I said all week we were ham and egging.”

The 29-year-old Rosales, a two time winner on the LPGA, added: “We had fun all week. It was really good teamwork today too. I want to thank all the fans who came out here to support women’s golf.”

The South Korean team of Ji-Yai Shin and Eun-Hee Lee finished second on 16-under with a closing 67 for a total of 200.

Taiwan and Japan tied for third place on 13-under 203. Taiwan carded a 68 while Japan shot 65. France were the leading non-Oriental country in the final standings. They finished with a better-ball 67 for 205.
The South Koreans led by one stroke after the first round and were tied for the lead with the Philippines on 11-under-par after the second day’s foursomes. The Philippines got the best start to the final round when they pulled one shot ahead with a birdie on the first hole, but they were quickly overtaken when Korea’s Shin holed out from a bunker for an eagle 3 at the par-5 fifth hole.

There was a three-stroke swing when the Philippines made bogey there. The South Koreans pulled two ahead after Shin holed a 6ft birdie putt at the sixth, but then the Philippines fought back to tie for the lead on 14-under after birdies on holes 11 and 12.

South Korea birdied the 14th hole to move one ahead before Delasin began her birdie blitz. Delasin rolled in a 1oft birdie putt at the 15th. She said: “That got me pumped and then I chipped in on 16. I told my caddie Clint: “Take out that flag because I’m going to chip this in.” My blood was pumping and I felt like Superwoman out there.”

At the 17th, Delasin rolled in a downhill 15ft birdie putt to move two shots ahead, but she flirted with disaster by driving into the trees on the left of the fairway at the 18th hole. She hit a brave second shot out onto the fairway. Then, in dramatic fashion, Korea’s Shin hit her second shot to the green on the par-5 finishing hole. The ball bounced off some rocks on the right edge of the island green and came to rest 20 feet from the hole. She had a chance to tie for the lead but missed the eagle putt. With Delasin’s third shot placed 15 feet long of the pin, she confidently rolled in the birdie putt to seal the victory and a half- share of the US$280,000 first prize.

The Philippines pair finished second to Japan in the 2005 Women’s World Cup of Golf and as a team, the two players proved the perfect combination. They giggled their way through three press conferences and Delasin even joked: “We’re even finishing each other’s sentences!”

On a serious note, they both added that the win would give them a huge confidence boost ahead of the main 2008 season. “It’s been a while since we’ve won so it’s nice to get a win,” said Delasin, with Rosales adding: “It’s great to represent your country.”

South Africa, the host nation, finished tied for sixth with Canada and Wales, which was their best finish in four years in the event. Meanwhile, the defending champions Paraguay finished in ninth place on nine-under with Scotland in joint 1oth position alongside United States.

Catriona Matthew and Mhairi McKay finished with their best effort of 676 for eight-under-par 208.
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CHINESE GET THEIR WAY: TAIWAN FLAG

BANNED AT WOMEN'S WORLD CUP

The sovereignty dispute between China and Taiwan resulted in Taiwan's flag being banned from the event.
Taiwan's Amy Hung and Yun-Jye Wei were golfers without a flag as they represented their country at the Gary Player Country Club.
It was the first time the People's Republic of China and Taiwan had played in the event together, and China's management insisted the Taiwan flag not be used in the opening ceremony or flown anywhere on the golf course.
In addition, the Taiwan flag was removed from the bibs of the players' caddies, and not used on any of the scoreboards at the event or on the tournament web site.
China regards Taiwan as a province of the mainland while Taiwan has been making increasing moves toward independence.
Women's World Cup of Golf managing director Alison Spratley said:
``The difficulties were compounded because the South African government has ties with China and does not diplomatically recognize Taiwan, and that's a problem in a tournament whose patron is South Africa's vice president Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka,'' she added.
Spratley met the Taiwan team and discussed the issue with them. ``Clearly, they were upset, but they insisted throughout that all they wanted to do was play golf,'' she said.
China's management said Taiwan could play under the Olympic flag used by its athletes, but the golfers turned down that chance, especially as golf is not an Olympic sport.
Instead, they insisted they be allowed to be identified as from Taiwan - not Chinese Taipei as requested by the Chinese management.
``The compromise was accepted, and the Taiwanese caddies both had the word 'Taiwan' on their bibs, but no flags,'' said Spratley. ``Also, the players were allowed to leave the Taiwan flags on their golf bags unconcealed,'' she said.
Taiwan has only 50 women professional golfers. ``But we have a lot of younger players coming up,'' said player Amy Hung at a press conference.
``This year, we will have five players in the LPGA Tour, and we have four in Japan who have been playing for six years there already."

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