Annika makes it six for the season at Samsung
BY Bruce Young | LPGA Tour | 2004 Samsung World Championship | Wrap | 18 Oct 2004
Fifteen starts on the USLPGA Tour in 2004, six wins, three times runner-up and four other top tens makes for a pretty darn good season. Care to guess who?
No prizes for that one, Annika Sorenstam again found a way to win on the LPGA Tour when it appeared that Grace Park could only be beaten by herself. To a very large extent Park did just that over the last few holes but Sorenstam was there to accept the spoils of victory that came her way when Park self-destructed.
Park had a shaky day from early on, a bogey then a double bogey in the first four holes suggesting that perhaps things were turning for her after such a brilliant week up until that point. She recovered and by the time she reached the 12th hole, today she was still three to the good of her nearest rivals who at that stage included Sorenstam and Mexican Lorena Ochoa.
At the 13th, Park would bogey but there waas no need to panic yet surely although up ahead Sorenstam was closing her round in style with an eagle at the 15th and a birdie at the 17th. Park knew exactly what she had to do to. When Sorenstam chipped in to eagle the 15th they were tied at 17 under but a bogey, bogey finish by Park and birdie at the difficult 17th by Sorenstam and very quickly the difference had become three.
Sorenstam won her 54th LPGA Tour title and took her earnings for the season past US$2 million for the fourth consecutive year. By any measure she is the greatest female golfer of the modern era and arguably the greatest of all time.
Lorena Ochoa challenged early in the day with an outward nine of three under to get to fourteen under and have Park in her sights but could not maintain her momentum. She finished third two behind Park in third place. For Ochoa however her brilliant season continues, this her 17th top ten in 23 starts. She has the game to challenge Sorenstam as the leading player in ladies golf before too long.
Karrie Webb faded over the closing nine holes recording a homeward nine of 41 to finish 16th in the 20 player field. Wendy Doolan, the only other Australian in the field, was 17th.
