Webb and Hull back for more at Aus Open

BY Liz White | ALPG Tour | 2010 Women's Australian Open | Preview | 10 Mar 2010

If Karrie Webb and Katherine Hull are paired together in Sunday’s final group at this weeks Handa Australian Women’s Open, it will be a real feast for the fans.

Last week at the ANZ Ladies Masters, the pair dazzled the crowd with ten birdies and an eagle between them on the front nine.

Eventually it was Webb who ran away with the title, posting a course record 11 under 61. Hull could only sit back and watch as her 6 under 66 would only be good enough for second alongside Korean Bo-Mee Lee.

Hull did everything expected of a defending champion but was unable to stop the irrepressible Webb, who equalled her career best low round in capturing her seventh Masters title.

For the fans, hopefully last Sunday marked the beginning of a new rivalry in Australian sport – even if both of them are Queenslanders. It was the first time the pair had duelled it out in the final group on a Sunday and it was fantastic sport to watch.

Hull said after Sunday’s final round that she would relish a second bite at the cherry at this week’s Open.

“We are both in good form and it will be great for golf,” she said.

For her part Webb said she felt confident of winning the Ladies Masters, Australian Open double for the third time.

“I feel good about my game so we’ll see how I rock up on Thursday and I am looking forward to next week,” she said.

But there will also be plenty of other players to keep an eye on at the Commonwealth layout on Melbourne’s sandbelt.

None more so than defending champion, Laura Davies. At 46 years of age, Davies has amassed 73 victories worldwide, including this year’s Pegasus New Zealand Open.

The Brit is showing no inclination of retiring and just loves to compete. At the Pegasus New Zealand Open it was her experience and self-belief that got her over the line. Even though she was two shots behind the leader, Sydney’s Sarah Kemp, at the turn on the final day, Davies just kept the faith.

When Kemp bogeyed two holes on the back, Davies pounced with some perfectly timed birdies. It was enough to dampen Kemp’s fire.

A phenomenal competitor, at last year’s Australian Women’s Open at Melbourne’s Metropolitan, Davies was T41st at the halfway mark. But she never gave up and just plugged away. It’s the only way she knows.

On the final day, as she watched the Spaniard, Tania Elosegui three putt the 18th Davies breathed a sigh of relief. There would be no playoff and a second Australian open title was hers by one shot over Elosegui.

From the veteran, to the new brigade of stars, this year’s Handa Women’s Open is one of the strongest for some time.

World No 6 Yani Tseng is the highest ranked competitor and is coming off a T11th finish at last week’s Masters. The phenomenal 21-year-old is the complete player. She hit the LPGA in 2008 and won rookie of the year honours after snaring a Major, the McDonald’s LPGA. She is also the fastest player in LPGA history to pass the $2 million mark in prize money.

Tseng is familiar with Australia, having visited these shores several times as both a professional and amateur.

Joining Tseng as one of the favourites is the rising Swedish star, Anna Nordqvist. The 22-year-old had a fantastic season in her first year as a professional, winning the McDonald’s LPGA Classic in just her fourth start on the world’s toughest tour.

She finished second behind Korean Ji Yai Shin in the LPGA rookie of the year race but won the LET Wales Ryder Cup rookie of the Year title, after four top ten finishes.

The Handa Women’s Australian Open is a co-sanctioned event with the Ladies European Tour and many of its stars will also descend on Melbourne. Becky Brewerton, Sophie Gustafson, Melissa Reid and Gwladys Nocera will lead the continental charge.

Joining Webb and Hull from the Australian corner is Tamie Durdin and Lindsey Wright. Both girls are running into some form with Wright crafting a final round five under 67 at the ANZ Ladies Masters last week to leap into a share of 8th.

Queenslander Tamie Durdin is due for a solid 72 holes. Last week it was just a few shots here and there that undid the talented 32-year-old, none more so than on the second day. After blazing a 7 under 28 on her first nine, she bogeyed four on the inward nine to post a 41.

It was such a roller coaster round that even Durdin later admitted she had no idea what was happening out on the course.

Another Australian capable of going low is West Australian Kristie Smith. She gave herself plenty of chances at both the Pegasus New Zealand Open and the ANZ Ladies Masters but just wasn’t able to keep the consistency.

Still, her 10 under 62 at last year’s ANZ Masters and her 9 under 63 in capturing her first professional title, the Actew/AGL Royal Canberra Classic last month, indicates that she has plenty of potential.

While Melbourne was lashed by hailstones at the weekend, the only damage to the course was fallen branches across the wooded Commonwealth course. Sunny skied are forecast for the tournament, a welcome change for the players who endured 40knot winds at Pegasus in New Zealand and last week were lucky to get 72 holes in after constant rain made the Royal Pines course so damp the preferred lies rule had to be used.