Perrot's win highlights South American golf strength

BY Bruce Young | LPGA Tour | 2005 Longs Drugs Challenge | Wrap | 10 Oct 2005

While much of the talk in recent seasons has been about the emerging strength of Asian golf, there is little doubt that South America is yet another continent offering the world, not only quality players, but colourful characters at that.

In recent times Angel Cabrera and Ricardo Gonzalez have followed the lead set by the likes of Roberto Di Vicenzo, Eduardo Romero and others and the Colombian Camilo Villegas looks to have a great future in the game too.

On the LPGA Tour earlier in 2005, Marissa Baena flew the Colombian flag when she won the HSBC Match Play and today yet another young star of South American golf took centre stage when Chilean Nicole Perrot won the Longs Drugs Challenge near Sacramento.

A graduate from last year’s Futures Tour and still only twenty one, Perrot was a brilliant amateur before turning professional and with this win behind her and importantly the manner in which she was able to achieve it, her future looks bright.

Perrot was headed early in her round today by last week’s winner, Hee-Won Han, and the thought of her first win looked to have taken its toll when she bogeyed three of the first five holes. When the more experienced Han birdied the 5th, 6th and 7th holes she had opened up a two shot lead which looked ominous for those behind. Someone forgot to tell Perrot however, and she clawed her way back into the tournament with a back nine of 32 and a one shot win.

Perrot had played well to date in her rookie season with three top tens and several other good finishes, which had her already safely on track for next year. This win, however, elevates her to a new status again and the charismatic youngster is sure to be a welcome addition to the ranks of tournament winners.

Han held second place ahead of the seemingly ever present Catriona Matthew and Liselotte Neumann.

In fifth place was the best of the Australians, Lindsey Wright, who will be disappointed to have let bogeys at the last two holes cost her as much as US$30,000 but on the other hand elated at her best finish in her rookie season. Today, Wright played with Juli Inkster and showed that she has promise, moving forward on such a demanding day. She was already assured of LPGA status in 2006 but this member of the winning Australian Espirito Santo team in 2002 now has this confidence building week behind her on which to move to another level.

Another Australian, who at one stage today looked as if she would make her presence felt, was Karrie Webb. She raced to six under for the day and ten under for the tournament through 12 holes, and was within two shots of the lead. She would drop shots late and finish 7th but it was quite a turnaround from her missed cut last week.

Nadina Taylor also had a good week when 11th, Michelle Ellis 27th, Wendy Doolan was 32nd and Rachel Hetherington 59th.

The LPGA now remains in California for the Samsung World Championship of Women’s Golf which will include the professional debut by Michelle Wie