Webb coasts to an emphatic victory in Sydney

BY Bruce Young | ALPG Tour | 2007 Women's Australian Open | Wrap | 04 Feb 2007

Not that anyone needed any real convincing but Karrie Webb today again displayed why she has been one of the game’s greatest female players of the modern era and arguably the greatest ever in Australian golf, when she won the Women’s Australian Open for the third time in her career.

Not only did Webb win the event but it was the emphatic nature of her victory that was so impressive.

On a golf course where it became obvious that only the shotmakers and quality ball strikers would prevail, Webb extended her third round lead of four to eventually win by six but she was at least kept honest by Chinese Taipei’s Wei Jun Jye who appeared the only player capable of staying in touch with the leader.

As it turned out, even Wei could not match it with the only player in the field from the top twenty in the world and as Webb held her ground over the closing nine holes, Wei slipped away, perhaps the demands of chasing for so long over the weekend, with little to show for her toil, eventually taking its toll.

On a day where the typical north easterly breezes did not arrive, scoring generally improved on that which had been seen earlier in the week and over the previous two days especially, the brilliant course record round of 65 by Katherine Hull confirming that claim. It was the best round of the week but Hull was not alone in taking advantage of such a good day for scoring. Several others improved their positions significantly on the final day with Brittany Lincicome, Paula Marti, Minea Blomqvist and Shin Ji Yai all benefiting their cause with rounds of 69 to move into the top five and in the case of Marti and Blomqvist into the top three.

Webb and Wei both birdied the par five second to get their rounds underway, Webb from slightly longer range but when Webb caught the rough with her tee shot at the par four 4th and hit a tree with her second, she dropped a shot and the difference was just three. Webb bounced back with a birdie at the 5th after a pitch from 100 yards or so left her just less than a metre from the hole and from that point on, although she was unable to gain any further ground on par over the next seven holes, she maintained her four shot lead over Wei.

As the pair moved to the 13th tee, Webb was four ahead but the leader put what was to be the final nail in the coffin with a delightful pitch and run from just off the green at the 13th to tap-in distance. That took her five ahead and although she bogeyed the par three 14th, after being long with her tee shot and gave one back to the field. When Wei took double bogey at the 15th, after adventures in the greenside trap, the lead had extended to six and Webb was well placed to enjoy the last few holes.

As part of her resurgence in golf in the last twelve months, Webb has expressed her desire to savour the moment and enjoy her success more than has been the case in the past. This would be her chance to do just that. Both players dropped shots at the 17th but it was neither here nor there as Webb had such a break on Wei and Wei such a break on the rest of the field that it mattered little.

For Webb, the six shot lead she enjoyed on the 18th tee gave her the chance to enjoy the support the Sydney golfing public had given her all week as she played the final hole. With the title firmly in her grasp, Webb was prepared to talk to the on course commentator at the last hole. In another time, and perhaps with less of a lead, Webb might not have done that but, as mentioned earlier, she looks at her success in a different light now and seems prepared to share it with others more than has been the case in the past.

“I haven’t really swung it all that well today,” she said as she walked to her tee shot. “It was a tight battle early on but the 10th was turning point,” said Webb referring to a great up and down she made from 9 feet for par to Wei’s bogey when it looked at one stage as she might have lost a shot.

It would be easy to get carried away with the fact Webb beat this field by such a margin but it should be remembered that this was a field that included very few golfers capable of challenging her on a week to week basis. She was after all the only player from the world’s top twenty in Sydney. Taking nothing away from the class of the field this week, it is hoped that now the MFS Women’s Australian Open has been reinstated that there will be even stronger opposition for Webb in 2008.

Next week at the ANZ Ladies Masters on the Gold Coast, this field will be strengthened by the presence of the world number four, Cristie Kerr, and the Japanese star, Sakura Yokomine, both currently top twenty players. Whether that will make any difference remains to be seen because as they say in racing terms, “you can only win”. This week Webb did just that and did it in style. She looks a very good bet to follow it up next week in a tournament and at a venue she has made her own over the last ten years.

Paula Marti and Minea Blomqvist flew the flag for the Ladies European Tour’s with distinction, both finishing with rounds of 69 to share third ahead of Shin Ji Yai and the impressive American Brittany Lincicome. Lincicome’s effort, after arriving only on Wednesday, gives a signal that she may be a force to be reckoned with on a golf course that might just suit her next week on the Gold Coast.

Outside of Webb the best of the Australians was the aforementioned Katherine Hull who improved from 40th to 9th as a result of her last round of 69.

But the glory belonged only to Webb who has started a year which she and many others feel could see her being the number one female golfer in the world at year’s end. With that in mind this has been the perfect start.

Photo – Anthony Powter