Pettersen wins maiden LPGA Tour event
IN: News | LPGA | Michelob Ultra Open at Kingsmill (2007) | Wrap | by Bruce Young | 14 May 2007
For several weeks now, 26-year-old Norwegian golfer Suzann Pettersen has given signs that her first LPGA Tour victory was close at hand. Today at the Michelob Ultra Open at Kingsmill in Virginia she confirmed that by defeating Jee Young Lee in a three hole playoff. Lee self destructed with a three putt from 12 feet at the third extra hole to hand the title to Pettersen after Pettersen had two putted for par from much longer range.
“It feels special. I didn’t expect to win,” said Pettersen, who is also the first Norwegian to win on the LPGA Tour. “I just thought if I can get out and post a number, that would be good and that’s what I tried to do.”
Pettersen has finished runner up on two occasions this season at the Safeway and impressively at the Kraft Nabisco and she chose a lucrative event to win for the first time. Her victory was worth US$330,000 and she moves into second place behind Lorena Ochoa on this year’s money list.
Pettersen arrived on the LPGA Tour in 2003 after being good enough to be named Rookie of the Year in Europe in 2001. Her career has been plagued by injury but she has always been seen as a remarkable talent and now, without injury in 2007, she is playing to the level most people expected earlier.
Lee is in her second season on the LPGA Tour having finished an impressive 20th in 2006. She has already won an LPGA Tour event at the co-sanctioned Nine Bridges Classic in Korea in 2005, which gained her access to the LPGA Tour. Lee had finished runner up earlier in the season in Hawaii.
Sarah Lee went backwards after her opening round of 63 to finish alone in third albeit three shot behind the playoff pairing.
The best of the Australians was Karrie Webb who would have been disappointed with her 10th place especially after having won this event by seven shots last year. Katherine Hull was 29th.
The LPGA Tour now moves to New Jersey for the Sybase Classic Presented by Shoprite.
Photo – Tristan Jones/LET
