Sorenstam serves notice at Stanford
IN: News | LPGA | Stanford International Pro-Am (2008) | Round Four | by Bruce Young | 28 Apr 2008
Annika Sorenstam reminded all that she is far from a spent force on the LPGA Tour adding her second victory of the season at the inaugural Stanford International when defeating Paula Creamer at the first extra hole at the Soffer Course at the Fairmont Turnberry Isle and Resort in Miami.
The number one and two players in the female game, Lorena Ochoa and Sorenstam have now won seven of the nine events on the LPGA Tour this season and have separated themselves even further from the pack.
Sorenstam took a one shot lead over Creamer into the final round but she was caught and passed early by Creamer’s hot start. Sorenstam drew level again with a birdie at the 6th and when Creamer bogeyed the 7th Sorenstam had the lead on her own again. Creamer birdied the 9th and 11th holes but Sorenstam had birdied the 10th and the pair was level again.
Creamer went ahead when Sorenstam bogeyed the 13th but, with just two holes to play and a one shot lead, Creamer would bogey the 17th after her 9 iron came up short, chunked her chip shot and the pair headed to the 18th sharing the lead at 8 under.
Karrie Webb had closed quickly with a final round of 64, moving from 10th overnight and seven shots off the pace to get within one of the playoff. Webb birdied five of her first six holes and kept the momentum going with two early birdies on her back nine holes. Unfortunately for her she was unable to secure the one extra birdie she needed over the final two holes but it was an encouraging performance from Webb who over her last few weeks has generally struggled with her game, more especially her putting.
The leading contenders parred the last and so it was into a playoff when Sorenstam eventually prevailed at the first extra hole when Creamer missed a 6 foot par saving putt.
“Well, I’m very excited the way the season has started,” said Sorenstam after her round. “I feel like I’ve been very consistent and actually, if we go back to the end of last season, pretty much from the British Open and on, I’ve been top 10 I think every tournament except two.”
“That is as consistent as when I was at my peak- I just had a few more victories. But top 10s and top 5s are probably as many. I feel good about my game. I feel I would say it is very, very close. I mean, this week I hit ball beautifully I thought, especially my iron shots. I’ve had good distance control, and that’s always been my strength. It’s been a while since I really felt that.”
“I believe my injury is really healing and I’m starting to feel shots again, which is that feeling disappeared a little bit when I didn’t have the control. Now I feel like I have control again, and that’s what I want to take from this week. I’m hitting my iron shots on the number, and that’s what I love and that’s how I play golf.”
Webb finished in a share of third with Korean Young Kim while Japanese star Momoka Ueda serving notice that she is finding her feet in her rookie season in the US with a 5th placing.
Lindsey Wright continued her good season with 9th place finish her round of 65 second only to Webb’s 64 on the final day with Rachel Hetherington 24th.
The LPGA will this week play the SemGroup Championship in Oklahoma where Lorena Ochoa is back in action.
