Alfredsson's win proves timely at Evian
BY Bruce Young | LPGA Tour | 2008 Evian Masters | Round Four | 28 Jul 2008
Helen Alfredsson sure knows how to get her timing right. The 43 year old Swede today won the Evian Masters at Evian les Bains and in doing so secured her first title in five years on the LPGA Tour and the equal largest first prize cheque available in regular tour play. The win came just a month after finishing runner up to In-Bee Park at the US Women’s Open, the event which shares equal billing with the Evian Masters as the richest in the female game.
In 15 other starts on the LPGA Tour this season, Alfredsson has managed only a best of 18th and so to have peaked for two such significant events will ensure a huge leap on the LPGA Tour standings this season.
Alfredsson timed her run to perfection today also, producing birdies at the last two hole to catch the one time runaway leader, Na Yeon Choi, and then adding a birdie at the third extra hole to defeat the rookie Korean and Brazilian born American, Angela Park.
The trio had finished at 15 under par but early in the back nine it appeared the highly talented Choi would win her first LPGA Tour event when she birdied nine of her first 13 holes and stood at 17 under and led her eventual playoff rivals by four.
Choi, who arrived on the LPGA Tour at the start of 2008 after gaining only non-exempt status at Tour School last year, had already secured six top ten finishes in her rookie season but this appeared to be her greatest chance for victory after such a great run through her round to that point. Two late bogeys would deny her victory.
Park is in her second year on the LPGA Tour after a rookie season that included a runner up finish at the 2007 US Women’s Open. After a shaky start to the season, Park has played very well in recent weeks including a third at this year’s US Women’s Open.
Like Choi she was looking for her first victory on the LPGA Tour but despite her strong finish it would not be this week. She is in fine form though and might again be a factor at next week’s Ricoh British Women’s Open.
Alfredsson is one of the most experienced campaigners on the LPGA Tour, not only because of her age but because she has won all over the world and was one of the trail blazers amongst the new breed of Swedish golfers playing the LPGA Tour. She found a way to birdie the last two holes and then birdied each of the first two playoff holes before another at the third broke the deadlock.
“I can’t even describe it in words,” said Alfredsson after her win. “Like I said so many times this week, this tournament is so special for me. Being here in ‘94, and sort of helping it get along. It was a new tournament then and we didn’t know where it was going to go. We were trying to bring players. We were trying to invite some American players. Look where it’s been. It’s an amazing golf tournament.”
“To be able to do it 10 years after my last win, it’s hard. I mean, it’s a very emotional event for me. I’ve had nothing but great memories here. I just love this place. Somebody’s looking after me for this to be my next win.”
Third place went to Ji Joon Hong while Lorena Ochoa showed she was well prepared for her defence of next week’s Women’s British Open when she finished 5th after a last round of 68.
The best of the Australians was Karrie Webb who finished 25th after a last round of 66, Lindsey Wright was 34th, Katherine Hull was 38th, Wendy Doolan 44th and Rachel Hetherington 59th.
The LPGA/LET Tour now moves to Sunningdale in Berkshire for this week’s Ricoh Women’s British Open.
