Hull continues love affair with Canada
IN: News | LPGA | Canadian Womens Open (2008) | Round Four | by Bruce Young | 18 Aug 2008
Australian golfer Katherine Hull has broken through for her first LPGA Tour win, holding out a strong late challenge from Se Ri Pak to win the CN Canadian Women’s Open at the Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club in Ottawa, Ontario.
It is perhaps ironic that her first victory should come in Canada as it was in this same event three years ago, albeit at a different venue, that Hull had recorded her previous best finish on the LPGA Tour when she finished runner up to Meena Lee. The 26-year-old from Sunshine Beach on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast is in her fifth season on the LPGA Tour after a stellar career at Pepperdine University in California, a career during which she was also a member of the Australian Espirito Santo Trophy winning team.
“I’m shocked that it actually happened, but obviously this is a dream come true,” said Hull after her win. “I mean, it’s just something that probably all of us out here just dream about as kids but to finally have it come to reality is just amazing. I can’t put it into words right now.”
“From the start today I was – in between shots just reading scripture and quoting scripture. Actually didn’t look at a leaderboard until the 16th hole, and I wasn’t intentionally looking at it. When I went to tap-in my putt I caught a glance and saw that I was first. I think it was a two-shot lead at the time. I mean, I got a little excited, but I kind of told myself that I still had two holes to go and just to continue doing what I was doing and stay in the process.”
Hull had been playing well in recent weeks even if a little inconsistently. There had been some very good individual rounds including a final round 64 at the Michelob Ultra Open when 6th and another good week at the Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic when also 6th.
Hull started the final round six shots adrift of the tearaway third round leader and brilliant rookie, Yani Tseng, but by the turn had caught the Taiwanese golfer and it appeared as if it would be a battle to the finish between the two.
Tseng, who has already won a major championship and been four times runner up in her rookie season, had the momentum working completely against her after a shaky start. Although she regained the lead with a birdie at the 10th, a double at the 11th and a bogey at the 12th saw her fall one behind Hull, who was playing in the group ahead.
In the end it would be Pak who would get closest to Hull. After dropping four shots in her first six holes, Pak fought her way back and although she had left herself a little too much to do, birdies at her final two holes saw her finish just one shot back. She would need to eagle the last to catch Hull but a birdie was the best she could do.
Hull’s win was not only her first on the LPGA Tour but it was against a particularly strong field and she can take further self belief by the fact that she outgunned several of the game’s best over the closing round. Pak, Tseng and world number one Lorena Ochoa were all left in her wake.
Hull earns a cheque for US$337,000 and moves quickly up the ADT Money List from 51st to 15th. Hull’s previous best in any one season is US$201,000 in fact her earnings this season already surpass the total prizemoney in her first four seasons. To say the least this is a career altering day for the 26-year-old.
The next best of the Australians was Karrie Webb, whose final round of 69 earned her a share of 17th, Lindsey Wright 38th and Sarah Kemp, after a good start to the week was 81st.
