Category: LPGA

Comfortable and smiling throughout her round, Annika masterfully closed the door on several of the top veterans of the LPGA, playing a 7-shot lead heading into the back nine! Sorenstam paced herself on the final nine, birdied the 11th and made par on the balance of the holes coming in at 15-under par for a final round of 68 .Taking dead aim and with a full release on every shot, the 34-year-old swede could not be stopped.

Even though most professionals play it safe when in the lead to ensure a win, Annika went for the par-5 18th in two with a 2-wood, flying the water and landing safely on the green. She three-putted for an easy par. Winning this tournament for the third time, Sorenstam also tied Nancy Lopez’s record of five victories in her last five events. In fact, in 217 LPGA events, Annika has missed only four cuts – surprisingly enough – all in majors. After celebrating her victory and climbing from the pond, Annika remarked, “I had good momentum, I’m very excited… there are so many prestigious names on this trophy… I couldn’t ask for a better start to the season.”

Continue reading “Sorenstam Grabs First Major of 2005”

Scoring early in the third round of the Kraft Nabisco Championship with birdies on 2,3,7 and 8, Annika Sorenstam never looked back. Two more birdies on 12 and 15 gave her a final score of 66. Poised for her 59th career win and averaging over 271 yards off the tee this week, the 34-year-old swede is on her way to winning her eighth major title. And, comparatively speaking, with over $16 million in earnings to date, Sorenstam would rank 16th on the PGA Tour Money List.

Playing with Annika today was 45-year-old veteran Rosie Jones who is contemplating retirement at the end of this season. Although a co-leader yesterday, Jones could not match Sorenstam. With a birdie putt at 11 to get her to 6-under-par, Jones gave back a stroke at 13, narrowly missed her birdie putt at 17 and finished with par to come in with a 6-under 66 for the tournament.

Continue reading “Sorenstam Dominates at Nabisco”

Professional golf is about keeping up with the Joneses, it seems. I can’t blame you for thinking there was no golf to watch this Friday, with the PGA Tour experiencing yet another rainout at The Players Championship. But while Steve Jones was gathering the lead in the unofficial fifth major on the PGA Tour, 45-year old Rosie Jones was surging to a share of the lead in her own major, the Kraft Nabisco Championship. Jones, who’s never won a major on the LPGA Tour, is tied with Annika Sorenstam at -5 after two rounds of play.

Continue reading “Jones, Sorenstam Lead at Kraft Nabisco”

Excitement was the word of the day at the Nabisco Championship’s Dinah Shore Tournament Course. Tied at the top of the leaderboard with 3-under 69 are Mi Hyun-Kim, Rosie Jones, and Karen Stupples. But, watch out ladies! The LPGA’s number one superstar, Annika Sorenstam, is only one stroke behind with a 2-under 70.

Annika Sorenstam is looking for her third win at this tournament and a possible grand slam, or what is now being called a “Sorenslam.” After a stumble today at the 12th, Annika regained control of her game and birdied both the 13 and 14th holes. Sorenstam is already tied for most wins in majors with veteran Juli Inkster. With a win this week, Annika will lead in majors by herself and top the $6 million mark in career earnings.

Continue reading “Annika Poised for a “Sorenslam””

The Dinah Shore Tournament Course is the setting for this exciting four-day event. Beginning in 1972, this event became a major in 1983. This event is an invitational, and in the past year the top LPGA Tour pros and a few fortunate amateurs have earned the right to compete for the glory of an LPGA major. The pros are going after the $1.8 million purse that goes with it.

And, what a field it is! Grace Park took the traditional celebratory dive into Champion’s Lake last year after sinking a six-foot birdie putt on the 18th. Although Park has yet to win an event in 2005, her overall stats put her in contention. Park is currently tenth in scoring average, ninth in greens in regulation and 37th on the 2005 ADT Official Money List.

Continue reading “2005 Kraft Nabisco Championship Preview”

Although Lorena Ochoa led from round one, she was no match for defending champion Annika Sorenstam. Four strokes ahead with three holes to play, the pressure got to Ochoa. She wound up double-bogeying the 16th hole with a three-putt and dropped another shot at 17. Annika Sorenstam birdied the 18th while Ochoa struggled to a par and a final-round 74.

Hitting her trusty 4-wood to the par-5 18th, Sorenstam landed the shot on the green for an eagle opportunity. “Carrying 217, with the wind here, it was on the edge. I had to take a chance, I really did, and I think it just carried by inches,” said Annika of her approach. She two-putted for birdie and forced a playoff that would last only one hole.

Continue reading “Sorenstam Prevails in Safeway Playoff”

Lorena Ochoa finished with a 1-under 71 today and sits at -13 after 54 holes of golf. A double-bogey on the 16th hole cost Ochoa a commanding lead, but her one-stroke advantage has the top players in the world chasing her into the final round tomorrow.

The twenty-three year old Mexican superstar was three shots ahead of Soo-Yun Kang and seven strokes up on defending champ Annika Sorenstam at the 16th hole when her drive landed in a bush. As Ochoa, two marshalls and her caddie were searching for the ball, it rolled into view. Officials required Ochoa to re-drop the ball because they didn’t know whether or not the ball was moved by the search. She was penalized one stroke, took two more shots to reach the green and two-putted for her double bogey. Ochoa stated,”I’m happy with my round today. I think I got away with things a couple times today. I was swinging a little bit fast and hit the ball a couple of times to the right and just made a bad swing on 16 and hit it way left.”

Continue reading “Ochoa Maintains Lead at Safeway International”

Twenty-three year old Mexican superstar Lorena Ochoa looked much more confident during today’s round of golf at Jack Nicklaus’ Prospector Course at Superstition Mountain than a few weeks ago at the Mastercard Tournament from Mexico. When asked what Ochoa was most interested in as she went to the weekend she responded, “I’m very happy with my round, and I think, you know, those two shots lead and three over Annika are important. I’m going to have a little advantage in the weekend, and hopefully now if we play in the same group, or second and third place, so now we would be in the pressure thing together.”

Continue reading “Ochoa Leads Halfway Through Safeway”

The defending champion Annika Sorenstam fired a 6-under par 66, but it was not good enough to match first-round leaders Lorena Ochoa and Siew-Ai Lim, who carded 65s. Michelle Wie is in danger of missing the cut at 73.

Sorenstam is in good position to defend her title at the Safeway International, said of her 66 “That’s the kind of start I wanted, and then we go from there.” Veteran Juli Inkster was also at -6. Karen Stupples shot 67, Soo-Yun Kang, Sung Ah Yim, and Moira Dunn shot 68s. Several players shot 69 Thursday, including Paula Creamer, Beth Daniel, Natalie Gulbis, Dawn Coe-Jones, and Karrie Web.

Continue reading “Ochoa, Lim Lead at Safeway”