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'Solid as a rock' Charlotta Sorenstam holds off sister, Wedd for first win
Posted: Monday March 20, 2000 09:14 PM
PHOENIX (AP) -- Karrie Webb could have expected her streak to end with a loss to a Sorenstam, but not this Sorenstam. Webb's bid to become the first golfer in 22 years to win four consecutive LPGA tournaments died in a sand trap on the 16th hole Sunday. Charlotta Sorenstam, younger sister of the more famous Annika, won the Standard Register Ping by two strokes for her first LPGA victory. Sorenstam, who lives in nearby Scottsdale, shot a final round 4-under-par 68 for a 72-hole total of 12-under 276 on the five-month-old, sun-baked course at The Legacy Golf Resort. Webb, who had won every tournament she entered this year, including the non-LPGA Australian Ladies Open to make her 4-for-4, finished at 10-under-par 278. Annika Sorenstam, who started the day tied for the lead with her sister and Webb, was a distant third at 7-under 281 after a final-round 73. Webb needed to win two more in a row to tie the record of five straight set by Nancy Lopez in 1978. "I'm disappointed a little bit about that, especially for the LPGA," Webb said, "but I'm not going to have near as much attention next week, so I might be able to concentrate a little more." Charlotta, whose best finish in her three-plus LPGA seasons had been second, burst into tears after sinking a 15-foot birdie putt on the par-5, 469-yard 18th to clinch the victory. First, she hugged her father, Tom, then sobbed as she and Annika embraced for a long moment on the green. "She played awesome," Annika said. "I'm so proud of her. She's always been in my shadow and now she broke through." Webb, the defending Standard Register champion, hit her tee shot within 2 feet of the pin on the par-3, 165-yard 15th for a birdie to pull into a tie with Charlotta at 11-under with three holes to play. But on the par-4, 389-yard 17th, Webb hit her second shot into the bunker behind the green. On her shot out of the sand, she shanked it badly, leaving it on the fringe some 40 feet from the hole. She got down in two for a bogey, while Charlotta sank a tricky 8-foot putt for par to take a one-stroke lead. On the 18th, Webb hit her second shot into the sand, but recovered nicely to leave herself just 10 feet for a birdie. She missed the putt, and Charlotta made hers to cinch the victory. "She was solid as a rock today," Webb said of the winner. "I just hope she takes it easy on herself now. She knows she can do it." Charlotta, at 26 three years younger than her sister, had birdies on the second, sixth and eighth holes to build a three-shot lead. But a bogey on the ninth hole dropped Charlotta to 10 under. Webb, meanwhile, had birdies on the 11th, 12th and 14th. With far more experience in such tense situations than the younger Sorenstam, Webb appeared headed for another victory. But Charlotta held up under the pressure, and then some. Annika Sorenstam, who qualified for the LPGA Hall of Fame with her 19th victory last week in Tucson, stayed to watch her sister go for the victory, standing on the fringe just in front of their father, who just flew in from Sweden. When Charlotta's putt went in, Annika threw her hands into the air. She waited, though, for her father to finish his hugs before getting her turn.
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