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Hometown hero Delasin overtakes Webb for Samsung lead
Updated: Saturday October 06, 2001 6:59 PM
VALLEJO, Calif. (AP) -- Dorothy Delasin is playing her best golf in a place where everybody seems to know her name. With the gallery shouting constant encouragement, Delasin birdied three of the final four holes to move one stroke ahead of Karrie Webb and Se Ri Pak on Saturday at the Samsung World Championship. Delasin, a 21-year-old second-year pro who grew up in the San Francisco Bay area, had a 5-under 67 for a 208 total. She waved and blew a kiss to the gallery after tapping in her final putt. "It's cool. It's like people saying 'Tiger!' or 'Sergio!'" Delasin said. "Now, they're saying 'Dorothy! Dorothy!'" Webb, who started strong but had just one birdie in the final 11 holes, shot a 70. Pak, who tied Delasin for the first-round lead, fought off a stiff neck muscle for a bogey-free 67. Delasin learned the game on San Francisco's municipal courses, and her family still lives in South San Francisco. She declined college scholarship offers to turn pro before last season, when she became the youngest player to win an LPGA event since 1975. She has been the clear crowd favorite at the event, which pits 20 of the world's top women players against each other at Hiddenbrooke Golf Club in the suburban hills northeast of the Bay. After hanging behind second-round leader Webb with steady play for most of the day, Delasin passed the two-time Player of the Year with birdies on the final two holes. She nearly eagled the par-5 18th, but her 30-foot putt sat on the lip of the cup. Her tiny lead over Webb and Pak should make for an exciting final day at Hiddenbrooke, where the swirling winds that confounded the golfers on the tournament's first two days could reappear at any time. "I had to grind it out a little bit, but I hung in there. I hope I'll bring it home," Delasin said of her matchup for Sunday, in which she'll try to beat two of the game's three top players. Consistency -- not always Delasin's forte, she admits -- has been her key. She didn't miss a green Saturday, and she has yet to three-putt a hole in the tournament. Webb, looking for her first victory since completing her career Grand Slam in June, got a charge from playing in front of fans clearly supporting Delasin. "It's great for her," Webb said. "I get to experience that a few times a year in Australia. It's a lot of fun to play when 99 percent of the gallery is rooting for you. She's definitely giving her fans a lot to cheer about." Delasin has two tour victories -- both in the Giant Eagle LPGA Classic in Ohio -- but this will be the first time she takes a lead into the final round. In both of her victories, she came from behind to pass Pak. Pak, who won the AFLAC Champions in Alabama last week, nearly dropped out of the tournament Friday after straining her neck while warming up. After a few massages, she said her neck was "still stiff, but not too bad." "When I practice and I'm swinging, I'm always saying, 'Ow!'" Pak said. "Everything else feels great, and I'm hitting the ball pretty solid." Course conditions improved for the third straight day at Hiddenbrooke, and golfers took advantage of sunny skies and mild winds on the long course, designed by Arnold Palmer. Emilee Klein tied the course record set Friday by Rachel Teske with a third-round 65, putting her three strokes behind Delasin. Though she likely makes the shortest drives of any player in the field, Klein's short game and putting put her in contention for her first victory since 1996. "I feel so good about my game right now, [the weather] doesn't really matter," said Klein, who complained about the cold, windy conditions on Thursday. Defending champion Juli Inkster, who has won three of the last four World Championships, holed an exceptional bunker shot on 18 to finish at 212. Inkster, another Bay Area golfer who watched Barry Bonds set a home-run record in San Francisco on Friday night, did her victory dance after the final shot over a high lip fell in. "It was a nice way to finish. It kind of got me back in the tournament," Inkster said. "As soon as I hit it, I could see the line. It was going right in."
Annika Sorenstam, the likely Player of the Year, shot a 71 to
remain on the edge of contention at even-par 216.
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