Webb Wins U.S. Women's Open
G U R N E E, Ill., July 23 -- Karrie Webb had no idea when she teed offtoday how hard it would be to claim the U.S. Women’s Open trophysitting not 10 feet away.
She dunked a tee shot in the water and blew a four-stroke leadbefore collecting herself, then playing the back nine with a steelyresolve that buried her challengers and gave her the trophy she’swanted so badly.
After birdieing the 18th hole, Webb hugged Meg Mallon, herplaying partner, and Evan Minster, her caddie. She finished at6-under 282, five strokes ahead of everyone else.
Webb and Woods
The world’s No. 1 golfer has won three of the last four majorchampionships. She won the du Maurier Classic last year and theNabisco Championship earlier this season, and needs only the LPGAChampionship to complete the career Grand Slam.
It seemed only fitting that Webb won this weekend. Just as TigerWoods has dominated the PGA Tour, Webb has been his equal on theLPGA Tour, winning 21 times in 4 1/2 years. Today, just about 20minutes before she teed off, Woods completed his career Grand Slamwith a record-setting victory at the British Open.
“You kind of feel like there’s a sense of fate in it all,”said Cristie Kerr, who finished tied with Mallon for second at1-under 287. “When people tee it up with Tiger, they’re playingfor second. When Karrie plays well, we kind of all feel likethat.”
Not Perfect Today
Even when Webb doesn’t play her best, she makes it very, veryhard to beat her. She won by five strokes despite shooting a1-over-par-73, her worst score of the week.
She looked so vulnerable after her tee shot on the par-3 7thbounced into the water, dropping her into a tie with Mallon whobirdied No. 9. But Mallon bogeyed three straight holes on the backnine.
Mi Hyun Kim came within a shot, but she, too, fell off. She wentinto the water on the 16th hole and missed her bogey putt,finishing tied with Rosie Jones at even-par 288.
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