Karrie Webb came from five strokes down in the final round, closing with a 4-under-par 68 to win the ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open by one stroke over Chella Choi of South Korea with a birdie on the final hole in windy conditions at Victoria Golf Club in Melbourne, Australia.
The 39-year-old Webb, who was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2005, claimed the 52nd victory of her career, including 40 on the LPGA Tour, and captured the Australian Open for the fifth time.
The Aussie superstar two-putted from 35 feet for her winning birdie before Choi, who had a share of the 54-hole lead with 17-year-old amateur Minjee Lee, missed a seven-foot birdie putt that would have forced a playoff.
”This time last week I would not have been expecting to be sitting here,” said Webb, who a week earlier was disqualified from the Volvik RACV Australian Ladies Masters for signing an incorrect scorecard after round two. “It’s amazing what a difference a week makes.
“I feel very fortunate to have won today, but I liked my chances at the start of the day because of the wind picking up. If we had another day like we had the first three days, I probably was a little too far back to have a chance, so I was thankful for the weather changing and I played as good as I have in a very long time.”
Choi, who was seeking her first LPGA Tour victory, made a double-bogey 6 on the second hole after hitting her drive out of bounds. She started birdie-double bogey-bogey before carding 15 consecutive pars to finish with a 74.
Paula Creamer closed with a 68 to wind up two strokes back in a tie for third with 16-year-old Lydia Ko of New Zealand, who shot 73, and Irene Icher of France, who had a 71.
Stacy Lewis, No. 3 in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings, posted a 68 to finish in a tie for sixth that included Morgan Pressel, who had a 72.
Lee struggled to a 78 and dropped to a tie for 11th, while Suzann Pettersen, who could have taken over the No. 1 ranking by finishing first or second, recorded a triple bogey and two double bogeys while plummeting to a tie for 28th by shooting 80.
