Lee wins Ginn Tribute in playoff
MOUNT PLEASANT, South Carolina (Ticker)—Seon Hwa Lee had reason to celebrate. Sophie Gustafson had reason to cry.
Taking advantage of a monumental collapse by Gustafson, Lee defeated Karrie Webb on the first playoff hole Sunday to win the Ginn Tribute Hosted by Annika.
Lee’s third career victory hardly seemed possible entering the final round. The South Korean trailed Gustafson by nine shots entering the final 18 holes.
“I didn’t expect I was going to win this because the leader was way in front,” Lee said.
Gustafson, who was six shots in front at the start of play, completely fell apart. The Swede had five bogeys and two double bogeys over her final 15 holes and finished at 7-over-par 79, tying for fourth at 11-under 277.
Lee signed for a 67 for a 72-hole total of 14-under 274. The 22-year-old and 2006 LPGA Tour Rookie of the Year collected the $390,000 first prize.
A Hall of Famer and seven-time major, Webb forced a playoff with a birdie at the par-4 18th hole.
Back at No. 18 for the playoff, Lee two-putted from 50 feet for par, then watched Webb miss a three-footer.
“I was surprised she missed the short putt,” Lee said. “She has a lot of experience and she is a Hall of Famer, so I didn’t think she would miss. But she had a lot of pressure.”
Webb, who had birdied 18 moments earlier, had no reason for the miscue in the playoff.
“There is no reason for missing that putt, so it had nothing to do with whether I made the putt on 18 or not,” she said.
Korean Song-Hee Kim was third at 13-under. She carded a 69.
While Lee won her first title since the 2007 Match Play Championship, Gustafson endured a nightmare.
The 34-year-old, who won the last of her four LPGA titles since 2003, started impressively with birdies at the first and third holes, but the long hitter then started to spray shots all over the place and had
four bogeys and two double-bogeys in a horrid run from the fourth to the 15th.
“Nothing was working for me today,” Gustafson said. “I then began pressing and it got worse. I ended up dropping shots instead of making birdies.”
Lee, who enjoyed the best round of the day, was consistent throughout her round with six birdies and a bogey.
Her final birdie at No. 18 gave her the lead before Webb matched her moments later.
Lee said she first realized she had a chance to win when she made a 40-foot birdie putt at the par-13th.
“I just kept on looking at the scoreboard,” Lee said. “So when I made the putt at No. 13, I felt lucky.”
Webb was another to take advantage of the collapse by Gustafson. Six shots back at the start of play, Webb carded four birdies and two bogeys in a 2-under 70.
Gustafson faltering was not something Webb expected to see.
“Certainly a shock to see,” Webb said. “She started confidently again today and played well yesterday, and I definitely was surprised to see the way she played back nine,” Webb said.
Annika Sorenstam was the tournament host, but never mounted a serious challenge for a fourth victory of the year. She closed with a 71 to finish at 4-under.
