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(April 3, 2002)
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Sorenstam Set To Defend
Fourth
Consecutive Title
TARZANA, CA (April 3, 2002) Annika Sorenstam is set to defend the last of her four consecutive 2001 titles
at this week's The Office Depot Championship Hosted by Amy Alcott, April 5-7,
being played for the first time at the El Caballero Country Club in Tarzana,
Calif., outside of Los Angeles. The 54-hole event, now in its sixth year,
features a $1 million purse, up from $800,000 in 2001.
This time last year, things really started to get interesting for the Swede.
Sorenstam, who weeks before had successfully defended her title at the
Welch's/Circle K Championship, shot a record 59 in her victory at the Standard
Register PING and won the first major of the season, the Nabisco Championship,
and headed into the final round of The Office Depot Hosted by Amy Alcott 10
shots off the lead. Before she knew it, she'd won her fourth consecutive event
and tied yet another LPGA record, the largest come-from-behind victory.
In 2002, Sorenstam already has two LPGA Tour wins under her belt, including a
successful title defense at last week's Kraft Nabisco Championship, the first
major of the 2002 season. Sorenstam, who also won the season-opening LPGA
Takefuji Classic, has not finished out of the top 10 in four starts this season.
Players featured in the 144-player field all vying for the $150,000 first-place
check include LPGA Tour Hall of Famer and tournament host Amy Alcott, 2002
winners Rachel Teske, Laura Diaz and Sorenstam, and six 2002 rookies ready to
win. LPGA Tour veterans scheduled to compete include LPGA Tour Hall of Famers
Beth Daniel and Betsy King, Laura Davies, Maria Hjorth, Pat Hurst, Rosie Jones,
Lorie Kane, Mi Hyun Kim, Emilee Klein, Se Ri Pak and Karrie Webb.
Last year, Hurst led the first two days of the tournament after a pair of
five-under-par 67s put her at 10-under-par. In the final round, Hurst maintained
an 11-under-par, eight-stroke lead over Sorenstam through half the day, but
began her descent on the ninth hole, where she made the first of three
consecutive bogeys. She eventually fell to six under par after three-putting the
17th hole. Hurst's 18th hole tee shot found a greenside bunker, and she missed
the 10-footer for par and a spot in the playoff. Hurst carded a 77, 10 strokes
higher than her 67s in rounds one and two.
Sorenstam began the day at even par, but quickly moved into red numbers with
birdies on two, four and six. When she made the turn, her caddie, Terry
McNamara, told her she could still win, and Sorenstam nodded in agreement. Three
more birdies got her to six under par before she posted a bogey on 17. A
"must make" came on the par-3 finishing hole, which Sorenstam calmly
stroked in for birdie. Her 66 (-6) tied her with Kim, who was already in the
clubhouse at 210 (-6).
Kim's bogey-free 65 in the final round, a tournament record, earned her a spot
in the third playoff of her three-year career. However, in the playoff Kim's
strong short game didn't last long enough to deny Sorenstam her date with
destiny.
On the first playoff hole, the par-3 18th, Kim's tee shot landed in the left
greenside bunker, while Sorenstam left herself an opportunity at a 14-footer for
birdie. Kim's chip came up short and her third shot rolled her par-saving chance
past the hole. Sorenstam two-putted for her par and her fourth consecutive win
of the season.
(Source: LPGA.com)
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