Webb captures Skins Game
| • | Sorenstam uncertain about PGA invitation |
By Ann Miller
Advertiser Staff Writer
WAILEA, Maui — Karrie Webb's golf year is off to a great start. Too bad her first LPGA event is six weeks away and she won't get to see herself win yesterday's ConAgra Foods LPGA Skins Game on TV until summer.
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The reserved Webb went a little wild yesterday at Wailea's Gold Course, clinching the championship with a $160,000 birdie on the 16th hole and demolishing an LPGA Skins record by winning $470,000. The Australian who has been left in Annika Sorenstam's dust the past two years — along with the rest of the tour — won nearly half as much as she did in 21 LPGA starts last year. And Webb was fifth on the money list.
Karrie Webb kicked her game into high gear on the back nine, winning 11 skins and $420,000.
Yesterday she blew by Sorenstam ($70,000), Laura Diaz ($60,000) and Laura Davies, who became the first defending champion to get shut out in the nine-year history of this event.
Its first year on Maui was memorable, particularly for Webb, who didn't win a dime until the seventh hole. Sorenstam and Diaz dominated the front nine, each birdieing four of the first six holes and winning three skins and all their money.
Webb sneaked in an 8-foot birdie putt on the seventh hole to win $50,000 and two skins.
"Clearly the most pressure I had over a putt was when I was trying to win my first skin," Webb said. "I had a free putt at winning the hole and up to that stage I hadn't won any skins. Your goal in skins is not to get shut out. Once you get that first skin you relax a little. I was swinging a lot better as the day went on."
The foursome took a break at the turn to change clothes because ESPN will air its broadcast over two nights on July 1-2.
Webb changed into the Wonder from Down Under.
She curled in a 15-foot birdie putt for $120,000 on the 12th, then dropped the clincher four holes later from 20 feet. Her 4-footer on the 17th gave her $40,000, the record and 11 skins.
"I could have played close to this well and end up with nothing if others make the putts for halve," said Webb, marveling at the skins format, which allows players to collect cash on each hole, but only if they win it outright. "On 12, Annika had a really make-able birdie putt. I was thinking I needed to make it so we would halve the hole. Same goes on 16. Laura Diaz was closer and I was the last one to have a chance to make bird again and just putted aggressively, just trying to force the tie and carry over."
Webb's excellent adventure went from sublime to ridiculous when she beat out Sorenstam for the final, $100,000 skin with a 5-foot birdie putt on the third playoff hole.
The idyllic day started with Sorenstam turning to her caddy on the first fairway and saying: "I was going to ask you how much wind, but there isn't any." The conversation grew as the game wore on and the players' personalities came out.
Associated Press
"It's more relaxed," Sorenstam said. "I like skins games. It's just a matter of birdieing the right holes. I'm happy with the way I played today definitely, but Karrie played really good on the holes she needed to and that's what it's all about. I made eight birdies in 20 holes. I'm happy with that any day."
Laura Diaz had five birdies on the front and the first eight holes were won or halved with birdie.
When everyone but Davies hit their approach shot within 6 feet on the fourth hole, the Englishwoman pleaded with her opponents to concede all three putts.
On the eighth, Davies charmingly asked Sorenstam to miss her 6-foot, $30,000 birdie putt.
"You don't need the money, it's clear," said Davies to the woman who has won 19 LPGA tournaments the past two years.
Sorenstam put her putt in the heart of the hole. "They're starting to do some trash talking," she said, smiling. "I'm not used to that."
Later in the day, Sorenstam asked Davies to miss a putt. "Give me $20,000 and I'll miss it," Davies deadpanned.
Associated Press
Meanwhile, in all-but-windless Wailea conditions, Webb mined the Gold Course with the other three desperately chasing as the end grew near.
Laura Davies yesterday became the first defending champion to get shut out in the nine-year history of this event.
Davies, the only player to win this event twice, has the right game and personality for skins, but simply couldn't sink a putt.
Diaz, the only skins rookie, began with a birdie on the first and drove the 264-yard par-4 sixth, as did Davies and Webb. Diaz and Sorenstam had five birdies apiece on the front and the first eight holes were won or halved with birdie — three more than in Saturday's senior skins, played from tees 400 yards longer.
But as the 6-hour day wore on Webb was the only golfer with a magic touch and Sorenstam, golf's Superwoman from Sweden, couldn't catch her — despite shooting a 5-under-par 67.
"If you added up the scores at the end there's not a lot of difference between all of us," Webb said. "But it looks like I played far better."
