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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Monday, June 26, 2006

Jang triumphs at Wegmans

Associated Press

"I've been waiting a long time, feels like over a year," Jeong Jang said of her second career LPGA tournament victory.

DON HEUPEL | Associated Press

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Jeong Jang's surprise win in the Women's British Open last summer was a bigger accomplishment.

Her triumph yesterday in the Wegmans LPGA — her first on American soil — was more joyous.

"I've been waiting a long time, feels like over a year," the 26-year-old South Korean said after her one-stroke victory over Paraguay's Julieta Granada at the Locust Hill course in Pittsford, N.Y. "That's why I think more happy."

With a 13-under 275 total, Jang picked up her second career LPGA Tour title and earned $270,000 to jump from 11th to seventh on the money list with $650,081. She is the eighth South Korean winner on the tour this season.

Granada, a 19-year-old rookie who tied for fourth in February at the Fields Open in Hawai'i, birdied the last hole for a 67.

"My putting was really on," said Granada, who made a 25-foot birdie putt on No. 13. "Unfortunately, I couldn't make birdie on any of the next four holes. I didn't hit good shots in ... so what can you do?"

Marcy Hart (69) missed an 18-inch par putt on the last hole to drop to 11 under and a tie for third with Brittany Lang (71).

Mi Hyun Kim (72), who along with Lang started the day one stroke behind Jang, finished fifth at 19 under.

PGA

CURTIS OUT IN FRONT AT POSTPONED BOOZ ALLEN

Ben Curtis will have to wait at least one more day to get his first victory since the 2003 British Open.

Curtis was routing the field yesterday in the Booz Allen Classic, leading by eight strokes over Padraig Harrington with seven holes to go when play was suspended for the day because of approaching thunderstorms in Potomac, Md.

Curtis was on the 12th hole with a score of 23 under, poised to break the tournament record of 21 under. Play was scheduled to resume today.

"I've still got to play my game," Curtis said. "I don't want to go to sleep tonight, 'Oh, you've got it won,' because I've still got 6 1/2 holes to go."

Curtis has led after every round, shooting 62, 65 and 67 on the TPC at Avenel. The low scores are skewed somewhat because the players have been allowed to lift, clean and place their shots on the fairways during the last three rounds. Storms and threats of storms prompted the ruling, but it was really only needed yesterday, when the heavy rains finally came and postponed the start of play by six hours.

CHAMPIONS

HARRIS TOPS JENKINS IN PLAYOFF FOR CROWN

John Harris won his first Champions Tour title yesterday, making a 6-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole to beat Tom Jenkins in the Commerce Bank Championship in East Meadow, N.Y.

Harris had eight top-10 finishes in his four-plus years on the tour for players 50 and over. He matched the tournament's best round with a 64 yesterday despite bogeying the 18th hole in regulation.

He birdied that same par-4 in the playoff, taking home the winner's share of $225,000 from the purse of $1.5 million.