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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Monday, October 20, 2008

LPGA
Pressel posts emotional win

By JAYMES SONG
Associated Press

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Morgan Pressel has reason to smile as her birdie putt on No. 18 drops to give her a one-shot win.

MATT YORK | Associated Press

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Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Suzann Pettersen

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KAPALUA, Maui — Morgan Pressel served as a gracious host but didn't want to extend Kapalua's welcome by going into overtime.

Pressel birdied the final hole yesterday in the inaugural Kapalua LPGA Classic for her first victory of the season.

Kapalua's touring pro closed with a 3-under 69 to edge Suzann Pettersen (69) by a stroke. Pressel, 20, finished at 8-under 280 and earned $225,000 for her second career win.

Pressel birdied two of her final three holes and made a clutch 15-foot putt from the fringe near the front of the green to secure the victory.

"I was nervous out there," said Pressel, who missed a 2-footer for birdie on 18 in the third round. "I knew what I had to do. ... I didn't want to go extra holes."

The victory was her first win in 43 starts and first top-10 finish since June.

"You expect her to make it," Pettersen said. "You expect good players to make putts."

Laura Diaz (70) finished third at 6 under. Angela Stanford (70), Sun Young Yoo (72) tied for fourth at 4 under, a stroke ahead of Stacy Lewis, who closed with a 66, and Carin Koch (74).

Pressel was in tears after the win as she thanked her grandparents. It was a gutsy performance considering she played alongside top-ranked Lorena Ochoa and No. 2 Annika Sorenstam for the first two rounds and had numerous engagements to attend as Kapalua's tour pro.

Pressel shook her fist after draining a 7-foot birdie putt on the par-4 16th to catch Pettersen, who birdied 18 and was already in the clubhouse and waiting for a possible playoff.

Pressel also got up-and-down from the bunker to save par on the par-3 17th. She had a long eagle attempt on the 454-yard, par-5 15th, but three-putted for par.

Pettersen had a costly bogey on that hole, which was the easiest of the tournament and one that she birdied the two previous days. She ran into trouble hitting into the greenside bunker and then three-putting.

With several players jostling for the outright lead, Pettersen emerged from the pack by birdieing four of five holes just before the turn to reach 8 under and open a three-stroke lead over Pressel, Yoo and Jee Young Lee.

That's when Pressel told her caddie, "Wow. Suzann is on a tear this morning."

"I had my chances out there, let a few players into the game," said Pettersen, winless this year after winning five times in 2007.

Ochoa (71) tied for 14th at 1 under while Sorenstam closed with a 72 and tied for 25th at 2 over.

Sorenstam played solidly the last three days but couldn't overcome her opening round 77. She smiled and waved to the roaring gallery as she tapped in for birdie on the final hole after missing a 15-foot eagle putt.

"I do feel very good about my game. I know the score doesn't reflect that and that's the bottom line in golf," she said.

PGA TOUR

LAS VEGAS — Marc Turnesa completed a wire-to-wire victory for his first PGA Tour title, closing with a 4-under 68 yesterday to hold off Matt Kuchar by a stroke in the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open.

The fourth rookie to win on the PGA Tour this season, Turnesa opened with rounds of 62, 64 and 69 at TPC Summerlin en route to a 24-under 263 total. He earned $738,000.

Kuchar finished with a 64.

Punahou School alum Parker McLachlin shot 69 to tie for 36th at 16-under 272 and win $18,479. Castle High alum Dean Wilson shot 70 to tie for 47th at 14-under 274 and win $10,674.

CHAMPIONS TOUR

THE WOODLANDS, Texas — Bernhard Langer overcame a "senior moment" yesterday to win his second straight Administaff Small Business Classic title, shooting a 3-under 69 for a two-stroke victory over Lonnie Nielsen.

Langer finished at 12-under 204 on The Woodlands Country Club course and earned $255,000 for his third victory of the year to take the money lead with $1,992,573.

Langer took a one-stroke penalty on No. 3, when he absent-mindedly picked up his ball after his tee shot missed the green on the par-3 hole. After a week of rain before the tournament, players were allowed to lift, clean and place their golf balls during the first two rounds. With drier conditions yesterday, players were no longer allowed to use preferred lies through the green.

EUROPEAN PGA TOUR

VILAMOURA, Portugal — Spain's Alvaro Quiros won the Portugal Masters for his second European tour title, closing with a 4-under 68 yesterday for a three-stroke victory over Scotland's Paul Lawrie (67).

Quiros finished with a 19-under 269 total.