Karrie Webb Wins Australian Open Golf For 5th Time
Today was a good day for Karrie Webb, who won the LPGA Australian Open golf championship for the fifth time.
Webb started the final day with a five-stroke deficit, but was quick to take the lead. She ended the tournament with a score of 4-under 68 in the final round, beating Chella Choi by one stroke. This was Webb’s 40th LPGA title, and she was able to finish at 12-under 276 overall.
“I got off to a great start and I just did a great job mentally today,” Webb said. “I can’t think of another time when I held myself together as well as that.”
Webb realized that she was tied for the lead following a birdie on the 11th hole. “I was obviously pumped up that I made the putt but then of course I made that to tie for the lead,” said Webb. “I had a little bit of trouble calming myself down on the next hole, I didn’t hit a very good tee shot, but I ended up making a really good par, so that sort of settled me down. It was a little up and down coming in, but the conditions were so difficult that it was hard to hit some quality shots and know exactly where the wind was coming from.”
With the weather playing in her favor, Webb was able to bogey the 16th hole, which put her in a tie for the lead with Choi. However, after a par at number 17, she reached the par-5 18th in only two shots and then two-putted for the birdie to make her the winner.
“I’m not sure if I saw it coming, but sometimes for me the tougher the conditions the better because I have to really get out of my head. I have to not think technically. I think when the conditions are milder you try to be more perfect, I think because the conditions are easy so you should be shooting low scores. When the conditions are tough I think I get out of that mindset and I just feel the shot that I need to.”
“I feel very fortunate to have won today but I liked my chances at the start of the day because of the wind picking up. If we had another day like we had the first three days, I probably was a little too far back to have a chance, so I was thankful for the weather changing and I played as good as I have in a very long time.”
Webb won the title and a $180,000 check. Choi finished close behind, in second, and took home a $110,822 check. Webb also won the Australian Open in 2000, 2002, 2007 and 2008.
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