SINGAPORE – American Cristina Kim birdied the last to hand the Internationals a nailbiting 12.5/11.5 win over Asia at the Lexus Cup yesterday and give Annika Sorenstam a fitting send-off into retirement.
Going into Sunday’s singles at the year-ending LPGA event, the two teams were locked at 6-6 and it remained tight throughout the day, coming down to the final hole.
With the other players safely home, Japan’s Namika Omata and the larger-than-life Kim found themselves at the 18th with the Internationals needing half a point to win and avenge their 15-9 drubbing last year.
Both players safely made the green, with Kim having two putts to halve the hole and hand victory to her team, which she calmly did.
Sorenstam, playing her last ever round of LPGA golf before calling it quits, was first out against Asian captain and long-time rival Pak Se-Ri and set the tone for her team.
Bogeys at the opening two holes put Pak on the back foot and she never recovered, eventually crashing 3 and 2 as Sorenstam sunk birdies on the 13th, 14th and 15th.
It was a glorious personal finale to Sorenstam’s LPGA career but less memorable for Pak who failed to win any of her three matches at the tournament.
‘It is amazing. It has been so close all week and it has been so much fun. I couldn’t have asked for a better ending to my career,’ said Sorenstam.
‘I am very proud of my ladies and it is great to get the cup back.
‘I’ll miss this a lot,’ she added of her last matchplay event before stepping away to start a family and focus on other business interests.
‘I’ve had a lot of fun over the last 15 years, there have been great experiences, dramas and challenges.’
Despite her young team losing, Pak said she was proud of how they handled themselves, calling the tournament the highlight of the season.- Nampa-AFP
