Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
Australia's Karrie Webb denied 16-year-old Michelle Wie her first professional victory when she shot a final round 68 to win the Evian Masters in France on Saturday.
It was a third win of a great comeback year for the 31-year-old Australian and she finished on 16-under par 272 and one shot ahead of both Wie, who had a 68, and England's Laura Davies, who came close to making eagle on the long 18th for a 67.
Playing in her 31st LPGA tournament, Wie has now had 13 top tens, including seven from 11 majors. It was the third time from six LPGA starts this year that she has finished one shot outside a play-off.
Webb began the final round one shot ahead, but Wie grabbed a two shot lead after she made eagle at the long ninth and a birdie at the 11th. But Webb hit back with a birdie at the next and the pair were tied when the Hawaiian youngster twice hit into bunkers and dropped a shot at the 13th.
Webb, who won the first major of the year at the Kraft Nabisco Championship and also won the Michelob ULTRA Open in May, then struck for the top with birdies at the two short holes, the 14th and 17th. She holed from 15-feet both times.
With a two shot lead, the vastly experienced campaigner played it safe at the par five 18th. She laid up with her second shot and made a safe par, while Wie and Davies both went for the carry over the burn short of the green.
Wie bunkered her second shot but made an up and down for birdie, while Davies' eagle effort from 12-feet scraped by the hole.
South Korean Kim Mi Hyun finished fourth on 14-under par 274 after a 66, with Mexico's Lorena Ochoa, who had a 67 that included an albatross two with a hybrid club at the 482-yard ninth, was fifth on 13-under par 275 after a 67.
Last year's winner, American Paula Creamer, shot a joint best of tournament 65 and was alone in seventh place on 11-under par 277, two shots ahead of world No.1 Annika Sorenstam, who closed with a 70.
str/dj06
Golf-USLPGA-LET-FRA
AFP 291517 GMT 07 06
COPYRIGHT 2006 Agence France-Presse. All rights reserved.
