Karrie Webb rallied to win the LPGA Founders Cup on Sunday for her second straight victory, shooting a six-under 66 to beat Brittany Lincicome and Paula Creamer by a stroke.
Lincicome had a chance to pull even with Webb on the final hole, but missed a 10-foot par putt.
“I didn’t think I’d be sitting here today talking about winning, but now that I am, It’s such a great honor to win this tournament,” Webb said
The 36-year-old Australian, who finished at 12-under 204, earned US$200,000 for the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation and the Japan earthquake relief efforts in the charity event at Wildfire Golf Club.
Instead of paying the players, the tournament honoring the 13 LPGA Tour founders donated US$1 million to charity — half to The LPGA Foundation and its LPGA-USGA Girls Golf program and half to the top-10 finishers’ designated charities.
The Reeve Foundation supports spinal cord research, treatment and rehabilitation for those living with paralysis. Kelvin Haller, Webb’s longtime coach back in Australia, is a quadriplegic. He was paralyzed in an accident 20 years ago.
“That’s why I’ve been associated with them. It’s near and dear to my heart,” Webb said. “I think they’ll understand that I’m splitting the US$200,000 between them and the relief efforts in Japan.”
“Japan, the fans, the people and many businesses over there have supported me throughout my entire career. It’s just the least that I could do,” she said.
Webb now has 38 LPGA Tour victories, including a win three weeks ago in Singapore.
After opening with a 71, Webb shot a 67 on Saturday, leaving her six strokes behind second-round leader Angela Stanford.
Stanford, who was at 12-under after opening with consecutive 66s, had three three-putt bogeys in a 75 on Sunday that left her fifth at nine-under.
“Bad putting,” Stanford said after the final round.
Webb tied Lincicome at 11-under with a five-foot birdie putt on the par-three 14th and took the lead with a tap-in birdie on the par-five 15th.
Lincicome then matched the Australian Hall of Famer at 12-under with a short birdie putt of her own on 15.
Webb made a three-foot putt for par on the par-four 18th after leaving her approach shot in the fringe in front of the green.
Lincicome also ended up in the fringe short of the final green, but ran her chip 10 feet past the hole and missed the putt for her second bogey of the week.
Lincicome shot a 70, while Creamer had a 66.
“I did a lot of good things. Just one bad hole,” Lincicome said.
Taiwan’s Yani Tseng finished joint 29th on 215, with compatriot Amy Hung a shot further back.
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