Marisa Baena completed a surprising run from 60th seed to first-time US LPGA Tour winner on Sunday, holding off South Korean rookie Meena Lee 1-up in the HSBC Women's World Match Play Championship.
"The funny thing about it is that I always believed I could do it, but this year I said, `You know what, I don't care if I win or not,'" Baena said. "This winter, I realized winning wasn't as important to me as I thought. ... I'm thinking, `Why am I so obsessed about winning?' I think once I took that load off, there I am winning."
A year after seriously considering giving up tour play, the 28-year-old Colombian beat six higher-seeded opponents to win in her 152nd start on the LPGA Tour. She earned US$500,000 and received a three-year tour exemption.
PHOTO: AP
"I'm sure in Colombia people are going crazy right now," said Baena, the country's first LPGA Tour winner. "I can't imagine the party that's going on at my country club."
Baena closed out the 23-year-old Lee with a conceded par on the par-4 18th after rolling her birdie try within 2 feet of the cup.
In the morning semifinals, Baena rallied to beat eighth-seeded Candie Kung of Taiwan 2-up. Baena opened the 64-player tournament with a victory over fifth-seeded Natalie Gulbis and also beat No. 37 Grace Park, No. 21 Jennifer Rosales and No. 29 Karrie Webb.
On Sunday morning, Baena overcame a two-hole deficit with five to play against Kung, the 23-year-old Taiwanese player who rallied from 2-down with four to play to beat top-seeded Annika Sorenstam in the quarterfinals on Saturday.
In the other semifinal, Lee beat 14th-seeded Wendy Ward 1-up.
Ward won the third-place match, rallying to beat Kung 2 and 1.
After finishing second three times this year, Jim Furyk answered Tiger Woods' charge with three straight birdies and hung on to win the tournament. It was his first victory since the 2003 Buick Open.
After tapping in for a par, Furyk took off his cap and shook hands with third round co-leader Ben Curtis. Furyk then turned and pumped his fists to the cheering crowd before sharing a long hug with caddie Fluff Cowan.
Furyk shot a 2-under 69, finishing the tournament at 14-under 270. Woods (66) was two strokes back at 272, though he did go over the US$50 million mark for career earnings.
Curtis faltered in his attempt to win for the first time since the 2003 British Open, shooting a 3-over 74. But he was still third, only his second top-10 finish since Royal St. George's.
Furyk got off to a rough start with bogeys on Nos. 2 and 3, and quickly found himself four strokes behind Curtis. But Furyk got himself going with a 23-foot birdie putt on No. 4, and climbed back into a tie at 12 under with a birdie on the par-3 No. 6.
Just as Furyk was finding his groove, though, Woods was picking up steam.
Beginning the day five strokes behind Furyk and Curtis, he surged into the lead with birdie-birdie-eagle on Nos. 9-11. He hit huge drives on No. 9 and 10 -- 305 and 354 yards, respectively -- but his showing on the par-5 11th was his best of the day.
Kenneth Ferrie's third successive round of 70 was enough for a two-stroke victory in the at the K Club.
The Englishman finished with a 3-under total of 285.
Colin Montgomerie, after a final round of 69, and Graeme Storm, with a 73, shared second place. Darren Clarke and Peter Hanson shared fourth place.
Thomas Bjorn, who led overnight by four strokes, hit an 86 -- including an 11 at the 17th hole where he hit three tee shots into the water -- to fall into a share of 33rd.
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