Tue, Aug 02, 2005 page20

• Jang wins her first LPGA title

  • AP
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  Jeong Jang shrugged off the intimidating presence of Annika Sorenstam to win her first pro tournament and her first major Sunday, capturing a four-stroke victory in the Women's British Open after leading virtually from start to finish.

  Jang posted a 69 for a 16-under 272 total at Royal Birkdale to beat Sophie Gustafson by four strokes. Michelle Wie, the 15-year-old amateur from Hawaii, was one of two players tied for third.

  Gustafson, who won this tournament in 2000 before it became a major, shot a 67 for a 12-under 276, while Wie, who started with a rain-lashed 75 in the first round, finished with a 69 and a tie with Young Kim at 10 under.

  Sorenstam, who had been chasing her third major of the year and 10th in total, already knew she had lost by the time she came to the final hole in third place. To make it worse, she lost her ball off the tee, took a double-bogey and wound up in a tie for fifth.

  Before carding her fourth round in the 60s, Jang went out with Sorenstam as her playing partner knowing that the world's top-ranked player had won 74 tournaments -- 10 of those majors.

  But Jang won her first major and earned her first tour title with a display of long range hitting and approach play that made it difficult to believe she had never won a tournament in 5 years on the LPGA Tour.

  "It's this course," Jang said of the Royal Birkdale links. "I had a lot of confidence because I hit my driver low. I had a lot of confidence in practice and I didn't tell anybody."

  After winning the Nabisco and LPGA Championship, Sorenstam appeared on course for a Grand Slam.

  "I'm not so disappointed. I think J.J. just played incredible," said the Swede, whose 71 gave her a 279 total. "I think she would have been very hard to catch today. So my hat's off to her. She played excellent."

  Vijay Singh followed up three spectacular rounds with an average one and it was enough to hold off a surging Tiger Woods and win the tournament.

  Singh closed with a final-round 70 for a four-stroke victory and a 24-under 264 total. The Fijian said he never really worried about losing his lead.

  "I wasn't as aggressive," he said. "I felt very much in control so I didn't want to make any mistakes because nobody was making a charge. To protect the lead is not a fun way to play."

  What was an exciting tournament for three days became anticlimactic during the final round until Woods created a buzz with his comeback attempt.

  Woods, who began the day eight shots back, tied for second after vaulting into contention with six birdies and an eagle in a nine-hole stretch.

  "I thought if I played a great back nine, I might be in position just in case Vijay messed up, but he's playing too well to do that," Woods said.

  After making a 17-foot putt for birdie at No. 17 to pull within two shots, Woods cupped his left ear to coax a louder reaction from the raucous gallery, a gesture usually reserved for professional wrestling.

  "I wanted to know how loud those drunk guys get," he said. "They were pretty hammered, they were wobbling as it was."

  Woods' drive at the final hole sailed wide right while Singh made his second birdie at No. 16 to take a three-shot lead. Woods bogeyed the final hole and fell another shot back, finishing with a 6-under 66.

  Woods, the top-ranked player in the world, and Singh, ranked second, have alternated positions atop the rankings for nearly a year.

  Zach Johnson (69) tied for second -- his best finish this year -- at 20 under.

  Singh is the first three-time champion at the Buick Open, a tournament that started in 1958. He's also the first repeat champion since Tony Lema in 1965. The 42-year-old Fijian has won four events this year and 28 in his career. Singh trails only Woods' 44 victories and leads Phil Mickelson by two among active US PGA Tour players.

  Singh's five-shot lead was his largest entering a final round. The four times he led by three after 54 holes, he won each event, including the 2000 Masters.

  The large cushion allowed him to play conservatively, making two birdies and 16 pars.

  Singh matched the Buick Open's 54-hole record of 22-under 194.

  "You never win the golf tournament on Saturday, but you can put yourself in position to win," he said.
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