Portland, Sept 30: Annika Sorenstam had back-to-back eagles and shot a final-round 66 Sunday at the LPGA Safeway Classic to defend her title and win her fifth event of the year.
Sorenstam finished at 15-under 201, edging Hall of Famer Beth Daniel by a stroke after starting the day in a three-way tie with Daniel and Cristie Kerr.
``Obviously it feels wonderful,'' Sorenstam said. ``I love coming down the stretch when it's exciting and hitting great shots when you need to. Winning never gets old.''
Sorenstam set the tone on her first hole of the day, landing under a tree on the left side of the fairway. She punched out low and landed within 20 feet of the pin, making the birdie.
She gave back that stroke on the third hole with a three-putt bogey, then nearly made eagle on No. 5 before hitting back-to-back eagles on the par 4 No. 6 and the par 5 No. 7.



``I was on fire for those three holes for sure,'' Sorenstam said after finishing 6-under for the day.



Daniel had five birdies and no bogeys for a 5-under 67, just missing her final putt on 18 for a birdie that could have forced a playoff.



``I rolled it well on 18, but I needed to make birdie,'' said Daniel, who opened the tournament with a 10-under 62 to tie a course record set by Sorenstam last year.



Asked whether she was disappointed, she replied with a smile: ``I opened with a 62 and didn't win the golf tournament, so I should be just a little disappointed.''



Sorenstam, with 47 career wins, is the first repeat champion since Kathy Whitworth won the first two stagings of the tournament in 1972-73. Whitworth went on to amass 88 career wins. Kerr finished three strokes back at 12-under 204.


Bureau Report