Karrie Webb finishes 3rd at US Senior Women’s Open
Karrie Webb – watches a putt at the 14th today – image Steve Gibbons USGA
Karrie Webb has finished 3rd at the US Senior Women’s Open in Michigan, the 51-year-old Queenslander finishing five shots behind the winner, Sweden’s Maria McBride, and three behind long-time rival Annika Sorenstam.
Webb began the final round eight shots behind the 54-hole lead of McBride’s, but with birdies at the 8th, 9th and 10th holes she had closed within two before an agonising three-putt at the 11th effectively saw her challenge for the title disappear.
McBride, who started the day four ahead of Sorenstam, actually lost the lead when dropping four shots by the 8th and stood one behind Sorenstam as she stood on the 9th tee. She missed par 5 with her second, but holed from off the green for eagle and had the lead as they made the turn. Sorenstam drew level at the 13th but a two-shot swing at the 14th when McBride birdied and Sorenstam bogeyed would prove crucial in the run to the line.
McBride extended her lead to four when she birdied the 16th and although there would be a two-shot swing in Sorenstam’s favour at the 17th, McBride had done enough to take the title.
And so 52-year-old McBride, a four-time winner on the LPGA Tour and a five-time Solheim Cup representative, takes the greatest title in Senior Women’s golf at the expense of two of the greatest players in the history of the LPGA Tour.
For Webb, however, it was an impressive showing, once again highlighting just how good one of Australia’s greatest golfing products has been and indeed still is.
Fellow Australians Rachel Hetherington and amateur Nadene Gole finished in a share of 37th.
