Yani Tseng Outlasts Maria Hjorth in McDonald's L.P.G.A. Playoff

Nineteen year old Tour rookie Yani Tseng made her first L.P.G.A. win a huge one as her 18th hole birdie bested Maria Hjorth on the 4th playoff hole at the McDonald's L.P.G.A. Championship. Tseng's 68 in regulation and Hjorth's 71 placed them one shot in front of Annika Sorenstam and Lorena Ochoa. This was Annika's farewell to the McDonald's and I'm sure falling one stroke short had to hurt. Truth be told, if Lorena or Annika could have putted on the back nine, they may have been the playoff. Putt after makeable putt missed their marks, with many coming up short. I was surprised to see the top two players in the world fall short on meaningful putts in a major. As wet as it's been at Bulle Rock, the players in the last groups have to contend with the mounds around the holes where earlier players have stepped. It puts the hole on a crown and forces the player to "firm" it in. I know they know that. They just didn't execute.

It was a seesaw battle on the back nine. Hjorth called on the golf gods on 15 when her second shot launched out of a hazard, caromed across the green to just on the fringe, from where she made birdie. She then proceeded to chip in for birdie on 16 which gave her the cushion to bogey 17 by missing a three footer that in hindsight would have won her the tournament. All this while Sorenstam and Ochoa were choking putts that would have rendered the rest of the action moot.

Tseng had nerves of titanium in the playoff. If she was nervous, she hid it well. Her lasered approach from the right rough on 18, the 4th and final playoff, to 5'9", and that was the putt that ended it. It was reminiscent of Se Ri Pak's dart to two feet on the same hole in a playoff two years ago to best Karrie Webb. Yani Tseng has a bright future. Previous to this break out win, the rookie had two seconds this year. She becomes at 19, the 2nd youngest major winner on tour, second to Morgan Pressel at 18.

The young US contingent of Pressel, Gulbis, Creamer, Kerr, and Lang played OK, but none were really in contention on the day that matters. Laura Diaz was in the hunt midway through the back nine and finished in solo 3rd at -10.

Pay attention to the future of women's golf. It's become a world game. New names and faces are, and will continue to be, the new fabric of the game. As it should be.

Average Golfer astute observation of the day....."Trevor Immelman is now the only player left with a shot at the Grand Slam".

Til' next,

McDonald's L.P.G.A. 3rd Round - The Field Fights Back

Lorena Ochoa with the lead at the halfway mark of a golf tournament is almost a foregone conclusion. Almost. The rest of the field showed up today at the 2008 McDonald's L.P.G.A. Championship. Jee Young Lee's spectacular 65 put her in front by a single stroke over Maria Hjorth, who had a no less spectacular 65. Annika Sorenstam's 68 put her deadlocked with Ochoa, owner of an even par 72 today. They're tied at -10. There's a four way tie at -8, all within striking distance.

Oppressive heat, touching 100 degrees F, made this a war of attrition as well. Umbrellas were spotted all day in an effort to escape the furnace. That aside, the golf course was for the taking. Immaculate conditions and receptive greens made low scores possible. Expect more of the same tomorrow that will make for a lot of possible movement on the leader board.

Supporting my long held theory that putting wins championships, here's a little fodder. Putts taken through 54 holes, Lee, 81, Hjorth, 84, Sorenstam, 88, Ochoa, 92. Darn if that's not the exact order on the leader board. Dottie Pepper, Golf Channel announcer, smartly pointed out excessive head movement in Ochoa's putting stroke. In slow motion replay you could see her head moving 6 inches or so in the middle of her stroke. Good call Dottie. That's what I like out of my golf announcers. I don't need to know how rainy and windy it was at Carnoustie a million years ago. Faldo.

Sunday should be a great race to the finish. Just the way a major championship should be. Has to be better than Big Brown's, huh?

Til, next,