Pak Se Ri clinches title

LINCOLN, APRIL 23. Two late birdies helped South Korea's Pak Se Ri shoot a one-under-par 71 and fight off the challenge of Laura Diaz to win the Longs Drugs Challenge by two shots.

Pak finished the tournament on eight-under-par 208, in the rain- shortened event on Sunday and earned $120,000 for the win, her second of the LPGA season and 10th in a career dating back to 1997.

Annika Sorenstam's bid for a fifth consecutive LPGA title fell by the wayside, as she skidded to a final-round 75, four over for the tournament and 12 shots behind Pak. The Swede was never able to go any lower than one- under-par for the event, which was shortened to 54 holes after Friday's play was washed out.

Diaz earned $74,474 for her runner-up finish, while Michele Redman, playing in the same group as Pak, finished in third place to earn $54,346.

Pak, who shot a 66 and a 71 in the first two rounds to lead Redman by one stroke going into the final round, fell into a tie for the lead when she bogeyed the opening hole.

She regained the lead with a birdie on the fourth hole, however, gave it back with a bogey at 13, before sealing the victory with back-to-back birdies on 16 and 17.

One of the LPGA's best finishers, Pak has now won seven times in eight tries while holding on to the lead going into the final round. Diaz opened the day at two-under, and reeled off five birdies and one bogey en-route to a 68.

- Reuters

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