May14 Petterson wins
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Suzann Pettersen two-putted for par on the third playoff hole Sunday to defeat third-round leader Jee Young Lee and win the Michelob Ultra Open.
Pettersen closed with a three-under 68 to get into the clubhouse at 10-under- par 274. Lee had a birdie putt to win the tournament, but two-putted for par on the 72nd hole to join Pettersen at minus-10.
The duo returned to the 18th hole at Kingsmill Golf Club for the playoff. On the first extra hole, Pettersen knocked her second shot over the green, while Lee left herself 25 feet for birdie.
Pettersen chipped within a foot and tapped in her par putt. Lee, with her second chance to win, missed her birdie opportunity but tapped in for par.
They headed to the 18th tee for the second extra hole. After Lee found the fairway off the tee, Pettersen hit a huge tee shot well past her playing partner.
Lee found the green with her approach, but was 40 feet from the hole. Pettersen dropped her second 10 feet from the cup. Lee’s putt came up four feet short giving Pettersen a chance for the win. However, she missed on the low side and after both tapped in for par it was back to the 18th tee again.
Both players again found the fairway off the tee. Lee looked to have the advantage as her approach came to rest 10 feet from the pin. Pettersen had 20 feet from the fringe, but her putt slid by the right edge.
Looking at her third opportunity to secure her second tour title, Lee pushed her birdie putt three feet by the hole. Taking little time, she pushed her par putt right again and tapped in for a three-putt bogey.
Pettersen had two feet for her first tour crown. She calmly drained the putt for the win.
“It feels special, I must say,” said Pettersen, who collected $330,000 for the win. “I didn’t expect to win. It felt like after (Saturday) that I was a little too far back. So I just thought if I could go out and post a number, that would be good and that’s what I tried to do. And I played really good.”
Sarah Lee struggled to a three-over 74 and finished alone in third at seven- under-par 277. Stacy Prammanasudh (68) and Paula Creamer (72), who have both won this year on tour, shared fourth at minus-six. Ai Miyazato was one stroke further back at five-under-par after a closing 73.
Pettersen, playing two groups ahead of Jee Young Lee, got off to a quick start with birdies on two and three. That got her to minus-nine and she remained there with seven straight pars. During that time, her deficit dropped to one as Jee Young Lee came back to the field.
Jee Young Lee birdied the second, but gave strokes back with bogeys on five and eight. She bounced back with a 12-foot birdie putt on nine to regain a two-shot cushion on Pettersen.
After Jee Young Lee birdied the ninth, the 26-year-old Pettersen ran home a 25-foot birdie putt on the 11th to get back within one.
The 21-year-old Lee three-putted for bogey on 10 to slip back into a share of the lead at 10-under.
Now tied for first, Pettersen made a variety of pars over the final seven holes to get into the clubhouse first at minus-10.
Jee Young Lee fell one behind Pettersen as she could not get up and down for par on 14. She came right back with a stellar bunker shot to within a foot at 15. She kicked that in for birdie to regain a piece of the lead, then parred the final three holes to get into the playoff.
“My shots were not as good as (Saturday), so I had a few dangerous moments,” Lee stated. “But I took the risks and made a couple birdies. I’m disappointed that I shot over par today.”
Becky Morgan, Seon-Hwa Lee and Sherri Steinhauer shared seventh place at four- under-par 280. Last year’s champion Karrie Webb led a group of seven players in 10th place at minus-three.
Women’s World No. 1 Lorena Ochoa stumbled to a two-over 73 and ended in a tie for 20th at one-under-par 283.