Sorenstam wins third U.S. Women's Open, first since 1996

NEWPORT, R.I., July 3, 2006 – Annika Sorenstam won her third career U.S. Women's Open conducted by the USGA and her first in 10 years by beating Pat Hurst in an 18-hole playoff.

Sorenstam rolled in a six-foot birdie putt on the first hole, a 532-yard par-5 and never looked back. Hurst carded a three-putt bogey on the hole, giving Sorenstam and two-shot advantage, and was felled by her putter all day.

Sorenstam finished with three birdies and two bogeys for a 1-under-par 70, while Hurst had one birdie, two bogeys and one double bogey to finish with a 74 (+3). The playoff was the first since 2003 and the tenth overall in the 61-year history of the U.S. Women's Open.

“This is the championship that's always, in my opinion, been the biggest that we have on the schedule,” said Sorenstam, who became the sixth player in history to win three U.S. Women's Opens. “ You never know how many times you'll get an opportunity like this again. I wanted to make the most out of it, and that's why I think one of the reasons I grinded so hard was just because of that, knowing that it's right here, make the most out of it, take advantage of it. I didn't want to leave here knowing that I left something on the table. You've got to enjoy it when the moment is out there.”

Sorenstam has many reasons to enjoy this win.

It snaps an eight event winless drought for Sorenstam—her longest since going 10 events without a win 2001—and quiets the whispers that the 35-year-old was slipping a notch. The $560,000 first-place paycheck moves her from sixth to second on the ADT Official Money List and makes her the first woman to eclipse the $20 million mark in career earnings. It also pushes her over the $1 million mark in season earnings for the seventh consecutive year and the ninth time in her 13-year career.

The victory was also her tenth major of her career, tying her with the legendary Babe Zaharias for fourth all-time. Sorenstam is only the fifth player in LPGA history—and the first since Mickey Wright in 1963—to win double-digit majors in her career.

The No. 1 player in the Rolex Women's World Golf Rankings increased her all-time playoff record to 15-5 and is now 3-0 against Hurst. She had a share of the lead after every round and has now won 12 of her last 13 tournaments when entering the final round with a share of the lead.

Sorenstam also ended a 10-year struggle at the U.S. Women's Open, where she had come so close in the last decade, but left crestfallen so many times. She won back-to-back championships in 1995 and 1996, but missed the cut in 1997 and 1999 before finishing second, fourth and second from 2002 to 2004. Last year, a win would have given her the third leg of the season Grand Slam, but she left with a tie for 23 rd.

So, all things considered, it was a very good week for Sorenstam.

“ When I came out early and won my first tournament was a U.S. Open and I won back‑to‑back, and I thought, wow, I can do this,” said Sorenstam, who has won 63 LPGA events since her last U.S. Women's Open win in 1996. “I worked so hard to do it again, and it just never really happened. I was close a few times but could never get it done.

“Now it's been ten years. It's been a long wait, a long road, but along the way I've learned a lot, and this week obviously means a lot to me, to come back the way I did, and especially the way the season has been going, a little up and down. To win the Open has been a little ironic.”

The first round of the event was fogged out and was pushed back until Friday. The second round was played Saturday and the third and final rounds, which had Sorenstam and Hurst paired together, were contested on a marathon Sunday that featured a steady wind in the high 20 mph range at the seaside Newport Country Club.

Sorenstam had a chance to win the tournament in regulation, but her 30-foot birdie attempt on the final hole rolled over the right side lip and settled 18 inches beyond the cup. Hurst made a four-foot par putt and then Sorenstam made her par forcing the playoff. They finished regulation at level-par 284.

The playoff began at 9 a.m. Monday and three hours and 22 minutes later, Sorenstam had won the U.S. Women's Open. With Sorenstam up by five shots, the twosome walked up the 18 th fairway together to a standing ovation. Hurst rolled in a 40-foot birdie—her first of the day—from off the green and raised her arms in almost disbelief. Sorenstam followed with a routine two-putt par, kissed her putter and then lifted it above her head before hugging her caddie.

“I couldn't get anything going,” said Hurst, who earned $335,000 for the largest paycheck of her career. “ I couldn't get anything to fall. If I could make some putts out there today, it would have been a little bit closer and put a little pressure on her. B ut she played great and played steady, down the middle, on the green and made some putts here and there.”

U.S. Women's Open Playoffs
Year Champion Score Runner-up Score

1953 Betsy Rawls 71 Jacqueline Pung 77
1956 Kathy Cornelius 75 Barbara McIntire (a) 82
1964 Mickey Wright 70 Ruth Jessen 72
1976 JoAnne Carner 76 Sandra Palmer 78
1986 Jane Geddes 71 Sally Little 73
1987 Laura Davies 71 Ayako Okamoto 73
JoAnne Carner 74
1992 Patty Sheehan 72 Juli Inkster 74
1998 Se Ri Pak 75-5-3 Jenny Chuasiriporn (a) 73-5-4
2003 Hilary Lunke 70 Angela Stanford 71
Kelly Robbins 73
2006 Annika Sorenstam 70 Pat Hurst 74