Juli Inkster slipped to a 4-over-par 76
today but held on to win the Compaq Open by one shot over Sophie
Gustafson.
One stroke ahead after tying the course record Saturday with a
67, Inkster struggled with high winds and dropped three shots on
the last two holes at the Barseback course in southern Sweden.
"It was really tough out there and the wind was completely
different which meant I had to change my game plan,'' the Hall of
Famer said. "But it's good to have won and, if I'm invited, I'll
be back to defend next year.''
Inkster finished at 6-under 282 on a course that will host the
2004 Solheim Cup matches between the United States and Europe.
Gustafson, who won the Women's British Open at Royal Birkdale a week
ago, finished second at 5 under after a 72.
Defending champion Laura Davies had a 77 today to share 11th
place with Sherri Steinhauer of the United States, former U.S. Women's Open
champion Liselotte Neumann and six others.
England's Kirsty Taylor, one behind Inkster going into the final
round, ballooned to an 80 and wound up eighth at 1 under.
Jane Leary of Australia had the shot of the day -- a double-eagle
on the long fourth hole using a 3-wood.
"I had about (210 yards) to the pin,'' said Leary, who works as
a policewoman six months a year in Sydney to be able to afford
playing on the European Tour.
"I saw the ball roll in. It was my first albatross.''
She tied for 27th at 292.
Annika Sorenstam, ranked second in the world and a two-time
winner of the Compaq Open, was third at 284.
That finish moved the Swede into the top seven in the Solheim
Cup rankings, which guarantees a spot on the European team. The
United States will defend the title at Loch Lomond, Scotland, Oct.
6-8.
European captain Dale Reid will name Europe's team in a week,
after the European Tour event in England. Sorenstam will not play
there and could be overtaken in the standings, but she is expected
to receive one of Reid's five wild-card selections if she does not
wind up with an automatic berth.
Three English players -- Davies, Trish Johnson and Alison
Nicholas -- have clinched spots on the team, along with Gustafson
and France's Patricia Meunier Lebouc.
Juli Inkster, United States 71-68-67-76-2826-under
Sophie Gustafson, Sweden72-68-71-72-2835-under
Annika Sorenstam, Sweden69-71-71-73-2844-under
Catriona Matthew, Scotland75-70-70-70-2853-under
Janice Moodie, Scotland 75-69-73-69-2862-under
Trish Johnson, England71-73-73-69-286
Alison Munt, Australia70-75-69-72-286
Karen Pearce, Australia 72-76-67-71-286
Alison Nicholas, England71-69-73-74-2871-under
Kirsty Taylor, England70-68-69-80-287
Shani Waugh, Australia, 73-72-73-70-288Even
Sara Eklund, Sweden,69-72-75-72-288
Sherri Steinhauer, U.S. 73-72-71-72-288
Liselotte Neumann, Sweden 74-69-72-73-288
Sofia Gronberg Whitmore, Sweden 74-73-68-73-288
Kathryn Marshall, Scotland70-69-74-75-288
Caroline Hall, England72-72-69-75-288
Laura Davies, England 71-73-67-77-288
Nina Karlsson, Sweden 70-72-69-77-288
