Pak wins with closing 66

Se Ri Pak posted a six-under 66 on Sunday to overcome a four-shot deficit and win the Women's British Open for her third career major championship. She finished at 11-under 277 and bested Mi Hyun Kim by two shots.

Laura Diaz carded a final-round 67 to tie for third with Iben Tinning, Janice Moodie and overnight leader Catriona Matthew at minus-eight.

Pak took the lead in the tournament for the first time at the 17th hole. She dropped a three-foot birdie putt at the 400-yard par-four and then drove into the rough on the right side at Sunningdale Golf Club's closing hole.

She was able to play a seven-iron to four feet, which set up birdie on 18, but she had to wait as five groups behind her had to finish.

"There was nothing to lose and I was trying to go for it," said Pak, who only needs the Nabisco Championship to round out the career Grand Slam. "It was the last day and the last chance for me. I just played and played. I thought that if I finished the last three holes perfect I'd be in good shape."

Karrie Webb, looking for her third major title of the 2001 campaign, struggled on Sunday with a two-over 74. She bogeyed three consecutive holes on her front nine and never was a factor on Sunday.

Pak got her round started with an eagle at the par-five opening hole after she roped a three-wood to 10 feet. She parred the next eight holes on her way to a front-nine 34.

At the par-five 10th, Pak's drive found heavy rough but she was able to hit a seven-wood into a greenside bunker. She blasted out to five feet and converted the birdie putt.

Pak made birdie at No. 12 but lost an opportunity when she three-putted the 14th green for par. It was a few holes later where she birdied 17 and 18, two of the toughest holes at the Old Course at Sunningdale, and secured her fourth title of the 2001 season.

"That was a strong finish. I was having trouble with 17 all week, so to make birdie there, it made me happy," said Pak. "And on 18, I had a good up and down and somehow, I made it!"

Pak earned $221,650 and vaulted ahead of Annika Sorenstam and Webb into first place on the LPGA Tour money list.

Kim opened with two birdies in her first three holes but scored a double-bogey at six and a bogey at the par-three eighth. She clawed back near the top of the leaderboard with birdies at 10 and 14 but fell short in her attempt to win her first major.

"I was hoping to win," said Kim, who posted a one-under 71 on Sunday. "I wanted to win, but as I didn’t, it is nice that another player from Korea could win."

Pak and Kim became the first Korean players to finish one-two in a major.

Diaz birdied her first six holes on Sunday and after a birdie at No. 10, was tied for the lead. She dropped shots at 14 and 16 and lost her chance at finally breaking through to the winner's circle.

"I was just trying to go as low as I could," said Diaz, who finished second behind Webb at the LPGA Championship in June. "I hadn’t been putting very well this week and it felt good to have some putts drop right away."

Matthew, who lost a five-shot lead toward the end of Saturdays's third round, birdied her first two but negated that with back-to-back bogeys at five and six.

She was still in striking distance of the lead after she holed a fringe putt for birdie at the par-five 14th. Down one to Pak, Matthew dropped her tee shot into a bunker at 15 but blasted out to three feet. She missed the short par save and fell two behind before a bogey at her last hole.

"Tomorrow, it will have been a good week," she said. "I had a chance to win and the more times you are up there, you are going to win the odd one."

Kristal Parker (67), Marina Arruti (67), Kathryn Marshall (67), Kelli Kuehne (69) and Kasumi Fujii (70) shared seventh place at minus-seven.

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