Sorenstam & Park tie for lead

Annika Sorenstam's domination of the LPGA Tour is enough to overshadow a 63.

Gloria Park matched the Big Apple Classic record with an 8-under 63 Saturday, but all that did was tie her for the lead heading into the final round with Sorenstam, who had a 64.

Park, in her third season on tour, matched Betsy King's 63 from 1990, but that was when the 6,161-yard Wykagyl Country Club course played to a par of 72. Since it was changed to par 71 the next year, Park's round was the lowest.

There wasn't much time to talk about it, though, as the questions quickly started about playing with Sorenstam, who set 30 LPGA records last season and has won six tournaments in 2002 -- four more than anyone else.

``This is the first time,'' Park, a native of South Korea, said when asked if she had ever played with Sorenstam. ``I play with a couple of other girls over and over, but I haven't played with her. Ever.''

Park, though, didn't give any indication of being intimated by Sorenstam, who became the first player to earn $2 million in a season last year.

``I just say 'Hello,' but I don't really know her,'' Park said. ``I see her on TV.''

So does everyone else.

Sorenstam, whose $1,849,054 this year is almost $800,000 ahead of second-place Juli Inkster on the LPGA earnings list, is on a string of seven straight top-three finishes. She has been in the top seven in all but one of her 13 starts this year.

``I'm playing better golf than last year when I won eight tournaments,'' she said. ``I've won six and it's just July and I've earned almost as much money. It's great to win tournaments, but consistency is also important to me and that's the way I play.''

Sorenstam has won 23 of the 39 tournaments in which she held the lead entering the final round in her career. She also has eight second-place finishes and six thirds in those events.

``I'm right where I want to be on Sunday,'' she said. ``I like the course and hopefully will continue to play well and look forward to tomorrow.''

Park had five of her eight birdies on the back nine, including three over the final four holes. She had a short birdie putt on the par-5 15th and then made a 15-footer on the par-3 16th. She made a 5-foot putt to save par on 17 and then made a 2-footer for a birdie 4 on the 18th.

Park has one career victory, the Williams Championship last year.

Sorenstam started the round one stroke in front of Park and three behind second-round leader Kelli Kuehne.

Sorenstam made a 20-foot birdie putt on 17 to tie Park at 11 under, and then one from about the same distance on 18 to have them tied at 12-under 201 heading into the final round.

``I rolled in some key putts at the end,'' Sorenstam said. ``It feels great to make some of the longer ones.''

Park made the cut for the first time in two appearances at this tournament, while Sorenstam has won it twice -- 1998 and 2000.

``If I play good tomorrow, and Annika plays better, it's her day,'' Park said. ``I just have to try the best I can do.''

Hee-Won Han, the LPGA's rookie of the year in 2001, had a 66 and was third at 10-under 203, while Karrie Webb was another two shots back after a 66.

Webb has come from behind from two strokes or more to win 11 times among her 27 career victories.

``If I can play the same sort of golf as today -- and I'm going to hope for more wind tomorrow -- maybe that can make them come back to me a little,'' said Webb, who has one win this year.

Kuehne had a 73 and was among four golfers at 207, while Chris Johnson, who started the day two shots back in second place, had a 74 and was at 210.

The tournament is sponsored by Sybase and has a purse of $950,000, with$142,500 going to the winner.

Divots

Defending champion Rosie Jones, who opened with a 75, had a 68 Saturday and was at 3-under 210. ... Sherri Steinhauer, the 1999 champion, started the third round at 4 under and had 18 pars to stay at that number. ... Michele Redman, the 1997 champion, had a 65 Saturday, going 5 under over the final five holes to finish at 208. She had an eagle on No. 15 and birdies on 14, 16 and 18. ... The leaders went off at 10:40 a.m. Saturday to accommodate NBC's live coverage from 1:30-3:30 p.m. EDT. On Sunday, the leaders were to go off at 1:50 p.m., but with thunderstorms in the forecast for late Sunday, officials decided they will go off about the same time as Saturday. NBC'scoverage will remain from 4-6 p.m., but now will be tape-delayed.

Email this page to a friend | Return to top of page