Meunier-Lebouc gains first tour win

Patricia Meunier-Lebouc of France earned her first career LPGA Tour title Sunday, winning a duel with Korean Mi Hyun Kim at the State Farm Classic.

In her second full season on tour, Meunier-Lebouc carded a bogey-free 5-under-par 67 to defeat Kim by two strokes. A 29-year-old from Courbevoie, Meunier-Lebouc had never finished better than sixth in 29 LPGA Tour starts.

Meunier-Lebouc ended up with a 72-hole total of 18-under 270, matching the third-best score for a 72-hole event this year. She was a combined 56-over par in her first 16 starts of 2002.

A two-time winner this season, Kim entered the day tied for the lead with Meunier-Lebouc and remained there before bogeying the 14th hole. She was a stroke back before she bogeyed the 18th to complete a 69.

Se Ri Pak tied her countrywoman for second at 16-under 272 by shooting a 65.

Rookie Beth Bauer, Laura Davies of England and Emilee Klein shared fourth at 273. Bauer had a share of the lead before she put her tee shot in the water at the 16th hole.

Klein's finish enabled her to qualify for the United States Solheim Cup team, leapfrogging Dorothy Delasin and inching past Kelly Robbins for the final automatic berth. She needed to place in the top nine.

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