Webb wins by nine shots

Karrie Webb breathed easier after she looked at the leaderboard on No. 12. She could have felt comfortable long before that.

Webb shot a 4-under 66 Sunday to win the John Q. Hammons Hotels Classic by nine strokes, her first LPGA title in more than a year and the 29th of her career.

Webb made five birdies in the final round at the Tulsa Country Club as she finished at 10-under 200 for the 54 holes to win her first title since the Women's British Open in August 2002.

"It's a sense of relief, but also I'm just proud because it hasn't been the easiest of years for me," Webb said.

Four golfers tied for second in a round that saw Webb's top competitors from Saturday fall deep in the standings. The outcome was certain after Donna Andrews, trailing by three strokes at 4-under, double-bogeyed No. 10.

"I was glad that I had a nine-shot lead coming down the last because I didn't have to think too much," said Webb, who's won six majors.

Dorothy Delasin matched Webb's 66 to finish at 209 along with Candie Kung (67), Tammie Green (70) and Jamie Hullett (70). Defending champion Annika Sörenstam, playing for the first time in three weeks, shot a 68 and finished tied for 10th at 211.

Webb pumped her fist, hugged Christie Kerr and their caddies and flipped a ball into the stands after she made a one-foot putt for par on the 18th.

"I just wanted to win so badly this year," Webb said. "I didn't want to be shut out for the first time in my career."

The Australian won $150,000 of the third-year tournament's $1 million purse, bringing her yearly winnings to $664,926. She's earned nearly $9.4 million in her career.

The Classic is the last tourney for many players competing in next week's Solheim Cup matches pitting U.S. players versus European players in Malmo, Sweden.

Kerr came into the final round alone in second but she drove too many balls into the rough Sunday, hitting just six of 14 fairways. Stacy Prammanasudh and Andrews came in tied for third at four strokes back but also faltered early.

Meanwhile, Webb was playing well, hitting 11 of 14 fairways and 13 of 18 greens while making just one bogey. She made a 20-foot birdie putt on the par-3 sixth hole that pretty much put the field away.

"I'm really happy and a little relieved just to have played really well, not necessarily winning by nine strokes, but just playing well enough to win," Webb said.

Kerr, playing with Webb, came within two strokes at 4-under after making birdie on No. 3, but she bogeyed the next two holes. She finished at 210 after a 73.

Andrews's eagle on No. 3 pulled her into contention and she stayed there until the 10th. She shot a 74 and finished at 212. Prammanasudh, a crowd favorite from her days at the University of Tulsa, followed consecutive 69s with a 75 Sunday and finished at 213.

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