Inkster claims title with closing 62

Juli Inkster made her first Corning Classic victory one for the record books.

Inkster shot a 10-under-par 62 - tying the lowest final-round score by a winner in the history of the LPGA Tour - to beat Canada's Lorie Kane by four strokes despite a closing 67 by the Canadian star Sunday.

It was also Inkster's first victory since she beat Annika Sorenstam for the U.S. Women's Open title last summer.

Inkster's cumulative score of 24-under-par 264 also shattered the tournament record of 268 set in 1998 by Tammie Green. It was Inkster's 29th career victory, 17th come-from-behind triumph, and the lowest round of her Hall of Fame career.

Scotland's Catriona Matthew, who began the day with a two-shot lead over Kane, had a final-round 70 and finished alone in third at 269. Meg Mallon and Beth Daniel each shot 68 and tied for fourth at 270.

Two-time Corning champion Rosie Jones led three players at 272, while Karrie Webb, who shot 65, and Wendy Ward were ninth at 273. Defending champion Laura Diaz had a closing 63 and finished at 276.

The first hole, a 402-yard, par-4, gave players problems all weekend, and Sunday was no exception. Matthew, Mallon, and Daniel each carded bogeys while Inkster made par to move within two shots of the lead.

Inkster, who was paired with Daniel, then reeled off four straight birdies to tie Matthew at 18 under.

After a par at No. 6, Inkster continued to step up the pressure. She hit a 7-iron to 12 feet and made birdie at the seventh hole, then hit a sand wedge to 4 feet at No. 8 and sank that putt to go 20 under and gain a one-shot lead over Kane.

And she didn't stop there. At No. 10, Inkster began a string of three more birdies to go a stunning 9 under, barely missing an 18-foot eagle putt at No. 12.

Inkster's best finish in four previous tries over the narrow 6,082-yard Corning Country Club course was a tie for seventh in 1985, when she finished 8 under par. On Sunday, she was an amazing 8 under on the day through 11 holes.

Seemingly on cruise control, Inkster suddenly began to falter after a solid par at No. 13, the most difficult hole on the course.

Her drive at the par-5 14th hole landed under a tree on the right side, and her second shot came to rest under a tree on the left side, but she managed to scramble for par.

She overshot the green at the short No. 15 but salvaged another par, then drove into the right rough on the next hole, muttering, "OK, where's my swing?" as she watched the ball land in a tough spot behind an evergreen tree.

Inkster, a month shy of her 43rd birthday, ignored her caddy's advice to play it safe with a chip onto the fairway, and when her second shot stayed in the rough and behind yet another tree, she was in trouble and ended up with bogey.

At 17, Inkster's tee shot landed in a fairway bunker just over 100 yards from the green, but that's where her troubles ended. She had an excellent lie and nailed her second shot to 4 feet of the pin and drained her 10th birdie of the round.

Back on track, Inkster hit a 9-iron to 20 feet on the final hole as the crowd roared its approval, then she doffed her visor as she made her way to the green, finally certain of victory. With Daniel savoring the moment with a big smile off to the side, Inkster calmly rolled in yet another birdie.

Kane had birdied No. 12 to go 20 under, but despite playing in the final group with Matthew and watching Inkster briefly come undone, she could not mount a charge for the lead. Kane finished with seven straight pars.

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