Park clinches title with final hole birdie

Grace Park won her first major title after holding off fellow South Korean Aree Song, 17, by one stroke in a spectacular finish to the Kraft Nabisco Championship on Sunday.

Song, who tied for ninth here four years ago, was two strokes behind playing the 18th. But she hit her second shot over the lake at the 526-yard hole and sank a 30-foot eagle putt for a two-under 70 and a total of 278, 10 under.

Park responded coolly. She laid up with her second shot, struck a wedge to six feet and rolled home her birdie putt for a 69 and 277 at Mission Hills Country Club.

Australia's Karrie Webb, who also birdied the last for a 69, was third on 279. Michelle Wie, the 14-year-old prodigy from Hawaii, came fourth.

The six-foot tall teenager returned a 71 for 281 to equal the best result by an amateur in this event, set by Caroline Keggi in 1988.

Park, 25, and Song were tied for the lead overnight and it turned into a battle royal on a day of perfect conditions.

Song led by two at the turn but Park reeled off four birdies in a row from the ninth to take a two-shot advantage.

A four-times LPGA winner in her four-year career, Park, who took the traditional winner's leap into the lake at the 18th, told reporters: "I'm going to enjoy this moment.

"I was shaking at the 18th but I have always felt like that when I win so I knew it was a good sign.

"I just had a feeling that Aree was going to hole her eagle putt and I knew I really, really had to make the six-footer. You just have to trust yourself and believe you can do it."

Park moved from South Korea to the U.S. before she reached her teens in order to pursue her golfing dream. Se was a gifted amateur, winning all the major titles, including the 1998 U.S. Women's Amateur Championship.

"But this is the dream come true," she said. "I have worked so hard for this and it's a moment I'm really going to savour."

For Song, making her fifth appearance in the championship but her first as a professional, it was a mixture of delight and disappointment.

"I gave it a great run," she said.

For Wie, who tied for ninth a year ago, it was another stunning performance. Playing in the penultimate group, she almost holed out for an eagle two at the first and was in contention for most of the day.

"I'm proud of the way I played," said the Hawaiian schoolgirl, who came within a shot of making the cut when she played alongside the men on the PGA Tour's Sony Open in January.

World number one Annika Sorenstam closed with a 69 to tie for 13th on 285, three under.

"I felt I played well the last two days," she said. "I kept fighting, kept trying. Now I've got to win the other three (majors)," said the Swede, whose goal this year was to achieve a clean sweep of the majors.

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