Han defeats Kane at first playof hole

Hee-Won Han knew she needed to birdie the 18th hole to force a playoff in the Safeway Classic.

She says she wasn't nervous.

"I just play," she said. "Not much pressure."

The South Korean star got the birdie she needed to match Lorie Kane at 9-under 207, then beat the Canadian with another birdie on the first hole of a playoff.

Han has had some practice with playoff holes.

Last month, she missed a 5-foot par putt on the first hole of a playoff loss to Catriona Matthew in the Wendy's Championship for Children. Han won that event the previous year, beating Wendy Ward on the third extra hole.

"This time, I just enjoyed my play. No pressure," Han said.

Han, who closed with a 5-under 67, also won the Big Apple Classic last year and was the tour's rookie of the year in 2001 when she had four top-20 finishes.

Kane, winless since 2001, shot a 70.

Grace Park birdied the 18th for a 68, leaving her a stroke back at 8 under.

Annika Sorenstam, the 2002 and 2003 winner, closed with a 70 to finish two shots back at 7 under at Columbia Edgewater Country Club.

"When it's a three-day tournament, nothing can go wrong," Sorenstam said. "You have to be solid every day."

At No. 18 in the playoff, Han hit her approach shot within 4 feet, while Kane's shot landed on the green more than 50 feet from the hole. Kane's long birdie try narrowly missed the hole, but she made about a 10-footer for par. Han effortlessly knocked in the 4-foot birdie putt for her third LPGA Tour victory.

Kane, who had three birdies and a bogey in her 70, has seven top-10 finishes in 20 events this season.

"I'm just going to take nothing but positives from it. I wasn't driving it well, but you know, I feel like I'm making my way back to where I need to be," she said. "And you've got a great champion in Hee-Won Han."

Candie Kung, who shared the lead with Kane entering the final round, was at 9 under heading to the final hole, but made a double bogey for a 72 that left her two strokes back along with Sorenstam and Kristal Parker-Manzo (65).

Although the forecast called for better conditions than the previous two days, a steady rain fell when the leaders teed off Sunday. In the afternoon, there were periods of drizzle along with some breaks of brilliant sunshine.

The first round was suspended for more than an hour Friday afternoon because of thunderstorms, then again when rain started as darkness fell. Thirty-one players finished up the first round Saturday morning.

Sorenstam, who won last week in Oklahoma after taking the month off, was in position to win in Portland for the third straight year. She has won two other tournaments three times, among just nine times it has happened in tour history.

But the Swedish star bogeyed the par-4 11th hole, falling three shots off the pace, and she wasn't able to recover this time.

"I tied and I played well, it was just one of those days when it wouldn't flow," Sorenstam said.

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