Sheehan Shoots a 71 to Win at Sarasota

Patty Sheehan shot a one-under-par 71 and fought off challenges from Juli Inkster and Pat Bradley to successfully defend her title in the $200,000 LPGA Sarasota tournament Monday. Sheehan won by three strokes.

Sheehan, who led from wire-to-wire to become the first player to win this 11-year-old tournament twice, finished with a 72-hole total of nine-under-par 279 on the 6,124-yard Burnt Tree Country Club course.

Bradley and Inkster, a former college teammate of Sheehan at San Jose State, shot 69 and 72, respectively, to wind up with four-day totals of 282.

Stephanie Farwig carded a 73 and finished four shots off Sheehan’s pace at five-under-par 283. Becky Pearson, Lori Garbacz and Beth Daniel followed at 284.

The victory in the rain-delayed event, worth $30,000, was Sheehan’s 15th as a professional. It boosted her career earnings to $1,134,736 and marked the first time a player has repeated as champion in any LPGA event since she won the Henredon tournament in 1983 and 1984.

Sheehan’s final round included four birdies and three bogeys.