Mallon Notches Florida Victory

L.A. Times Archives

Jan. 25, 1999 12 AM PT

From Associated Press

Meg Mallon birdied three of the final five holes for a 67 and won the inaugural Naples LPGA Memorial by one stroke Sunday at Naples, Fla.

After Mallon made a nine-foot birdie putt on the 17th hole to get to 16 under, Helen Alfredsson and Kelly Robbins each had a chance to force a playoff. But Alfredsson’s 60-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole missed left of the hole and Robbins’ long fringe putt for birdie came up short.

Alfredsson and Robbins finished tied for second at 15 under.

Mallon, 35, who earned $112,500 with her 10th victory, had four rounds in the 60s (69-67-69-67).

One turning point Sunday came on the par-four fourth hole, where her tee shot came to rest just inside the hazard line and left her with a very difficult shot to the hole. Standing with her heels in the water, Mallon hooked a six-iron to within 15 feet of the cup and made a birdie.

Three holes later, an errant approach shot hit a spectator and bounced back pin high left of the hole.

“She got a ball and a hug,” Mallon said of the spectator.

At one point during the final round, there were 10 players within three shots of the lead including Annika Sorenstam, Hollis Stacy, Laura Davies, Liselotte Neumann, Juli Inkster and Karrie Webb.

Webb, who either shared or held the lead through the first three rounds, double bogeyed the third hole to fall out of contention. Inkster, who also had a share of the lead heading into the final round, didn’t challenge either with a final-round 73.

John Jacobs shot an uneven two-under-par 70, but it was good enough to make him the wire-to-wire winner of the MasterCard Seniors at Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. He finished three strokes ahead Raymond Floyd and Jim Colbert.

Jacobs, who qualified for the winners-only tournament by taking last year’s Nationwide Championship, had four birdies and three bogeys on the front nine and two birdies on a bogie on 18 coming in.

Floyd was hampered by his putter. He started the final round three strokes behind Jacobs and could get no closer with a 70.

Colbert’s 67 helped him pick up four strokes over the final nine holes to finish tied with Floyd for second. Colbert nearly finished a solo second when his eagle effort on the final hole hit the flagstick and bounced a couple of feet away for an easy birdie.

Defending champion Gil Morgan made a nice comeback, finishing with a 66 for a 208 and a share of sixth place with Brian Barnes. He closed with a 67.

David Frost shot a three-under-par 68 and won the $1 million South African Open at Stellenbosch, South Africa. Frost, who rallied from four strokes back after the third round, finished at five-under 279.

Germany’s Sven Struver, the leader going into the final round, needed a birdie on the final hole to win and a par four to force a playoff. Struver hit a perfect drive down the fairway, but it landed in a divot. His second shot veered to the left and into a water hazard guarding the green. He then chipped on and two-putted for a double-bogey six and a round of 74. He wound up fourth at 281.

Tied for second at 280 were American Scott Dunlap (71) and Jeev Milkha Singh of India (70).

Ernie Els shot a 72 and finished four back at 283.

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Final Rounds

Scores after Sunday’s play (Complete scores, Page 10):

NAPLES MEMORIAL--Par 72

Meg Mallon: 69-67-69-67--272 -16

Kelly Robbins: 69-68-68-68--273 -15

Helen Alfredsson: 69-68-68-68--273 -15

Annika Sorenstam: 70-72-67-66--275 -13

Liselotte Neumann: 65-70-71-69--275 -13

Hollis Stacy: 65-71-69-70--275 -13