Pak Does It for Father; Mahaffey Wins Playoff

Despite battling wind and a driving rain, Se Ri Pak came through on a promise to her father.

“Before I started, I said I wanted to get the trophy for my father,” she said.

Pak shot a five-under-par 66 on a soggy course Sunday to win the ShopRite LPGA Classic at Absecon, N.J.

Along with the trophy for her father, Joon Chul Pak, Se Ri picked up $150,000 for the victory and ended a nearly yearlong victory drought.

The 1998 LPGA rookie of the year birdied two of her first three holes and then added four more to post a 54-hole total of 198.

Pak led from wire to wire, finishing at 15 under, two shots better than surging Trish Johnson of Britain.

With Johnson already in the clubhouse at 13 under after a 65, Pak arrived at No. 18 with a one-shot lead. She sank a three-foot birdie putt as the rain-soaked crowd, many Korean-Americans on hand to cheer the 21-year-old native of Daejeon, Korea, erupted in applause.

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John Mahaffey made a 30-foot putt on the second playoff hole to win the rain-delayed, $1.1-million Southwestern Bell Dominion PGA Senior Tour event at the Dominion Country Club in San Antonio.

Mahaffey, the 1978 PGA Championship winner, won for the first time as a senior and earned $165,000.

He defeated Jose Maria Canizares, who missed a 25-footer in near darkness. Bruce Fleisher, who has won four senior events this year, was eliminated on the first playoff hole when he missed a 12-foot putt.

All three finished the 54 holes of regulation at 12-under 204. Mahaffey shot a final-round 70.