Webb’s Eight-Shot Margin Is No Mirage in the Desert

Out here in the desert this weekend, there are some things you can count on seeing. Besides sand, of course. Here’s the list: date palms, cactus, golf courses every block, out-of-state license plates in the rearview mirror and Karrie Webb in the winner’s circle.

For some reason, probably because it’s on television, they are going to go ahead and play today’s fourth round of the LPGA Nabisco Championship at Mission Hills, where Webb made certain Saturday that everybody else is playing for no better than second place.

Webb’s third-round 67 and a 54-hole total of 12-under-par 204 mean she is eight shots ahead of Dottie Pepper. If Webb’s lead were measured in light years, she would be holing out on Venus.

It also means that it will take a minor miracle to keep the Australian from her second major title, one to go with her victory last year at the du Maurier Classic.

So what’s left for Webb to do today? Win by 16?

Webb tried to sound cautious.

“I never say that whatever the lead that I’m going to win,” she said. “I don’t give myself that luxury. I’ve got four or five hours of work left.”

Then start the clock and let’s get this thing over with. After Webb’s picturesque round Saturday of six birdies and a single bogey, all that’s left are the formalities.

In fact, the tournament got so out of hand so quickly that about the only player who actually made a real move on Webb was 13-year-old Aree Wongluekiet, who is one year removed from grammar school. Meanwhile, the rest of the LPGA’s finest took a collective step to the rear.

Wongluekiet shot a bogey-free, four-under 68 and is 10 shots back. Obviously, Aree doesn’t know the only thing she should be this close to is Nickelodeon.

Can she catch Webb?

“I’ll try, but probably not,” Wongluekiet said.

All right, here’s another question. Can anyone catch Webb? Uh, not without a very fast car.

For the record, only once has anyone come from even four shots down in the last round to win the Nabisco. And no one has ever taken a bigger lead into the last round here.

Pepper, who played the first 18 holes in four under and the next 36 in even par, is the closest to Webb and she has a good record in comebacks. Pepper has come from behind in the fourth round to win seven times, but she never has had to climb out of anything more than a five-shot hole.

Pepper’s second consecutive 72 was noteworthy in that she managed anything close to that score after she pulled some muscles in her back on the practice tee.

Wongluekiet, Chris Johnson and Pat Hurst are tied for third, but they have way too much ground to make up to be a factor.

However, Wongluekiet is a factor just by being here. The Thai, whose twin Naree missed the cut, is the youngest to play in an LPGA major. Webb is grouped with Aree for the final round, which will please both parties because the twins have left notes in Webb’s locker this week telling her that she is their favorite player. Pepper is also in the last threesome.

“Aree, right?” Webb said. “I can’t tell them apart anyway.

“I just can’t really imagine what’s going through her mind right now. She’s 13 years old and playing in the last group in the last round of a major.”

What was going through Webb’s mind were the details of a near-perfect ball-striking round.

“The best I’ve hit it since, I don’t know, maybe the best I’ve ever hit it,” she said.

Webb made only one bogey, when she missed the fairway at No. 4. But she birdied No. 2 with a 12-foot putt and No. 6 when she hit an eight-iron to 12 feet and made the putt. She closed with four more birdies, each one after iron shots left her with putts of five feet or less.

“When Chris and Dottie made a bogey or two on the back, I did realize that no one close really had done anything,” Webb said. “That made it easier to fire at the pin.”

And so she did. Webb said she missed at least four birdie putts of about 10 or 12 feet, including one at No. 18. If she had made that, Webb’s lead would have been nine shots. But at this point, eight is probably more than enough.

Webb has led every round and this would be her fifth wire-to-wire victory. She has been the 54-hole leader 17 times, won 10 times and finished second six times.

But when was the last time that Webb blew an eight-shot lead on the last day?

“Never,” she said.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

In Front

Leaders through Saturday’s play (54 holes):

NABISCO CHAMPIONSHIP

At Mission Hills Country Club--Par 72

Karrie Webb: 67-70-67--204 -12 Dottie Pepper: 68-72-72--212 -4 Aree Wongluekiet: 75-71-68--214 -2 Pat Hurst: 72-72-70--214 -2 Chris Johnson: 73-68-73--214 -2 Michele Redman: 73-73-69--215 -1 Wendy Doolan: 73-73-69--215 -1 Lorie Kane: 71-71-73--215 -1 *

* COMPLETE SCORES, PAGE 16